Partners in gain

AT takes a look at some celebs spouses who want their share of fame too.Celeb partners/spouses in India are no longer content being just arm candy at film premieres and high-profile parties. And now they want to court the flashbulbs themselves. Rosa (who prefers to be called Rozza) might have tasted tabloid celebdom as actor Saif Ali Khan's love interest but even after a broken affair she's in Mumbai, brushing up her Hindi meeting filmmakers to get a toehold in filmdom.
Ever since she shared screen space with Saif in a commercial Rozza has been craving her own fifteen minutes of fame, which insiders say was instrumental her break-up with him. Rakhi Sawant's boyfriend Abhishek Awasthi is emerging as a celeb in his own right even featuring in a music video with her. TV heartthrob Hussain Kuwajerwala's wife Tina became famous overnight after burning the floor in Naach Baliye 2, going on to host a show. TV star Shweta Tiwari's husband Raja Choudhury has also started producing Bhojpuri films and Hindi plays ever since he made a TV appearance with her. And the newest celeb spouse to have been bitten by the showbiz bug is TV star Shweta Keswani's Irish boyfriend Alexx , O'Neill who's even learning Hindi before he takes the bigscreen plunge.
Shweta quickly points out that Alexx was "getting offers in India before also. But, may be our public appearance must have created some sort of curiosity factor about him. Alexx has done many modelling assignments and even a role in Cheeni Kum." Isn't this true that Alexx started getting more work after their public appearances? "A friend who is a co-ordinator needed a foreigner for a project and Alexx fitted the bill. It is true that celebrity spouses get attention and even work, but to sustain oneself talent is needed," says Shweta. Even being noticed is important for celeb spouses. "I was already getting work. I have also worked before meeting Shweta. But after I got linked with her, people started noticing me more. Just because of her, people took our snaps at a film premiere and I was all over the papers," says Alexx O'Neill .
Another spouse-turned-celebrity is Tina Hussain who has even hosted some episodes of a talkshow Life Ban jaaye. "It's definitely because of Hussian that I got the opportunity to do Nach Baliye2. I have lots of offers after NB2. It has been really great that people who used to know me as Hussain's wife now know me as Tina," she says.
Some believe that just being linked to a celeb doesn't guarantee a job in films or TV. "Being in a relationship with a celeb doesn't get you work if you are not capable. I was known before but I
have become more popular after getting linked with Rakhi. Which doesn't mean that I am getting work because of Rakhi. Only talent can give you work," says Abhishek Awasthi, a would-be actor . Abhishek Awasthi was a finalist in a talent hunt show. Ever since Rakhi declared her love for him on national television , he became a household name of sorts.
Having a star spouse means attention, but it's not easy to survive in films or TV without real talent. "It's not necessary that a celebrity spouse would also become a successful celebrity. I don't want to harass somebody if I can't live up to their expectations," says Tina. But in an industry where people pull out all stops to get noticed , if being celeb arm-candy brings in instant fame and attention , and even some work, no one's going to complain either!