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| INTERVIEW | RAKHI SAWANT |
Item girl to Supergirl
She entered the industry as a sizzling 'item' girl but today Rakhi Sawant is a hot star on TV. What's more, she's also tried exercising her vocal chords for an album...
What was your reaction when Filmy approached you to do a show on cricket?
I felt very good because Mandira has already proved that cricket is not male-centric. The only difference between our shows is that mine is a comedy while hers is a serious discussion on the game. Rakhi Ke Bouncers is a 3-minute show giving a different dimsion on the World Cup.
It's cool and glamorous. Do you have to prepare for the show?
No, why should I? I have enough knowledge about cricket. I have been following the game since my childhood. Moreover, in the show, I am shown to be someone who is completely ignorant about the game. It's a comedy show and all my comments will be original . So, who is your favourite cricketer and which team do you like?
Australians play very well, but obviously I cannot say that theirs is my favourite team because I am an Indian and my loyalties are with my country. As for cricketers I like Dada (Saurav Ganguly), Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni. My only grouse against them is that they are spending too much time on doing commercials. Whatever position they have reached today is because they are playing for the country. Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are actors and it doesn't matter how many products they endorse. But cricketers are brand ambassadors of the country and they have to devote more time on practise rather than to commercials! You seem to be doing a lot of comedy-based shows on TV.
Yes, I love comedy. It's very difficult to make people laugh and you know, jo hasega woh phasega. People instantly connect to humour and that gives me a high.
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It is fun but I don't like Raju touching me all the time. I have told him many times but to no avail. I am tolerating it because if I react negatively there will be a controversy which I want to avoid. Many times the stand-up comedians try to make you the butt of their jokes...
Yes and I hate it. Thodi masti theek hai but it gets irritating after a point. Even the jokes are not upto the mark. I tell them outright that their jokes are tasteless, but my comments are edited out. I liked VIP who used to genuinely raise laughter and Jai, a boy from Ahmedabad. I think Sunil Pal is amazing and so is Ehsan Qureshi. From an 'item girl you have graduated to being the hottest property on the small-screen...
Yes. All I can say is that the sun has risen for me and I am basking in its glory. I want to cash in on the rage on every medium from TV and films to stage shows. I am getting a lot of offers from Sony and other channels. I am also doing many films as a lead. There's Rahul Rawail's Buddha Mar Gaya, Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Lokhandwala and I have even been offered a Salman Khan film that I have yet to finalise. Isn't Shootout... a multi-starrer with Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty amongst others?
Yes, there are many stars but I have an important role. What do you think was the turning point in your career?
I think Bigg Boss on Sony turned the tide for me. I consider the people behind Bigg Boss as my Godfather. I was written about everywhere and flashed on all channels. The show got me a lot of publicity and people started writing to me. If I get another chance to be a part of the show I will definitely go with my boyfriend Abhishek. A lot of unsavoury things were also written about you, and your fellow inmates were not very friendly.
The only person who was close to me was Ravi Kissen, who still keeps in touch with me. Even Baba Sehgal was friendly. The rest of them were shrewd and manipulative. They were playing politics. They felt that they could gain viewers' votes by crying. Everyone was pretentious. I was the only person who showed my real self. I am a bold and bindaas girl by nature and that is what came across. And yet you want to go into the house again?
It has a lot of benefits. And now you have turned a singer with Supergirl.
(Cuts in) I am the first supergirl of India whose mission is to save the country from terrorists and bomb blasts. While Krrish, Spiderman and Batman will be busy deciding who amongst them will reach a disaster site first, Supergirl would have already done the deed! How do you feel being the only girl amongst Superguys?
All of them tease me a lot but I am very strong. So, how is Rakhi as a singer?
I have no knowledge of sur or taal. But Chamapakji (Venus) forced me to sing and here I am crooning 'Yaara na dil laga, phas hi jayega...'. The song has an universal appeal and I must say it has shaped out well. How has the industry treated you so far?
When I came into the industry, nobody used to take me seriously. Sab faltu baatein karte the, but now nobody dares to do that. Would you like to comment on Mika Singh making a video on the controversial kiss?
I think it is a very cheap stunt by a cheap man. I don't want to comment anymore on that. Recently you distributed computers to the students of BMC...
Yes and very soon I am going to adopt two children through Lions' Club and sponsor their education. A couple of days ago I was in Pune where I visisted Hridaymitra Prathisthan where we donated Rs 21 lakhs. I personally gave Rs 51,000 for those are suffering with a hole in their hearts. As soon as I wrote out the cheque, many people came forward with their contribution starting from Rs 2000 -5000. As a citizen, I want to do a lot for children and old people. What about your mother who has shifted to your brother's house?
I have done everything for my mother and now I want to do something for the under-privileged.
Are you interested in politics?
No. I can do a lot for the people without getting into politics. Ministers can only give speeches. In fact, I am getting threatening calls from some people for helping the needy. They tell me "You are not a MLA, so why are you doing it?" However, one of my greatest ambitions is to meet George Bush.
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