Vasundhara Das
I want a distinct style in my songs

Vasundhara Das, after her debut as an actress in Hey Ram, is currently paired opposite Ajith in Citizen. Also having signed a film with Mohan Lal, and a Tamil film with Madhavan, to be directed by Sivakumar, she is awaiting the release of Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. Her song Shakalaka Baby in Muthalvan launched her as a playback singer, now much in demand down South. While on a promotional tour of her first album Meri Jaan, she speaks about her acting and singing interests as she auditions dancers in Chennai along with her associate Preeti for the stage shows..

Are you playing the rich sophisticated westernised girl in all the forthcoming films?
I am a very independent strong willed girl in Citizen but yes it is the role of a modern girl. In the Mohan Lal film too, I play a rich girl but the difference is that each of these roles have a definite character. Unless the role is realistic and something that I can identify with or be convinced of, I shall never accept it because then I shall not be able to play it with conviction. The Mohan Lal film is also different and I am looking forward to working with a great artiste like him. I can not do films where I have to just dance or sing and be a beauty prop.

After Hey Ram, were you flooded with offers with the role of a sensuous girl in film after film?
I did get lots of offers from many directors but nothing interested me. I am looking to something else. My idea of an actress is different and acting was not something which I had planned. It just happened. Even the film opposite Abhishek Bachchan did not excite me because I felt I had nothing to do in the film. I want to be like Nargis who gave dignity to the roles she did and they had strength. Did you know that she sang too.

Are you happy with the way your playback singing is shaping up?
Actually, I am disappointed. I hit the pop charts with Shakalaka Baby and after that I have got only masala songs. Considering that I am trained in classical singing and my guru is Pandit Parameshwara Hegde of the Keherwana Gharana, the songs that I sing are not my type. In the forthcoming Tamil film Samurai, I have sung a very melodious songs composed by Harris Jayraj. Till date, I have sung for over seven Tamil and three Telugu films. In Hindi, I have recorded two songs for Aks and for Lagaan.

You are signing movies as well as singing. Is it because you want to see where you will hit the topspot first?
If I had wanted to be busy in films, I could have signed up everything that came my way and forgotten about singing. But singing is my first love.

What if your album becomes a hit and you make it to the world of music? Or vice versa?
Actually I am trying to stall the situation of choosing an option and now thinking of such an eventuality, I think I am also fond of acting.

What has been the response to your album Meri Jaan?
The response has been good in the South more than in the North but then I did not get time to do the promos for the album in any city because I was busy shooting. Now I did a promotional campaign in Delhi and am doing one in Chennai. Next I am doing the V Channel show in Bangalore. Whenever I get time off from shootings, in whichever city I am staying, I make it a point to visit the major audio showroom and promote the album. Actually the album is like a portfolio. I have Latin American and Spanish music, Arabic, Flamenco and Indian music. The song Mera nishaan has Arabic melody, Latin music in Bolare and all this because the lyrics are by Piyush Misra and Sukhwinder Singh. Both of them are composers too and this have given the songs a free flow. Even the video album shot by Shaad Ali (who comes from Mani Rathnam school) is visually and thematically in tune.

Are you planning another album?
I am under contract with Magnasound. But next time I plan to bring about a distinct style in my album.