How do you define ‘love’?

Kamalinee: Being happy with someone.... Not all the time, but most of the time is good enough.

Padmapriya: Doesn’t the word speak for itself? It’s the single unifying force that connects elements of all kinds. I’m a person who loves to love, so for me it’s not about a man. It’s about loving people, friends, giving them presents.... I’m very passionate. Love is probably the only thing my sparrow of a brain understands!

Do you think the word love is a cliche?

Padmapriya: No I think love is essential.

Kamalinee: Love is life!

Love outside marriage — is it beyond right or wrong?

Kamalinee: Lobhe paap, paapey mukti! (Laughs.) I think most relationships go through a phase where people might get attracted to somebody else. It differs from marriage to marriage and whether a partner thinks physicality is a point of infidelity or not. I know a lot of people who are just happy being with each other, and some who are with others yet fine in their marriages too. I personally can’t deal with it. I’m a Bong tigress when it comes to that!

Padmapriya: Human beings are possessive by nature. If you own something, you believe it’s yours. To let go, even if it’s for a few moments of pleasure or a transgression, is unacceptable to most. In our film, at some point, both Pradip (Prosenjit) and Ushashi (Kamalinee), if you notice, start conversing about their daily lives. Letting go of a space and allowing somebody else in that relationship is a difficult choice. I don’t think I’m mature enough to deal with it either. But I don’t want to say no to anything! (Laughs.) How can I say no to what life has in store for me?

Kamalinee: My mother says love overcomes everything. Right now, I don’t think it can overcome everything but who knows! Our generation doesn’t think like that. We don’t have patience for infidelity. It’s not like how our parents were. For us if it’s not working out, it’s just ‘let go’.

Padmapriya: I have a very romantic idea of love. I don’t think it’s about right and wrong.

Kamalinee: An affair can be only emotional and not physical at all. But isn’t that wrong? I think that’s pretty wrong too! Just because you’re in love with somebody and it hasn’t culminated in something physical doesn’t mean you haven’t cheated on your partner. I’m very wary on this subject!

How important is physical intimacy in relationships?

Padmapriya: High, very high!

Kamalinee: Number 2.

Padmapriya: No, number one!

Kamalinee: I’m a Bengali!

Padmapriya: And I’m an animal! (Both laugh out loud.)

Kamalinee: C’mon! We’re today’s women. If we call ourselves independent, we need our little doses of happiness too.

Padmapriya: I think it’s a very beautiful and important aspect of a relationship. There are multiple reasons for it.

Kamalinee: Attraction is most important, na?

Padmapriya: Yeah, attraction is also a personal thing. I’ve seen that most of the time I get attracted to men who are not the best-looking ones!

Kamalinee: I think people spend a lot of time thinking about sex because we’re not allowed to talk about it. It is still so hush-hush in India. It’s a necessity and women think about it as much as men do. Men think they have an upper hand on this but women have a lot more to talk about sex. What you see in Sex and the City is very real!

Padmapriya: It may seem farcical but sex is more important for a woman, especially when she is peaking, that is from adolescence to early 40s.

Kamalinee: Yes, it’s a physical thing. Your hormones are playing havoc. What can you do?

Padmapriya: From horniness to warmth, the entire range is important for a woman. Unfortunately, we don’t talk much about it. But as much as men like watching Malaika Arora Khan doing an item number, I wouldn’t mind seeing a man doing a raunchy number and making me feel good about his body.

So who’s that man you’d want to see doing an item number?

Kamalinee: Shah Rukh Khan!

Padmapriya: Yes, if it’s Indian it has to be Shah Rukh Khan. Kay Kay (Menon) also. He’s hot!

Kamalinee: I wouldn’t mind Brad Pitt either!

Padmapriya: For an item number, Ashton Kutcher too! (Laughs.) We’re talking as if they’re lined up for us!

Kamalinee: It’s our fantasy! We’re allowed to pick.

Padmapriya: Okay then, George Clooney, come on!

So when did you learn about sex?

Kamalinee: I read about it and figured it out when I was around 12.

Padmapriya: So early?

Kamalinee: Yeah, there was no one to lecture me and I realised there’s something about it that you’re not supposed to know. I received an early education — from my precocious sister!

Padmapriya: I was innocent for a very long time. My father was in the army and I wasn’t close enough with my brother to have such discussions. I found out when I was in Class XI and wondered what I was doing all this while!

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Kamalinee: Yes, I totally believe in it now.

Padmapriya: Oh wow!

Kamalinee: It’s a moment of total clarity. You just know. That’s how it happened with me.

Padmapriya: I’m very much single, would desperately like to let go of my singlehood and I don’t mind trying love at first, second or any sight!

Kamalinee: I’ve been in a relationship for four years. I’m very happy and open about it.

Padmapriya: Wow! I’m jealous!

What if you caught your partner cheating on you?

Padmapriya: I’d f*** his case! I wouldn’t be cool in any which way.

Kamalinee: I’m quite scary too. I don’t think anyone would mess with me. It would take a lot of guts and copious amounts of alcohol for someone to get to that stage where they think they can get away with cheating on me.

Padmapriya: When it comes to relationships, I’ve always been a loser. So I wouldn’t be surprised if someone ditches me.

Kamalinee: I used to feel the same but once you fall in love, it’ll all be good. All the losers only hurt you, but you have to kiss all the frogs before you kiss your prince!

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a crush?

Kamalinee: I’m not willing to go on record for this! I have a collection. (Laughs.)

Padmapriya: My first crush was Prince William. I had bought a gown, kept his photograph next to mine and wrote about him in my diary every day!

Kamalinee: Oh, we have a lot in common!

Padmapriya: You had a crush on William too?

Kamalinee: No, only on Sachin (Tendulkar). I remember crying and crying so much the day he got married that my mother asked my dad to throw me out of the house. I used to watch so much cricket for him, but from the day he got married I lost all interest.

What is the one thing you would never do for love?

Padmapriya: Leave cinema.

Kamalinee: Me too. Also, I wouldn’t shave my head!

What do you do when you’re sad?

Kamalinee: I go into a shell and I eat plenty of hot chips. Maybe 500g at one go if I’m depressed!

Padmapriya: I go and work out.

Kamalinee: Wow, that’s healthy! And here I am talking about chips.

Padmapriya: As a kid I used to dance, now I work out. Basically, I have to sweat it out. Also, I scream to death. With my parents I’ve done that.

Head rules or heart?

Kamalinee: Heart.

Padmapriya: Both of them confuse me. I let situations take the call. Both of them are very active and that’s why I’m full of contradictions and confusions.

Kamalinee: My head never wins. It’s a sad thing but it makes me happy. I’m an emotional fool.

Padmapriya: I end up not choosing anything and end up getting stressed out.

What are the three qualities that make your dream man?

Kamalinee: Honesty, a sense of humour and he has to be my best friend. That’s why I don’t see infidelity happening to me because honesty is the number one factor.

Padmapriya: Be a little sorted out, so that the balance with me is maintained... then, a sense of humour and passion. The character of Yusuf (played by Indraneil Sengupta) in Aparajita Tumi, that’s the guy I’d like to have. A romantic, reads poetry, keeps you engaged all the time... it’s difficult to get bored of a guy like Yusuf.

Kamalinee: And if he looked like that (Indraneil) too, then there’s nothing more to say! (Laughs.)

Biggest turn off in a man?

Kamalinee: I can’t stand men talking about ‘I’m doing this’ and ‘I can do that’. The ‘me, me, me’ thing just turns me off. Also, body odour and bad breath, no matter how good-looking or great he might be.

Padmapriya: Ditto. And anybody trying too hard to be themselves.

The hottest man you can think of?

Kamalinee: Shah Rukh Khan. Hot hot hot!

Padmapriya: Totally Shah Rukh. But I love Gulzar.

Kamalinee: Yes, he’s super hot.

Padmapriya: I even find P. Chidambaram hot!

Kamalinee: Are you serious?!

Padmapriya: I like the fact that someone has the audacity to wear veshti and vibhuti and make a style statement out of it. They are hot and desirable in a ‘door se’ way. I fancy Amitav Ghosh too! And I also like Barack Obama, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. I have a thing for politicians!

Would you rather be famous or good-looking?

Padmapriya: Fame, fame! After a point, people think even the ugly ones are pretty.

Kamalinee: True. Being famous is much more fun.

The most romantic film you've seen?

Kamalinee: In the Mood for Love, Bridges of Madison County, When Harry Met Sally.

Padmapriya: Falling in Love and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

And the most romantic book?

Padmapriya: I don’t read romantic books. They put me off.

Kamalinee: Shesher Kabita and Bridges of Madison County.

Mohua Das