Flavour of the season!

I find myself in the lobby of Mumbai’s Hotel Centaur, awaiting the arrival of tinseldom’s new kid on the block. Theatre and small screen sensation, Tanaaz Currim is poised for her third outing to the big screen in eight months, with Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai hitting theatres this week. Tanaaz is on a rare personal high career-wise, because, apart from finding a firm foothold in films, she’s also about to direct her first play...

How does it feel, now that you’ve managed to see yourself perform on the big screen as well?
Fantastic would be too small a word to describe the feeling of jubilation and elation that I currently feel.

How did this transition in your career come about?
Honestly, it all fell into my lap. I met Rakesh Roshan at a film party, and he casually asked me as to why I wasn’t performing for the big screen. I told him it was because nobody had asked me to. And believe me, within a few days I got this offer from him to do the role of Hrithik’s best friend in Kaho Na... Pyar Hai.

And?
I obviously jumped.

Was this the only film you’d signed up until then?
No. By then I had also been offered the role of Paresh Rawal’s wife in Hadh Kar Di Aapne. Who wouldn’t want to do the ultimate thing of playing that versatile actor’s wife?. So that was the second film I’ve had in hand this year.

And now you await the release of Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai?
That’s right. This will be my third release in a short span of eight months. And I am mighty pleased with the way my career has shaped up.

What is the role you’re portraying in the film?
I once again play the role of a friend, this time to Aishwarya Rai. It’s a lovely role and I’ve tried to give the characterisation some of my essential Tanaaz touches.

How was it working with the former Ms World?
I tell you, she’s a visual treat. And she’s so professional that one has to see it to believe it. She is the epitome of perfection, I’d say.

What about the other star of the film, Anil Kapoor, who’s known to be a moody one on the sets at times?
Far from moody, he was always very helpful.

You’ve devoted 13 years of your life to theatre and almost eight of them to the small screen. Did the vast experience help?
You bet! In fact because of theatre, which is more like riyaaz, and my dabbling with TV, I sensed that even the senior artistes treated me with respect. I think it helped that I wasn’t exactly raw, if you know what I mean.

Did you always plan on making it to the movies or was it a twist of fate?
I’d be lying through my teeth if I ever denied wanting to be up there on the big purdah. I don’t think there is any actor who doesn’t want to make it up there. But yes destiny does have a say in such things, because I never consciously set out to look for work. Things just happened to me, thank God. And there’s been no looking back from there.

Would you say you possess the conventional looks to be part of the Hindi film industry. You have a very Western sort of image, don’t you think?
Let me assure you that’s only superficial. I am very Indian in my ways and habits. And I’ve proved time and again that I can do any kind of roles with perfect ease, as well as any of my contemporaries, if not better.

That means you are open to more on-screen friend, sister, bhabhi roles?
Very much. Not only that, I’d love to go one step ahead and try out negative acts, too!

Great, but wouldn’t language be a hindrance?
Hindi is no hindrance. In fact I’ve really brushed up my act and got better at it!

How was it working with the current heart-throb, Hrithik Roshan. Both of you made your big screen debuts together, didn’t you?
That’s right. It was amazing the kind of fun we had on location. The entire unit was like one big family and when we went to New Zealand to shoot the second half of the film it was mind blowing. Who knew at that point that this newcomer I was working with would one day capture the imaginations of the entire nation, of young and old alike!

You’ve dabbled in acting in all three mediums. Which has given you the greatest pleasure?
The big screen, of course. Its charm has been the greatest.

Lastly, comedy has already been established as your forte. What else do you reckon you’re especially good at?
Interesting question. I have a natural flair for accents and can manage more than one at the same time with out mixing up the other. This is one potential that hasn’t been tapped, and I’d love to give it a try.

Savvy Gehna-Mehra