'I need to better my dance'

Konkona Sen Sharma won the National Award in 2003 for her performance in Mr. And Mrs. Iyer, directed by her mother, Aparna Sen.

Since then she has impressed viewers with sterling performances in 15 Park Avenue, Page 3, Omkara and now Life in a ... Metro. The actress could not be present for the film's premiere in Dubai due to a foot injury, but spoke to tabloid! in a telephonic chat.

Are you satisfied with the way your career is going in Bollywood?

Yes. I've just finished Life in a ... Metro, which was a great experience. Anurag is a cool director and my co-star Irrfan is a brilliant actor. But I do not spend too much time thinking about my career.

How do you pick your roles?

I go with my instincts. I take it if I like the script, my role and the director.

Do you prefer to work with your mother as the director?

The director is the most important person in the unit and for me it is important that I share good vibes with him. I definitely enjoy working with my mother, but that does not mean I do not like working with other directors.

Why are you not in her next film, The Japanese Wife?

By the time she started the project, my dates were committed elsewhere and it would have been unprofessional to pull out. But I am really going to miss out because she has taken Raima Sen, who is a very good actor and fits the role better than me. Just because we are mother and daughter does not mean we have to be in every film together.

How important are your co-stars for your performance?

They are important. The better your co-stars, the better the project, the better the scenes will work and the better you will be seen as. That is why I like working with Irrfan because he is such a good actor that I don't have to work very hard to make the scene work.

Does winning awards put pressure on you ?

No. I was happy to get the National Award for my third film because it got me attention and good roles. But regardless of awards, I set very high standards for myself as an actor. I am grateful for the awards and feel honoured and encouraged by them but they are just a bonus - they are not the reason I work and not a big deal in my life.

What are your weaknesses as an actor?

I need to have more concentration and focus while working. And I need to get better with dance. There are some films that are interesting but have dance numbers and I need to be at ease with that.

Waiting in the wings:

Konkona's forthcoming films to be released by the end of the year: Sandhya with Ritupurno Ghosh Laaga Chunri Mein Daag with Pradeep Sarkar Aaja Nachle – with Anil Mehta.