Chitrangada: I have got a bit wiser

Marriage is one thing that Bollywood actresses keep away from during their hey days. But, Chitrangada Singh’s journey so far has been surely hatke.
The sultry actress first tied the knot and then stepped into the film industry. Says Chitrangada, “One can’t put a full stop to life because of one’s career. Life has to be balanced. I was in love and wanted to get married because it gave me stability. Now I know that I am secure and can concentrate on other things.” And that was not all, the actress then did something that is unthinkable in the industry. After her first film that stirred both the audience and the critics and got her noticed, she went ahead and took a longish sabbatical from the world of glamour.
But, what made her take a long hiatus at that point of her career? “I didn’t know how to deal with rumours regarding my family and husband not being supportive of my film career. Jyoti (Randhawa) and I are childhood friends and he knew my artistic bent of mind, so why would he stop me from making the most of my acting talent. I was hurt, so I took a three-and-a-half year long break to deal with it,” says a visibly perturbed actress. She might have missed on some roles during her break, but Chitrangada says, “I have got a bit wiser. And I realised that you have to follow your dreams and can’t let others affect you.”
So, does being married stop her from skin show or taking up bold projects? “I am responsible enough to understand the need to stay away from unnecessary skin show. But, if it’s necessary I wouldn’t shy away for it,” says the actress, who is currently working on Sudhir Mishra’s next film, where she stars opposite Irrfan Khan. The actress, who is often compared to Smita Patil says, “Being compared to a seasoned actress like her sometimes works in your favour and sometimes it backfires because you have to live up to the expectations of people.
But, fighting with someone’s memories is very difficult.” Ask her about what kind of roles she is looking forward to and she says, “I have a tendency of going for characters with shades of grey because in real life we all are like that, neither completely white, nor completely black. But, I can’t deny that I am selfish and want different genres of films and roles in my kitty.” And what is the reaction of her golfer husband towards her choice of films?
“He is a big Amitabh Bachchan fan and both of us have grown up watching films that are completely different from the kind of projects that I pick up. But, he has slowly started liking and appreciating my kind of films.”
And how much do sports interest her? “I love sports and have a lot of respect for sportspersons. I see how they work out and the disciplined life they lead, where there is no scope for partying,” says Chitrangada.
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