PREETI JHANGIANI
"Not In My Wildest Dreams"

Preeti Jhangiani fluttered into the hearts of the nation's teen-station when her picture-perfect face sprang out of television commercials before having the country swoon over her coy charm in Milind Ingle's infamous Chui-mui video. She followed its success with a couple of sequel videos for Ingle's song produced by the Rajshris, before making an impish leap onto the silver screen.

Debuting in the Yash Chopra production of son Aditya's Mohabbatein, amidst a star-studded cast that included screen giants like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and a host of five other newcomers, Preeti first big Bollywood film didn't quite catapult her the success she dreamed of.

Disappointed, but not disheartened, the young actress nevertheless planned her moves carefully, not rushing to join the bandwagon of 'too many film to stomach' and picked and chose her projects to her satisfaction. We caught up with her for a quick chat on her career so far, and her plans for the future.

Mohabbatein didn't quite shape your career the way you hoped it would.
Let me start by saying I am extremely happy with my experience working on Mohabbatein. I think it's a fantastic film, and working with great actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan can never be a bad career choice. Very few newcomers get a chance not only to star in good films, and a Yash Chopra banner is not easy to come by. I was one of the lucky ones and I am very proud of that.

Wasn't there the apprehension of working with a huge star cast?
Well, I would have been worried if I was doing nothing of consequence in the film. But the director Aditya Chopra had given us all the chance to etch our characters out on screen. Every one of us new comers got a chance to get up there and prove our acting abilities, and all of us had individual traits. We were not made of the same mould.

Did you ever feel that your character in the film wasn't as racy and peppy as the other girls' roles?
My character in the film Kiran was very quiet and simple. She was extremely traditional, and to a degree unglamourous I guess. But there was an old-world charm about her that appealed to me as an actress. A lot of people tell me that I should have taken on a more trendy and hip character for my debut. But I firmly believe that my decision to play her was right. I have no regrets.

Had you always harboured the dream to act?
Oh boy, I hadn't even in my wildest dreams imagined I'd find myself here one day. I was going about my life just the way that any average college kid does. I was very enthusiastic about participating in college activities and functions. My friends and I did a lot of shows, and its during one of those that I got spotted and whisked away to do the Colgate Gel commercial. One thing led to another and there was no looking back after that.

Then of course came Chui-Mui.
Yeah, I never expected it do so well. I mean I had worked on another video before, and while I knew this one was really nice, one can never tell how the audience is going to react. That was a big booster. Before I knew it the song was on everyone's lips.

Were you already training to act, when you got Mohabbatein?
Not at all. I was completely green. It was only after I decided to do the film that I really start working on my acting and dancing abilities. In fact the six of us newcomers also attended an acting workshop to train for the film. It was an incredible experience.

What do you look for when you choose a film?
I am very careful when I consider a film. The banner matters, but the character that I am playing is of utmost importance to me. I want to play good roles. I don't want to be stuck in one distinct stereotypical image. I want to be able to explore more avenues with that roles allow me a variety of characters.

What are your upcoming projects?
I am acting in a film called Wah Tera Kya Kehna with Govinda and Raveena Tandon. It is directed by Manoj Agarwal. Besides that I'm also working on Firoz Nadiadwala's Awara Paagal Deewana. There are a couple of other films in the pipeline, but I think it would be premature to discuss them at this stage.

What do you do in your spare time?
Oh, I'm a film freak. I'm always watching movies on my DVD player, especially those, which have Sridevi in them. I think she is a marvellous actress. Besides that I read a lot. I have a penchant for good fiction.