Her dancing on broken glass made Ramu understand why men fall in love with her, Ishaa Koppikar tells Namita Shrivastav.
Impressions. Are they formed in the first 30 seconds of meeting? Hot on screen, ice cool off it. Ishaa Koppikar sizzles yet again with Ishq Samunder in Mahesh Manjrekar’s to-be released Kaante . The image of the Khallas ( Company ) girl’s barely faded, and we have the sexy siren setting discotheques on fire once more. Ishq Samundar is a smash hit. So is the girl.
Sitting cuddled in her hotel room bed, wearing a white linen shirt and cycling shorts, she looks somewhat elfin. Her auburn locks fall all over her face and her skin looks radiant. “Really? I’ve shot all night in wet mud! It’s for this Mani Shankar film Rudraksh that I’m doing with Sunil Shetty. Oh, it was so yuckkky...”
She started with the Tamil movie Kadhal Kavidhai , went on to a few Telugu films like Chandralekha and Premathura before moving to Bollywood. She’s played Karisma’s sister in Fiza , done a cameo in Ishq Aur Mohabbat and Amdani Athanni, Kharcha Rupaiya . Oddly enough, it was the ‘item’ songs that brought her fame and recognition. Did it have anything to do with her adding an extra ‘a’ to her name? We asked her...
Don’t you fear that by doing these sizzling numbers people might think you can’t act?
Like I care! I’m here to prove a point and I will. I’m here for the love of acting. I know enough of it to be able to survive well. I’ve acted in school and done some plays. Even when I was modelling, friends from O & M and HTA would suggest I try my hand at acting. They believed in me for good reason. I’m sure my Khallas label will last me a lifetime though; but I want people to remember that.
Didn’t you have any apprehensions doing single numbers?
When I signed Company (‘Khallas’), I did think that I was taking a risk and that my decision could brand me as an ‘item girl’. I worried and fretted, but it was Ramu (Ram Gopal Varma) who made me shed all my pre-conceived notions and encouraged me to accept the role. He’s one guy who loves to try new stuff and has always come out triumphant. Ishq Samundar came to me because of Khallas . It was too good to turn down.
But you could’ve asked for more footage surely?
Not really. I trust the directors I work with. It’s like this - the director always has a vision on the basis of which he selects or rejects actors. Every decision he takes affects his film, so it’s not right for anyone to interfere. I could not have asked for more footage because that’s the length of role he had in mind for me. The character didn’t need to do anything more. I’ve always trusted Ramu and have not once regretted it.
But Ishq Samundar (Kaante ) is a small role too. Why did you settle for another item song?
Ishq Samundar had promise. The role was meant to be bigger but because of problems, they weren’t going to shoot any more scenes. I’ve been cast opposite Sanjay Dutt and working with the unit was fun all the way. I knew the song was going to be a hit. It already is in discotheques and on channels. The audience response is fabulous. Could I have asked for more?
Why did Ram Gopal Varma drop you from Road and take Antara Mali instead?
Oh, Antara and Ramu have known each other longer than we have known each other. She deserves much more than I do. In fact, Antara has also done Telugu films with him. It wouldn’t be fair if he did it any other way. And he didn’t drop me. It’s just that he’s started work on Antara’s film before mine. And now mine’s in the pipeline.
Shooting for that movie will start later. Clichéd as it may sound, I like working with him. He often says, “Ishaa, you’re a part of the Varma corporation family,” and I feel like that as well.
Is it true that for Khallas the dance steps were your own and you bled as you danced on the glass pieces?
Yes, there is this crawling bit in the song where I was wearing just a little kurta with tights underneath. I couldn’t have worn kneepads and didn’t realise I was going to dance on glass bars joined with steel blades! After recording the whole number as I sat on the sets, I felt something sticky on my legs. When I looked down I realised it was blood. I’d cut my legs badly. Once I saw blood it began to hurt. But when I saw the takes, I forgot my pain.
There was no choreography in the song and I was told to wear my attitude. The brief I was given by Ganesh Hegde (the choreographer) was: “Ishaa Koppikar this discotheque belongs to your father — Yeh tumahare baap ka discotheque hai . So, now behave the way you would.” He asked me not to be bothered about what I was wearing, who was looking, and get totally absorbed in the scene. I was asked to put aside all my inhibitions because the camera catches the smallest lie. “Be bindaas , chill out,” they’d said. Well, it wasn’t easy to begin with. I took two days to get comfortable. And then finally, I let myself go... Manisha Koirala, Ajay Devgan and Vivek Oberoi helped out.
Ramu would sit me down on the sets and speak with me. He would treat me like a star, and that really helped me get the attitude they were looking for. On the third day, after we recorded the song, Ramu said, “I can understand guys falling in love with you, but this song will make girls fall in love too.” Oh, he made me feel so special!
What have Khallas and Ishq Samundar done for you?
Much more than what many movies have. I’ve done quite a few movies in which I’ve played small roles. I didn’t have a debut film. I have no godfather, no relatives in this line and nobody who was going to offer me a head start. Today, I’m doing Rudraksh , a Balaji film, Pinjar and Lajja. I’ve taken the less travelled road but surely, I know where I’m headed.
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