Vidya Balan goes undercover to play a female detective

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The actress gives city times an insight into bobby jasoos a heartwarming tale of an amateur sleuth?s journey to succes

It’s not every day that a top bollywood actress walks into your office makes herself comfortable and enthusiastically asks for a dish of candy to be passed over to her. yes female stars (and starlets) do drop in frequently but are often self-conscious and jittery with precious little to say and in this day and age it’s highly unlikely you would find one so calmly indulging her sweet tooth in public.That’s why in a world increasingly obsessed with size zero cosmetic surgery and political correctness someone as strikingly elegant and self-assured as vidya balan is always a breath of fresh air.“this was what was on my mind on the way here – my favourite sweets” she said her infectious smile instantly commanding the attention of everyone in the room. after affectionately enquiring after one of city times’ reporters who had interviewed her in the past she settled down to the task at hand - talking up her latest film the comedy-drama bobby jasoos.Accompanied by co-producers sahil sangha and sanjeev lamba ceo reliance entertainment (dia mirza was absent due to health issues) vidya expressed hope that the film revolving around a small-town girl’s dreams of becoming a detective would do well. “every single person on the team has put their best foot forward and there’s a certain honesty about the entire effort. like with every movie one hopes that people really like bobby jasoos. it’s been one of the most enjoyable and precious experiences for me as an actor” she said.Chasing dreamsRenowned for being quite the offbeat role-juggler the versatile vidya explained why this part was different from any of the ones she had taken on so far.“one i think the fact that on a script level it’s a female detective and this was a first in bollywood. also there’s something that sets her apart from other detectives you’ve seen so far on screen. she’s not one of those know-it-all types but someone who is actually finding her way. as an amateur who comes from a mohalla (small neighbourhood) in hyderabad india she’s at an age when her family expects her to get married but she wants to pursue this dream; there is this simplicity of intention and a certain kind of innocence about her. she’s a fun spunky girl; she’s just full of life she’s feisty so i think the tone of the film is very different.”When we commented on how judging by its trailer bobby jasoos came across as a celebration of the human spirit she effortlessly drew sahil into the conversation.“it stems from the script – that feeling of celebrating the human spirit – it’s a wonderfully written script by sanyukta shaikh chawla and i think that what made it fascinating from the word go is that it is so much more than just a detective film. bobby’s travels through the course of this film will hopefully inspire women to be able to speak out in terms of what it is that they want to do and to be able to chase that dream. very importantly in the film this happens not in a preachy or very heavy or ‘we must make a social statement’ kind of way but in a very entertaining manner.“so it seems like a normal everyday kind of way of life which is exactly how it should be. she has her battles disagreements and disapprovals and she’s forging ahead sometimes with a smile on her face or a witty answer or even an aggressive confrontation. she is violently protective of the family within which there is disapproval of what she wants to do. so she’s actually a very real cocktail of human emotions and a person whose values are in the right place. and she will encourage aspiration in a very big way” he said.Sanjeev added “whereas the detective angle is an important part of the film it is not necessarily what it is about. it’s about a small-town girl family ambition yearning for respect wanting to march to her own beat but not leaving the milieu that she comes from and taking everybody with her. the fact that they get to appreciate her point of view and in turn she gets to appreciate why they worry about her is very much a part of that journey. the film would have worked even if she had wanted to become a mochi (a repairer of shoes).”“jasoos has a zing to it though” laughed vidya.Legwork in real lifeWe asked her if she had to prepare much for the role.“i think we all have a certain perception of how detectives would be… i used that and there was a little bit of preparation; i called up some detective agencies posed as a client just to see how they really approach cases. i encountered a very interesting lady called rajini who’s been a detective for 24 years now. she’s the first female detective in the country. she wasn’t trained either she just decided she’s going to do this. she told us that a friend’s parents wanted her to keep an eye on her and that’s how she started off as a spy. she also told us how she lived in someone’s house as a maid once to get to the bottom of a crime. i didn’t think it was a profession many women took up. i was amazed to find that lots of women especially housewives become part time detectives; they have their afternoons free so it’s a way to make some money. some of them see it as social work others are just excited by the fact that it’s a legal form of gossip mongering (laughs).”On whether women’s intuitions play a part in polishing their sleuthing skills she said “i think women have a very sharp sixth sense and men are constantly wary of this. i definitely think our instincts make us better detectives. we are also more interested in human beings much more than we are in gadgets.”Homegrown inspirationPankaj kapur’s character in the indian tv series karamchand is her idea of an iconic detective in popular culture. “i’ve grown up on enid blyton’s famous five and secret seven series as well as the nancy drew and hardy boys books. i wouldn’t claim to have read much else. but i think i will say that my first memory of a detective is undoubtedly karamchand because it was homegrown; it was what was shown on the doordarshan channel in india. it’s the first reference that comes to mind.” enid?khaleejtimes.comVidya on the appeal of bobby jasoos:“it’s very relatable. it could be anyone’s story. i think all of us agree that it is the ordinary that makes the extraordinary. so if she comes out a hero at the end of it it’s only because she is just a regular girl she’s ordinary like any one of us from across the country. if we manage to inspire anyone with the film that’s the reason it will happen.”On what draws her to a role:“i think beyond script role director and producer it’s instinct. for example i connected with bobby because at some level i feel what she felt. when i told my family that i wanted to be an actor there was a certain amount of disbelief and fear as well as them saying ‘this is a whim this is a passing fancy’ but i didn’t give up. and of course they’ve been extremely supportive which is why i’m sitting here in front of you but in bobby’s case she doesn’t really have that. but there was that connect that i forged with the character immediately which to this extent does not always happen. it’s rare.”I think vidya honestly finds a way of making us choose her. she’s absolutely wonderful and spectacular as an actor and a human being. what she has retained as her level of craft has continuously grown is her humility and bearings as a human being which adds that much more to any part that she takes on because you’re coming from a modest place so you will absorb everything that is the requirement of that character and give it your all. modesty is very important for you to be able to do that.” - producer sahil sangha on why he chose vidya for bobby jasoosYou say ‘yes’ very quickly when it’s vidya balan. we had worked with her earlier in paa and it was a very pleasant experience all around. i think the choices somebody makes says a lot about what’s going on with them as well as the amount of honesty and modesty that you bring because if you’re modest you’re open to absorbing things. there aren’t many people who would tackle a role like this. it’s a multi-dimensional character not just someone with a magnifying glass and gadgets. we’ve been working pretty hard to shape the film and we’re happy with the result.” producer sanjeev lamba on the power of vidya at the box office

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