Tanuja’s take on all the actresses she has worked with 
By Reshma Kelkar, October 12, 2006 - 09:52 IST
Tanuja Chandra is one female director who has made her own place in this male dominated industry. Her distinct vision for cinema and her power of defining female characters sets her different from the rest. The filmmaker whose Zindaggi Rocks released just last week is very selective about her actresses. Having created strong female characters in her movies, Tanuja reveals her idea of making female oriented movies and her take on actresses, who add essence to her stories.
Clarifying the reason of making feministic stories she says, “I think a lot of my life has come into my movies. I may not have experienced what Kajol’s character went through in Dushman or what Priety has done in Sangharsh and at the same time I am not a Rockstar like Sushmita. But whatever I feel as a woman, those thoughts find their way into my movies and I have spoken through my characters.”
Speaking about Kajol she says, “She was the one, whom I directed in my directorial debut Dushman. I was quite intimidated, which was a natural thing for a newcomer. But Kajol is very unusual person in the industry, who is not at all filmy. She is very genuine person. She can be difficult but only when she doesn’t like something. If she likes you or respects you then she will never ever gaze you the way film industry gazes you. Not because she is an intelligent actress but because she is very good actress to work with. Her role was very difficult as she was someone who was raped and killed; and then again she had to fall in love and take revenge as the twin sister. It was something that only an actress of her caliber could manage.”
Tanuja believes in strong female characters as she has showcased women from every walk of life. “I can never make movies where female characters are weak or they are weakly written or are unimportant to the film. I mean I never like female character to wave a flag and say that we stand for this and that. I have lived my life and will continue to live the way I think is right and dignified. I think that’s the way even if it is not the conventional way. So, yes my feelings in real life are very much into my movies.”
According to her, Preity Zinta is the most natural actress in the industry. Speaking about Preity she says, “Preity was perfect in that role in Sangharsh. Preity was very natural and young to perform that role. She is unlike other Hindi movie actresses. She is not so sophisticated but a confident girl. She is also a chatter box and we had lots of fun. She is bright and intelligent. Again she is very enthusiastic actress”.
“I had actresses who are committed towards their work. If an actress is lazy then it’s a difficult task for me to generate the excitement. Although I am always pretty aggressive on set, finally it’s all on the actors. They should love to do it. Mahima Chaudhary is one of them. I worked with her in Film Star and must say she is naturally good and talented actress. But after a while she gets bored of herself. She has so much talent at her disposal. But you have to continuously love it for years, which is difficult. To be renewing your enthusiasm every time becomes little bit bore.”
Talking about Ameesha Patel with whom she worked in her least known film Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar, she says, “Ameesha is bright and enthusiastic girl. She is very energetic. We are same in that case as I don’t feel tired till pack up. I don’t get tired easily instead people get tired of me.”
She introduced a new girl Gauri Karnik in Sur. “We thought of a student, who is learning music from Lucky Ali. Pooja Bhatt and I thought somebody new would be nice. I wanted very girlish and innocent looking girl and she was exactly like that. Gauri was very unconventional in terms of Hindi movie actress so we thought it is an experiment worth trying. We wanted someone, who is little clumsy and emotionally easy to spark off. Sometimes matured and sometimes madly in love with her professor.”
Tanuja admires talented hardworking actresses from the industry. According to her, all her actresses have a few things in common. They are very committed towards their work, they love to talk and they are very friendly. “There is very deep commitment which I found in my all actresses. I adore Sushmita Sen. I love to work with her. She is warm and genuinely loving person. Even though she is tired or had a long day still she can be nice with people and I was simply amazed by that. She is really funny. Instead I am very focused on my work as I want to concentrate only on work when I am on sets. I was little bit serious for her. But Sushmita is the one, who will make people feel that they are very special. I am quite a loud person on the sets. I used to shout on everyone but Sush was so nice to all that everyone was in love with her. When she was hurt and she was on bed for three weeks, even that time she was nice with everyone. I think we share a great chemistry and that is possible when you have a similar sense of humor.”
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Two of Tanuja’s films to premiere on the same day
