Lamba likes tough acts

Minissha Lamba toyed with the idea of becoming a journalist, but discovered that fate had something different in store for her.

"I wanted to be a journalist, but I would have liked to cover war stories rather than entertainment," says the Bollywood actress whose next movie Well Done Abba will be releasing soon.

Lamba may not have become a war journalist, but she managed to fulfil her desire of playing a tough character in the critically-acclaimed film, Shaurya. She has mostly portrayed strong characters on the big screen since her debut in the author-backed role of Ada in Yahaan.

In Shyam Benegal's Well Done Abba, she again plays a strong-headed girl. Is she like this in real life? It seems so. "I am pretty clear about what I believe is right and wrong for me. I do get perturbed with problems, but I try my best to resolve them in my own way," says Lamba. "When things don't go my way, I tend to get short-tempered. At the end of the day I am not irrational but in complete control of myself."

Strong girl

With such a strong attitude and coming from a non-film background, it wouldn't have been easy for Lamba to work with the top stars who generally have inflated egos or, for that matter, the new bunch of star kids who throw around their weight on the sets.

Lamba says she wasn't worried as she knew how to handle such situations. In any case, she didn't have any problems.

"Honestly I haven't had any confrontation with my co-actors in any of my films. I think today nobody can think that he or she is a big star and throw their weight around. The industry is getting professional and every actor knows what is expected of them. Moreover, Bollywood cannot run with a handful of big stars and star kids, so there are a lot of opportunities for newcomers from a non-Bollywood background.

"I believe I should stick to my roles as per the script and concentrate on my performance. The director will take care of everything else. In fact when I did Bachna Ae Haseeno that starred Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Deepika Padukone - trust me - I didn't have any issue with anyone. Ranbir was really sweet and I also shared very good camaraderie with Bipasha and Deepika in the little time we spent together while promoting the film," says Lamba.

Comparisons

Lamba has managed to impress the audience with her fresh looks and effervescent screen presence which has led many to compare her to Preity Zinta.

"I feel honoured and flattered to be compared with a big star like Preity Zinta but in the course of time I want to carve my own unique identity. As an actress, I am aware that I need to maintain a fresh look but all credit goes to the entire team that makes me appear beautiful in my films," says Lamba and shares the secret to her good looks: "Drink gallons of water, practise yoga and breathe deeply. If you do this regularly you will be healthy and get the much-needed fresh look on your face."

But a pretty face and decent acting skills aren't enough to reach the top in Bollywood. Is this why she agreed to kiss Kapoor in Bachna Ae Haseeno and appear in a bikini in Kidnap? She's even done a hot photo shoot for India's Maxim magazine, which received a lot of attention.

Says Lamba, "I am against any indecent exposure, but I am aware that as a mainstream actress appearing glamorous is of paramount importance. As long as I am aesthetically portrayed within the parameters of the script, I am fine with onscreen smooches and wearing sensuous costumes or a bikini. The much-talked about bikini shot was an integral part of Kidnap's plot and as far as the Maxim photo shoot was concerned, I was aware of what I was doing. My only concern is that I need to ensure that I have a well-toned body to carry off itsy-bitsy costumes."

Her new role

Lamba is aware that her role in Well Done Abba will be good for her career. "It's an honour for me to act in a Shyam Benegal film as his library of films speaks volumes about him. I play an educated Muslim village girl who fights the system in her own way and supports her dad who is fighting for a well on their farm. I am expecting a lot from this film," says Lamba.

Well Done Abba has been screened at the Montreal, London and Dubai International Film Festivals. "The movie received a very good response at all the festivals and it was heartwarming to see the UAE audience react positively," says Lamba.

Lamba is paired opposite the handsome Samir Dattani in Well Done Abba. She is proud that she is the only heroine so far to have acted with the current Indian heartthrobs, Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan.

It is surprising that this glamorous and intelligent actress has not been romantically linked to anyone so far. "I may not be in any relationship now, but I am not perturbed by it as I am happy concentrating on my career," says Lamba.

"But like any other normal girl, I am hoping to meet my perfect man who woos me, and hopefully he will be a combination of beauty and brains."

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