There are no friends out here: Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta Is On A High. After The Success Of Partner She's partnering Govinda in Ravi Chopra's New Film. Lara shares her joy with Subhash K Jha.

After being Salman's co-star in Partner, you're paired with Govinda in Ravi Chopra's film?
That's what I'm shooting for right now. I feel I'm stuck in a twilight zone between Jhoom Baraabar and Partner because I've got Rajpal Yadav, Govinda, etc as my co-stars in Raviji's film….

I play Marisa Tomei's Oscar-winning role from My Cousin Vinny which they're adapting. It's a great challenge to match comic timing with Govinda. I think it's a huge compliment to my abilities when they come to me with roles alongside stalwarts like Boman, Paresh, Govinda,etc.

How do you react to stories, like the one about you being linked with a married man like Bobby Deol?
Of course it affected me. But two days earlier I was being accused of going out with my other co-star in the same film (Abhishek Bachchan) while his fiancée was with him. How much will I protest?

After writing about my link ups they've moved on others for now, and that's a relief. I realize the media persons are only doing their job. I'm not here to judge anybody. But with the job comes a certain amount of responsibility. That, I see is on the decline.

Your career is on the upswing. The latest rumour doing the rounds is that you've been offered a role in Karan Johar's production featuring Abhishek Bachchan?
Not true. This offer never came to me. But Inshan Allah, I'm making the right career moves. I've taken the necessary steps. I realize people will perceive you the way your perceive yourself. I guess a sense of maturity has crept into my attitude to work..

Like avoiding walk-on parts for the sake of friends?
Yeah….you suddenly realize there are no friends out here. Everyone is here to do his or her work.

Devdas will be your first film with Pritish Nandy Communications?
There were talks for others films…Do you know, Mr Nandy was one of the judges when I won the Miss India crown.

Oh, and did he ask you the crucial question that clinched the crown for you?
No, Waheeda Rehmanji did. I think that's a sign. Though I'm perceived more as Zeenat Aman from the outside I am more Waheedaji from inside. But I'm not complaining. I'm very happy to be where I am.

Lara fights trafficking with MTV EXIT

Lara Dutta fights the social issue of human trafficking. She is the brand ambassador for MTV EXIT, (End Exploitation, and Trafficking). She was asked to talk about trafficking and now features in the documentary called ‘SOLD’ which deals with human trafficking. MTV India will screen the documentary on September 22 at 1900 hrs IST.

“I was previously working on female infanticide with the UNFPA and trafficking of brides. It is after the approach from MTV that I explored further into the details of human trafficking” says Lara. On asking about trafficking in the film industry, she says, “There are a lot of people who come from far of places with the desire to become actors, but it’s not the only field where trafficking takes place. There should be agencies that give the right guidance to aspiring actors.”

“Being a celebrity I can reach a larger audience and I am glad I can use my status to promote this social cause and reach people” states Lara.

"Nobody links Katrina with anyone because they are too scared"

She is sexy… she is stunning… the universe has already endorsed that, but apart from that, she is clever… put her on a social, political or a fraternity platform and boy, she can talk and be the belle of the ball. And Karan sure has a ball with none other than the hot and happening Lara Dutta. His second guest is so beautiful that she has a face that can launch almost a 1000 cosmetics… she has been in a series of successful films and is here to say… the ultra glamorous, the ultra gorgeous and the stunning Katrina Kaif. These two gorgeous girls will appear on ‘Koffee with Karan’ next.

Excerpts from the interview:

Karan: Welcome back Lara
Lara: Thanks Karan… I was hoping you have me back actually… I was a little worried when I got your call…

Karan: Last time, we had such a fun time with you and Bipasha… did I get you into trouble?
Lara: Yes… tremendously… it has taken me a whole year to undo… all the problems I caused myself…

Karan: You are looking absolutely stunning… why do I feel you are suddenly raring to go?
Lara: Because I probably am… its taken me about 3 and a half years to find my footing in the industry… to find out what I like doing … the kind of cinema that I like being part of… the kind of people that I like doing work with… I think once you have that in place… you start feeling a little more confident about yourself…

Karan: You just said some wonderful things about Amisha Patel last time?
Lara: It’s all your fault
Karan: What did I do? I just used my good old friend… the liometer…you just kept the spilling the beans… Now of course… it’s long forgotten… you and Amisha don’t cross paths anymore
Lara: Actually, I did meet her at your birthday party… all this has to do with you

Karan: And what happened when you met her?
Lara: She was really sweet… really lovely … and you know something
Karan: you felt terrible
Lara: I felt terrible after the show anyway… and I think immaturity and being caught up in the moment make you do a lot of things
Karan: But, it’s ok… it’s all part of the past….

Karan: Lara any problems with anybody at all… or things are fine?
Lara: No, things are fine…

Karan: Well, in the beginning there were… you know, you had your so-called war with Priyanka…
Lara: You know, I think the media needs a new bakra every couple of years… so, initially it was Sush and Ask and then it was Priyanka and me… and now it’s Sonam and Deepika…
Karan: Deepika… yes… Sonam and Deepika…

Karan: What happens Lara, in this industry when you get attached or you have rumors and controversies about you with leading men, which is not true. How does that place you?
Lara: You know what happens Karan… is that the media keeps falling for the same time-tested ploy, time and time again and every time there is a film releasing, the makers of the film or the publicists or whoever decide that it would be so exciting to spread these rumors that the two leading male and female stars are having a scene with each other and the media keeps falling for it again and again. All it does is, it garners publicity for a film. Once the film is out and done with, you’re linked to the next co-star you're working with!

Karan: So by the end of it, you've been attached to everybody!
Lara: Exactly! I've been linked with Abhishek, with John... So how many times are you going to keep standing up and defending yourself. What irritates me a lot is if you’re linking me with someone who’s already a married man with children, what are you trying to do? You’re trying to light a fire in somebody's marriage and your trying to break that up and that... I don't like!

Karan: It becomes embarrassing!
Lara: It becomes embarrassing and more that that... when there is no need for something like that. This industry is as it is pretty murky, without getting it murkier. For the person sitting at home who is not part of the industry who is the wife or the husband or whatever, it’s just not fair!

Karan: Well, Katrina you have been very diplomatic… I have been doing some research… looking through your interviews… trying to look for something sensational…
Katrina: Nothing na…
Karan: Nothing… why are you like this…you are young, you are beautiful… you have to say rude and nasty things once in a while… come on say something… think of something rude to say…
Katrina: I think it is probably because I came here at a later stage… post people grew up here… I think there is a certain reservation about going ahead and criticizing people who have grown up here and been here all their life… let, may be 3 or 4 years pass and I will get really over confident and then start…
Karan: Start making headlines… suddenly we will see very dramatic answers
Katrina: Yaaaa

Karan: What both of you had strangely in common was… you Lara, though you are a hard core Punjabi… you had this whole western image… everyone thought that Lara Dutta is very westernized… but of course you are a true Indian girl with the Punjabi background… but, that never came to the fore...till very recently…
Lara: But, you know, I tried to get out of the stereotype from the very first film… when I did Andaz… I did it with as hard core a Hindi film Director you can get… Raj Kanwar, and the character that I played as well was very Punjabi… I did that with No Entry, where I played a suspicious Indian housewife… these are the roles that have been appreciated…

Karan: And you have had to combat that as well Katrina… because everyone said Anglo sized, westernized… now, you dub your own films…
Katrina: Ya… I think initially it was a nice way of putting it… there are certain people… when it comes to modeling… it’s easy… people just accept you… but, in films…there is a lot of…
Lara: But, I have to say… having worked with Katrina in Partner… she gives you this huge complex… I think she is really hard working… I think she knows the fact that may be coming into this industry … I think she is really dedicated… she knows this is where she wants to be… and she is going to go all out to get it… and I really admire that…

Karan: Hindi was totally not known to you…
Katrina: Ya… it was pretty much alien… and then I started out with doing South movies…

Karan: Do you remember, any one funny line you had to say… that you couldn’t get in a South Indian film…
Katrina: No… because I was pretty honest and straight forward… the dialogues would some time come at the end of the day and they would say, Madam, can you please learn these dialogues and come tomorrow for the shooting and I was like, No… don’t show that to me

Karan: So what did you do?
Katrina: I always learnt it… but I would learn it according to the shot…

Lara Dutta is all set to dump Kelly?

Rumour has it that the rock steady relationship between Lara Dutta and her beau Kelly Dorjee is presently going through a very rough patch.

It has been close to eight years since Lara Dutta and Kelly Dorjee began dating. Over the years, their love has withstood the test of time. But now, some deep rifts have begun to appear.

After living-in together for many years, Lara and Kelly seem headed for splitsville. While the real reason of the split is still not clear, it is being speculated that the two lovers have had too much of each other and that love has begun to evaporate from their relationship.

In the first sign of an impending split, Kelly has reportedly moved out of Lara’s apartment in Bandra and has rented a new house.

Friends close to the couple are quoted as saying that earlier Lara and Kelly would often attend the social dos and dinners together. But of late, things have changed. Kelly is often spotted alone.

Lara has not denied in the past that her relation with Kelly has been through rough patches over the years. But this time, the friction between the lovers seems a tad too serious.

So far there has been no confirmation or denial of the split by either Lara or Kelly.