Czech sizzler Yana Gupta, who proved to be a tough daredevil in the recently concluded Khatron Ke Khiladi, analyses the way men perceive her...

Do you enjoy the male attention that has came your way?

It depends on who is gazing at you. If it is a stranger on the streets, it would bother me; but I wouldn’t react to it.

Is there any noticeable difference in the way men view women in India as compared to the way men in your country (the Czech Republic) view women?

Yeah, I am sure there is. Quite a few Indian men expect their women to stay home and look after the house. Of course, there are Indian women who also go to work. But abroad, a woman strikes out independently once she completes school. If by the age of 25, you are not on your own, you are considered to be a mama’s girl. You are expected to find a job and support yourself.

A middle-class Indian father generally expects his daughter to stay with him till she gets married. What age did you break away from your family and become an independent person?

I started earning at 16 and began travelling a lot, thereafter. I continued living in my family house but I paid for my boarding and other expenses.

Did your father encourage you when you wanted to become an independent woman?

Of course, he did. Czechs believe that both men and women should be financially independent. A married woman too should be self-reliant.

You started your Bollywood career with an item number Babuji zara dheere chalo in Dum. What was the level of comfort considering there were hordes of men cheering you on during the shoot?

Shooting for Babuji was a lot of fun. I wasn’t uncomfortable shooting in front of 200 men because I am used to big set-ups. And facing the camera is my work.

Were you comfortable with what you were wearing?

Since I come from abroad, the outfit I was wearing was no big deal. When I was abroad, I was accustomed to walking the streets in a sleeveless shirt and short pants. I wasn’t wearing a bikini in the Babuji zara dheere chalo number. On hindsight, however, I realise the outfit was quite hot for other people. In the Rakht number I took more care and made sure that the top wasn’t too small.

Does the probing male gaze hamper your style?

People have been staring at me all the time. Besides I think it is natural that people who are at the shoot look at the scene of action.

What do you think draws men to you?

It varies from one man to another. Some perceive me as an entertainer, some respond to my looks, others find me charismatic.

How many men you have interacted with see beyond your good looks?

I have a few close friends. My interactions with other people is largely superficial. If they are attracted to me, they must be responding only to my looks or to a notion that they have about me as a person.

Does the fact that they have formed notions about you, bother you? Do you feel like explaining yourself?

No. Because the entertainment business is about creating an image.

Are you happy with the sex symbol image?

It is how a section of the audience perceived me; it has nothing to do with my reality.

Do you inquire about the camera angles or do you leave that to the cameraman?

I always check how the shot looks, both before and after I do it.

How do you react to the male catcalls and whistles that resound in the theatre when your dance number is being screened?

I am fine. That’s entertainment.

You must have had a lot of suitors. What do you find attractive in a man?

I find a spiritual person attractive because spiritualism gives you direction.

Do you think, the first thing a man notices in a woman is her looks?

Yes, but for women it is quite the opposite. For me, good-looking guys are a big no-no. A good looking man, whether a model or otherwise, who preens over himself, is quite unattractive.

But the mirror is a woman’s best friend too...

If men didn’t give so much importance to a woman’s looks, she wouldn’t spend so much time in front of the mirror.