Celina Jaitley

That’s what oomphy Celina Jaitley gives herself, though she revels in her sex bomb image. She has bagged a bunch of films with the likes of Subhash Ghai, Kumar Mangat, Ashtavinayak and Suneel Darshan, besides shooting for her first international film. Here, Celina talks films and future with a sort of que sera sera attitude...

Last year was a mixed bag for you; both your Bollywood films Red and Shaka Laka Boom Boom flopped but your international career took off with Love Has No Language...

What makes you feel that my Bollywood career didn’t do well? I signed seven films last year! And it’s ok. Sometimes Shah Rukh Khan’s films don’t do well, but does that make him a lesser star?

After No Entry you wanted to do more comedies and most of the films you have signed this year are comedies. Is it wish fulfilment?

Yes, it’s like a happy birthday party at McDonald’s!

You are currently shooting for Money Hai Toh Honey Hai. Do you believe in the same philosophy?

I am sure it works very well for men. I don’t know if it works very well for women. In this world, unfortunately, money is the most important thing; if it wasn’t, we would still be living by the barter system (laughs). So it’s actually true, money hai to honey hai, money hai to car hai, money hai to sab kuch hai. Even to pay your hospital bills and to get good treatment, you need money.

Who are you paired opposite — Aftab or Upen?

Both.

You play a fashion designer...

I play a struggling fashion designer called Shruti Pandey who does not have the sources to showcase her talent. She has a lot of talent but she does not have money or a big family name to make it big as a fashion designer. She is working for a horrendous designer who uses her designs and puts her own labels before selling the stuff.

It’s a great comedy about six strugglers from various walks of life and how they come together because of a certain situation in life.

You are also doing Golmaal Returns with Rohit Shetty. How is that shaping up?

Not only do we work, we also have a lot of fun working on that movie. I am cast opposite Shreyas Talpade and we get along like a house on fire. We are both playing Tamilians in the movie.

You are also doing a film with Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts, Hello Darling (alongside Gul Panag and Ishaa Koppikar)...

Hello Darling is a comical depiction of office atmosphere. It’s a woman- oriented film. I am playing a Goan girl called Candy Fernandes who lives in the Mumbai suburb of Bandra. She is always misjudged because of the way she looks. Neither does she look like an Indian nor like a foreigner. She doesn’t speak Hindi or English right (laughs). People think she is frivolous because of the way she dresses and the way she is — light eyed, fair-skinned.

Many of these films have more than one actress. Is it easy getting along with other actresses?

I treat it as going to an office or working in a corporation. You don’t need to be best friends with everybody who works in your office. Sometimes you have to work with people you don’t get along with, but you have to be positive. I follow a simple rule — it is not necessary to be good friends but it is definitely necessary to be good colleagues.

Have you signed any other film?

There is Suneel Darshan’s untitled next. And I have signed an international film, The Quest For Scheherezade after Love Has No Language.

What about the Pink Panther film?

I was already committed to Love Has No Language and was in New Zealand. I could not rush to Los Angeles for that film.

Do you regret not doing Pink Panther?

Of course, I feel bad. It was a very big project. I wish I could have done it. But I strongly feel that whatever happens, happens for the best.

On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate yourself as an actress?

As an actress, I would rate myself eight going on nine (laughs)!

And on sex appeal?

I would give myself a two, maybe. I have never considered myself sexy.

Come on...

Just because I wore a bikini, does that make me sexy? I would consider myself good looking, pretty, yes, but I don’t know about sexy (laughs).

You have always been a sex symbol? Are you tired of this tag or do you revel in it?

I enjoy it very much but I don’t consider myself sexy at all.

Your brother got engaged...

I am very happy for him. In today’s time it’s so difficult to find true love. He got engaged to the love of his life. He couldn’t marry because he’s going to Lebanon with the US peace-keeping force. Marriage will happen next year.

And when will you marry?

For that you have to find a person first. I have not found the right man as yet.

Surely there are a lot of men waiting for you out there?

I don’t believe in quantity; I believe in quality (laughs).