I'd lost interest in life: Mahima
She charmed everyone in the Pepsi ad with Aamir Khan (and Aishwarya Rai). She was equally popular during her stint as VJ Ritu on Channel V, until Subhash Ghai rechristened her as Mahima and cast her in Pardes opposite SRK. Ever since, Mahima Chaudhry has acted in over 35 films and proved her mettle in films like Dil Kya Kare, Lajja, Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar, Om Jai Jagadish and Dil Hai Tumhaara among others. Meet the actress in a freewheeling chat as she talks about acting, marriage, motherhood, life and her latest film, Hope and a Little Sugar…
What did you like about Hope and a Little Sugar?
The story's the most important. Then comes the director Tanuja who was very passionate about it and the producers who wanted to take the film to a certain level. The film concerns Indians (Sikhs) and how they were treated, during and post 9/11. They were also victims because they were working in the World Trade Centre. People mistook them to be Al-Qaeda because of the turban and the beard and were very aggressive towards them. So, it's based during that whole 9/11 time.
About your role in Hope…
I play the wife of the character of Vikram Chatwal who plays a Sardar working at WTC. I represent so many women who lost their families, especially their husbands. Also, a lot of people wanted to find hope beyond that. That's what you look for when you feel your life is over, when you lose your partner, especially so tragically. It was a world disaster and yet for this woman it was just her world coming to an end. In that way, it was a very dear character.
Anupam Kher also plays a very important character in the film. He plays the father of the boy who's in denial and goes out in search of him post 9/11.
[ALSO READ: ANUPAM KHER INTERVIEW]
What is the kind of research that you put into your character?
We didn't require that much research because most of it was written down; it was a historic moment, so in terms of the timing and also the fact that I'm an Indian playing an Indian. Moreover, my character's lived in New York for just one or two years. She's very Indian. But I just found it very hard to do an English film because I didn't know what kind of English to speak. My producers who were American found my English odd and vice versa.
Don't you think the film has multiple messages?
In terms of dealing with somebody's passing away, yeah, and the shock and also that one must continue to live.
