Minissha's moment to shine

Emerging actress Minissha Lamba is finally getting her due in Bollywood after making a striking debut in Yahaan (2005) that won her accolades for her stirring performance.

Though she didn't manage to win a substantial role after Yahaan, she made her presence felt in films like Corporate, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Dus Kahaniyan. This year will give a much-needed impetus to her career with a challenging role in the forthcoming release, Shaurya. Her other upcoming film Yashraj's Bachna Ae Haseeno with current heartthrob, Ranbir Kapoor, will be her big ticket to Bollywood.

Excerpts of an interview with Lamba:

Tell us about your latest film Shaurya.

Shaurya stands for the courage in your inner self. The film deals with the concept of right and wrong and what we ought to do when something is going wrong around us.

Shaurya has an army backdrop and involves courtroom drama with an intriguing storyline as the film is all about finding the truth behind a heinous crime at the end.

It is an important film that sends a message that in everyday life we face situations where we have to protest against injustice. We don't need to resort to violence or take the law in our own hands, but simply have the courage to voice our thoughts against injustice.

What is your role in the film?

I play the character of Kavya Shastri, an investigative journalist who specialises in war reports. She stumbles upon a case that is considered done and buried, yet she pursues this case as she feels there is more to it than it seems. So she starts digging for answers to questions that rub top officials the wrong way. The case that starts purely on a professional level becomes her personal mission.

You mentioned in an earlier interview that if it wasn't for acting, you would have opted for a career as a war reporter. So, with this role have you fulfilled your ambition to some degree?

(Smiles) Definitely. I have fulfilled my childhood dream of being a war reporter by playing this character. I am thankful to Samar Khan (director of Shaurya) for offering me this dream role. I believe that for the most part the character in this film reflects my own personality. I think after Yahaan, I will cherish this role for providing me the opportunity to play a war journalist.

Were you satisfied with playing smaller roles in films like Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Dus Kahaniyan?

I think I was fortunate to be part of these projects as I had the opportunity to act with some talented actors. It was an honour for me to act along with Shabana Azmi and Amrita Singh in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Dus Kahaniyan respectively. Moreover, it doesn't matter how much screen space you have but how effective your role is in the film.

Is there any other role that you aspire to play in the future?

I would love to act in a period film. I believe doing a period film has its own charm and it is exciting to play a character of a different era. I hope somebody will cast me in such a film in future.

What are your other projects in the pipeline?

Well after Shaurya, I have Anamika that is almost ready for release. It is a thriller and I have a strong author-backed role in it. I am excited about Yashraj's Bachna Ae Haseeno and it stars Ranbir Kapoor along with Deepika Padukone and Bipasha Basu. The film is due to be out in the middle of this year. I also have Sanjay Gadhavi's action thriller, Kidnap, that stars Sanjay Dutt. So it is going to be an exciting 2008 for me.

6 of Minissha Lamba's films:

• Yahaan
• Corporate
• Rocky
• Anthony Kaun Hai
• Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
• Dus Kahaniyan