An Exclusive Interview With Gracy Singh

Gracy Singh is spontaneous and instinctive. Now she is looking forward to a brighter future in tinsel town through 'Gangaajal'. Which is directed by Prakash Jha who is known for his strong woman characters.

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Women in Prakash Jha’s films are not decorative pieces. Where do you see his film taking you?
One of the main reasons behind my lapping up the film is that heroines in Prakash Jha’s films make unique contributions. See Madhuri Dixit in Mrityudand or Kajol in Dil Kya Kare. They had very well-defined roles. I guess the powerful portrayal of female characters is his strong point, which is why I consider it my privilege to work in his film. And of course I am hopeful about it working to my advantage.

This is yet another film, where you are paired with an acting maestro…
Yeah. And holding on against the likes of seasoned actors like Ajay Devgan or Aamir Khan is one tough job. But believe me, that’s the fastest way to learn. I think it is my good luck that in all three films, I worked with some of the greatest actors of our times.

It is said you play Ajay Devgan’s conscience in Gangaajal?
Yeah, you can put it that way. Ajay is an IPS officer and I am his wife. And like a quintessential Bharatiya nari, I support him and help him remain pure in the corrupt system. And I bring to fore what a woman goes through in this vicious circle. Gangaajal is not your run of the mill cinema. It is a socio-political thriller set in Bihar. It seeks to raise a voice against the evils plaguing the society like corruption and violence. The characters are very strong.

All your films — Lagaan, Armaan, Gangaajal — have had directors with different backgrounds.
I have gained a lot from all of them. In spite of Armaan being her first film, the way Honey aunty handled the workload with that composed frame of mind was commendable. She was quite a tough taskmaster though. As for Prakash Jha, his seniority shows in his work. Lagaan being my first film, I had something to learn from almost everyone present on the sets right from the cameraman to Ashutosh to the cast.

  How’s your career down south progressing?
I had a great experience working in a few films in South India after Lagaan. But currently I am concentrating on Bollywood ventures.

Generally actors start from regional cinema and progress to Bollywood.
I hate being typecast. I need variety, which is what the South Indian film industry offered me. Lagaan was no doubt achieving sky-high success, but the South Indian projects I did were big too. And then getting a chance to work with Prabhu Deva and Nagarjuna is an honour.

So it was a conscious effort to break away from the gaon ki chhori mould…
The post Lagaan era got me a bagful of offers from Hindi film producers. But almost all of them wanted me to play a village belle. But I was on the lookout for more glamourous roles.
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