Shortcut Romeo star Pooja Gupta on fame and Bollywood

When you are pitted against flesh-eating zombies and a seasoned performer such as Saif Ali Khan, it’s tough to get noticed. But former model Pooja Gupta managed just fine in Go Goa Gone, her second Bollywood feature, playing the lovable party-animal Luna who comes out unscathed from the zombie flick. Critics gave her performance a nod and this weekend she’s back with Shortcut Romeo.

“It’s a thriller with a little bit of action and romance thrown in,” said Gupta in an interview with tabloid!. The 28-year-old star, who was crowned Miss India Universe in 2007, made it on her own merit in Bollywood.

“I am new to this industry and I have no backing. I am on my own. Every day I learn something new here,” said Gupta, who is so fresh she’s yet to hire a publicist.

Excerpts from our chat ... 

Q: Has life changed after Go Goa Gone?

A: Frankly, it’s all been happening at whirlwind pace and I am yet to meet anybody from the industry after its success. Just after Go Goa Gone released, I had to leave for Cannes to attend the festival. I haven’t signed on any new film after Go Goa Gone. Even at Cannes, we were on a tight schedule with the premiere of my thriller Shortcut Romeo. But I got to see Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vidya Balan, which was amazing. 

Q: Tell us about Shortcut Romeo?

A: It’s a romantic thriller and I play Neil Nitin Mukesh’s love interest. He plays a vicious guy who is intent on taking short cuts in life to get rich quick. I enter his life and try to make him a better person. Unlike Go Goa Gone, this film isn’t just for the elite. With Shortcut, we are trying to reach out to the masses – be it a truckwala [truck driver] or autorickshawala [auto rickshaw driver]. 

Q: How did you land the role of Sherry?

A: Neil Nitin Mukesh. He is my good friend and he remembered my performance from F.A.L.T.U. When the director of Shortcut Romeo said he was looking for somebody new, he said he knew the right person for the role. The rest is history. It helps when your hero in your romantic film is known to you. Neil is a good actor and a good friend. He helped me with my role too. 

Q: Jiah Khan’s recent suicide has put the spotlight on how brutal the Bollywood industry can get. How has your journey been so far?

A: I feel blessed to be here today. I have no backing in this industry and before joining movies I had never been to Mumbai. In my experience, Hindi cinemas has given me so much. It’s still a dream that I have completed three great films and I am being appreciated. Just to be here giving interviews is a great feeling. But nothing in life [comes] easy. I work hard and I hope I get the success and fans that I deserve. About Jiah Khan, she was never a newcomer but it’s sad what happened to her. None of us know what was happening in her life or mind. So we can’t judge. But it’s really unfortunate. 

Q: Did you always want to be a Bollywood actor?

A: I never planned it and I have no training in acting. But I am learning every day. Having said that, I have always wanted the crown. Winning the Miss India pageant was my dream and I also knew that beauty is a commodity that Hindi cinema needs on a daily basis. Have you ever seen a Bollywood film with only boys? 

Q: How was Ameesha Patel as a colleague?

A: We worked well together as a team. We didn’t have many scenes together but we have strongly defined roles. Ameesha plays a negative character and I play the hero’s love interest, so we belong to two different spaces. As long as the content is strong, nothing else matters.