Hers has been almost a dream run in Bollywood, having worked with filmmakers like Priyadarshan and Madhur Bhandarkar in a short span since her debut in ‘Garam Masala’ a few years ago.
In just four years since her debut in Bollywood, Neetu Chandra has done variety of roles that range from a glamorous air hostess in ‘Garam Masala’ to the ‘’closer-to-life’’ street vendor in ‘Traffic Signal’ to a comic role as police officer in ‘One Two Three’ to the consort of the ‘Super chor’ Bunty in ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’.
‘’All the roles I have done over the last four years have been different from each other. For example, my role in ‘One Two Three’ was different from that in ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’, which in turn was different from that in ‘Traffic Signal’.
While ‘Garam Masala’ and ‘One Two Three’ had me in hardcore glamorous roles, ‘Traffic Signal’ and ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’ had me in simpler roles,’’ Neetu Chandra, who will now be seen in the horror film ’13 B’ in the role of a housewife addicted to television said.
Her real life portrayals in ‘Traffic Signal’ and ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’ may have established her as an actress adept at playing ‘’closer-to-life’’ roles but the actress insisted that it is the script of a film rather than her role in it that governs her choice of these roles.
‘’I don’t choose films according to my roles. Rather, I chose films according to the script. As long as the script is nice and the story is good, I do not care what my role is and whether it is glamorous or non-glamorous.
x Infact, I do not understand terms like Glamorous and non glamorous. If a script requires me to look glamorous, I will look glamorous.
Conversely, if a role requires me to look simpler, I will do so. I am very comfortable with my body and will wear whatever look the script demands,’’Neetu Chandra told in an interview on the eve of the film’s release.
Talking about her role in her next film ’13 B’, where she is features opposite South Indian actor Madhavan, Neetu said,’’I play a housewife. She is a very coy, shy kind of female, who is stuck to television like any other female in the house and how she realises that the television set has become a danger to her family.’’
She said though the role was closer to real life, it had elements of both glamour as well as real life.
Considering that she hails from a middle class family in Haryana, the going seems to have been good for Neetu in Bollywood.
‘’Things have been really nice for me in Bollywood. I was doing modelling when I was picked up for ‘Garam Masala’. Then ‘Traffic Signal’ happened.
I am extremely satisfied at the progress of my career from ‘Garam Masala’ to ’13 B’. My film ‘Traffic Signal’ got a National award, while in ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Lucky Oye’ I was nominated in the Best Actress category in the Stardust awards.
And, I am on the front page of Stardust this issue. Also, I am getting offers for good films. What more could I have asked for,’’ she said.
As an actor, Neetu said she drew inspiration from Akshay Kumar, Smita Patil and Madhuri Dixit.
‘’For me Akshay Kumar, who I worked with in my first film ‘Garam masala’ is quite and inspiration especially in terms of his sense of discipline. Being a sportperson like him, I see that he is very hardworking.
Infact, the kind of discipline he follows is amazing. I that sense, I feel that Akshay sir is very very inspiring and I look up to him.
Among actresses, I look up to Madhusi Dixit and late Smita Patil because I want to do the kind of roles these actresses did,’’Neetu said.
Her forthcoming films include a comedy ‘Khusar Prasad Ka Bhoot’, a film called ‘Mumbai Cutting’, which is about a serious issue. Then there is a film with Vipul Shah and another with Raj Kanwar.
Besides, I am also doing a film with Jagmohan Mundhra.