Bollywood calling

The insane desire of wanting to be famous is one we've all secretly harboured, at one point or another. We'd be lying if we deny ever tempting our mighty ego to a massive slice of the fame pie, albeit within the closed confines of our own homes. Rehearsing movie dialogues in full earnest, romanticising fashion styles, even practising an award acceptance speech with a powder can for a substitute is a drill we've all toyed with.

It's a staple of every childhood fantasy. A world of pretence that's weaved so intricately, it often blurs out the reality. So, when the star-struck Neha Sharma abandoned her dream of weaving designs for a more glamorous life in the spotlight, it reiterated her want, just like our own, for recognition.

"Ever since sixth grade, I've dreamt of becoming a fashion designer. I even enrolled for a course in designing at the prestigious NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi). But just as I was finishing college, Chirutha (her first Telugu film) happened," she says, during our chat at the Ramee Royal Hotel's Mirchi hub.

It was a big launch into the world of regional cinema, an event that might've gone unnoticed among the Mumbai glitterati circles, but one that set the foundation for Sharma's Tinseltown dreams. "Chirutha was a big film. It saw the debut of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's son Ram Charan Teja." And once she experienced the pulse of the celeb world, although on the regional turf, she willingly surrendered to the madness. "At that time I didn't understand the magnitude of the project, but once the realisation set in, I started enjoying it. There's so much travel, food and dancing involved. It's just so much fun."

Though she may claim her foray into the film world was unintentional, a closer introspection chalks out a premeditated plan. The college photo shoots, circulation of her portfolio to aspiring film-makers with the hope of entering the filmdom, is a predictable journey that every aspiring starlet would identify with. So, when she says it was just mere luck that the Telugu film-makers picked her portfolio, we aren't entirely convinced. But that apart, she's fairly honest when she admits that her college-day modelling assignments were amateurish. "It'd be an insult for all the professional models because I'm not one. I used to model mostly for my college seniors."

So, while her stunning looks won her a slot in the regional circuit, it was, apparently, her dance moves that caught the fancy of Crook film-maker Mohit Suri. "He had seen my film and thought I'd suit the character. Even Mukesh (Bhatt) showed immense trust in me." And that explains the decision, on the producer's part, to skip the auditions altogether. Ironic, though, that Sharma wasn't as confident about her talent. "After my second Telugu film (Kurradu) in 2009, I took a break because I didn't understand the Telugu language. I wasn't sure if this is what I wanted to do. And then, Crook came along and changed that perspective."

Though Telugu did prove a hindrance initially, Sharma insists the experience was quite enjoyable. "Probably, it would've been difficult if I had done performance-oriented roles, but those were fun films. I thoroughly enjoyed myself as there was lots of travel, music and action."

So, while Sharma is willing to play up the Bollywood song-and-dance clichés, she does appear determined to skip the size-zero trend. Though her hour-glass figure is a visual contradiction, she insists she is a complete foodie. "You have to see my first film to understand how much I used to indulge. I don't believe in punishing myself as I've only one life to eat as much as I like." But when it comes to her film career, she isn't quite definitive about how she wants to play it. "I'm looking at all good films, all good characters, all good stories. Anything that comes my way. I'll do everything that I believe in as I feel that's the key to success."

With no role model in place and an unwillingness to consult anyone, even her mentor film-maker Suri, on any expert guidance, Sharma believes she can do it on her own. "I don't know if I'll consult him in terms of what I'll do in the future."

Despite being fresh on the B-town circuit, her approach to cinema is refreshing. She doesn't feed off her ego, like most of her contemporaries, and is extremely critical about her on-screen image. "At first, I'm in disbelief. Then, I'm overtly critical about my appearance. But I think there'll be a time when I'll be slightly more tolerable about my performance. Now, I just feel I'm atrocious and the worst performer."

With just one plum project in her kitty, Sharma is aware that the pressure to out-do her first act is immense, which explains her decision to invest a lot of time, weighing out the options, before signing on the dotted line. "I've read a couple of interesting scripts but I haven't signed any yet."

In an industry where star kids are preferred and pampered over their lesser-known equals, it'd be fascinating to see how Sharma will eventually fare in the rat race. Gauging from her confidence, we sense she's going to play it safe. But how far in the game that'll take her is something we'd have to wait and see.