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For me the role is all important: Tabu
She`s one actress who dares to be different in her film roles. And she has the talent to back her instincts. No wonder Tabu manages to do full justice to any role offered to her and wins acclaim. In an industry, which most of the time hesitates to tread a different path, the likes of Tabu come as a breath of fresh air.
She’s one actress who dares to be different in her film roles. And she has the talent to back her instincts. No wonder Tabu manages to do full justice to any role offered to her and wins acclaim. In an industry, which most of the time hesitates to tread a different path, the likes of Tabu come as a breath of fresh air.
Tabu has not had a big release to her credit for many months now. The actress is now keeping her fingers crossed as the D-day for the release of her latest film, Chandni Bar, approaches. Tabu plays the role of Mumtaz, a dancer in one of the many sleazy bars that dot the city of Mumbai. Madhur Bhandarkar, a former assistant of Ramgopal Varma, directs Chandni Bar.
Tabu’s decision to accept the role of a bar dancer raised a lot of eyebrows even in an unconventional film industry. But Tabu says the novelty of the role appealed to her more than anything else. While explaining that Chandni Bar is just about a dancer’s struggle for existence, Tabu makes it clear that the film does not attempt to address any social problem; nor does it make any statements. “The role is interesting. I wouldn’t do it otherwise,” she says. Though the director did a good research on the subject of bar dancers’ life, Tabu too visited a bar and spoke to some of the dancers there to get a realistic picture of the role she was portraying. In the year 2000, Tabu had six releases including Hera Pheri, Tarkieb, Shikari, Ghaath, Astitva and Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar. Not many of them set the box-office on fire, except Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri, but Tabu was able to win praise for her roles. Some of her wellknown films over the years are Vijaypath (remember her sizzling number Ruk ruk ruk, Arre baba ruk, O my darling, Give me a look?), Kala Paani, Saajan Chale Sasural, Maachis, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Hu Tu Tu, Jeet, Chachi 420 and Border. She has had her share of box-office duds that include Prem, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Hum Naujawan, Duniya Dilwalon Ki etc. Apart from Chandni Bar, Tabu’s other upcoming films are Engineer No 1, Jaal, Shaadi Dotcom, Maa Tujhe Salaam, Dilruba, Bhagmati and Filhaal, the last being the directorial debut of Meghna Gulzar.
That brings us to the topic of Tabu’s absolute comfort with newcomers — be they artistes or directors. In Astitva, Tabu acted along with Sachin Kedekar and Mohnish Behl; in Tarkieb, she was paired opposite Milind Soman. The pair again is together in Bhagmati; Chandni Bar has Atul Kulkarni playing Tabu’s leading male co-star and has a first-time director in Bhandarkar. Filhaal again is the first time directorial attempt of Meghna Gulzar. “I have never hankered after established names. In the past, too, I have worked with several new directors and actors. For me the role is all important, nothing else matters,” says Tabu, adding in all honesty, “everybody is a newcomer at some point. Even I was one.”
Tabu has not had a big release to her credit for many months now. The actress is now keeping her fingers crossed as the D-day for the release of her latest film, Chandni Bar, approaches. Tabu plays the role of Mumtaz, a dancer in one of the many sleazy bars that dot the city of Mumbai. Madhur Bhandarkar, a former assistant of Ramgopal Varma, directs Chandni Bar.
Tabu’s decision to accept the role of a bar dancer raised a lot of eyebrows even in an unconventional film industry. But Tabu says the novelty of the role appealed to her more than anything else. While explaining that Chandni Bar is just about a dancer’s struggle for existence, Tabu makes it clear that the film does not attempt to address any social problem; nor does it make any statements. “The role is interesting. I wouldn’t do it otherwise,” she says. Though the director did a good research on the subject of bar dancers’ life, Tabu too visited a bar and spoke to some of the dancers there to get a realistic picture of the role she was portraying. In the year 2000, Tabu had six releases including Hera Pheri, Tarkieb, Shikari, Ghaath, Astitva and Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar. Not many of them set the box-office on fire, except Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri, but Tabu was able to win praise for her roles. Some of her wellknown films over the years are Vijaypath (remember her sizzling number Ruk ruk ruk, Arre baba ruk, O my darling, Give me a look?), Kala Paani, Saajan Chale Sasural, Maachis, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Hu Tu Tu, Jeet, Chachi 420 and Border. She has had her share of box-office duds that include Prem, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Hum Naujawan, Duniya Dilwalon Ki etc. Apart from Chandni Bar, Tabu’s other upcoming films are Engineer No 1, Jaal, Shaadi Dotcom, Maa Tujhe Salaam, Dilruba, Bhagmati and Filhaal, the last being the directorial debut of Meghna Gulzar.
That brings us to the topic of Tabu’s absolute comfort with newcomers — be they artistes or directors. In Astitva, Tabu acted along with Sachin Kedekar and Mohnish Behl; in Tarkieb, she was paired opposite Milind Soman. The pair again is together in Bhagmati; Chandni Bar has Atul Kulkarni playing Tabu’s leading male co-star and has a first-time director in Bhandarkar. Filhaal again is the first time directorial attempt of Meghna Gulzar. “I have never hankered after established names. In the past, too, I have worked with several new directors and actors. For me the role is all important, nothing else matters,” says Tabu, adding in all honesty, “everybody is a newcomer at some point. Even I was one.”