She may not like watching herself on screen but the petite Aparajita Ghosh Das is all set to make her mark as the leading lady of Anjan Dutt’s Chalo Let’s Go... this Friday, and then with his Chowrasta: Crossroads of Love.

A t2 chat...

You lead a crowd of popular faces in Chalo Let’s Go...

Chalo Let’s Go... has an ensemble cast, so it is very difficult to say if mine is the lead role. But yes, a lot of things happen revolving around Ria, my character. She is a confused soul. The others talk about her a lot. Of all people, Ria relates to Churni Ganguly (Miss Gombhir) the most. Ria is also part of a triangular love story and it’s hilarious.

You have also bagged a vital role in Anjan Dutt’s Chowrasta: Crossroads of Love...

After Chalo Let’s Go... Anjanda just told me that there’s a role in Chowrasta which he felt would suit me and I said yes. In Chowrasta I play Rita, a young Bengali girl who elopes to Darjeeling with her boyfriend and gets married. Her only motto in life is to become a housewife. I am paired opposite Naved Aslam.

Is Ria very different from Rita?

Oh yes, they are poles apart. Ria is confused, while Rita wants to prove a point. Looks-wise, the two are very different too. Ria has a tomboyish look with frizzy hair and no make-up. For Rita, Anjanda had asked me to grow my hair. Both Ria and Rita wear western outfits, yet they are different.

Who do you like more, Ria or Rita?

Very difficult question. I don’t know. I am very confident when I am shooting, but when I watch my portions later I don’t like myself. So I am as confused as Ria. I have watched Chalo Let’s Go... and I didn’t like myself.... But if you ask me which character is closest to me, then it has to be Mohor from the Zee Bangla mega serial Ekdin Pratidin. People still call me Mohor.

How was it working with Anjan Dutt?

I think it was very easy to work with him. Since he is an actor himself, there’s a lot to learn from him. The best thing about Anjanda is that he is not a dictator on the sets. He is the perfect combination of an actor and a director. He gives you a lot of scope and options to deliver a scene.

We had a lot of fun while shooting for Chalo Let’s Go... in Darjeeling. It was one big picnic but also a learning experience.

But in Chowrasta, you had several veterans as co-actors...

Yes, Victorda (Banerjee) and Roopadi (Ganguly) made me very comfortable. There was Atul Kulkarni too. We used to chat a lot together. But initially I was a bit scared, not nervous though. I was worried if I would be able to live up to my expectations and my director’s expectations, but all that was before I started shooting. Once I was on the sets I just delivered my portion.

You have also acted in Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear...

I had just one scene in the film. Bumbada (Prosenjit) plays a superstar and I play his wife. I did the film only because of Rituda. He knows his characters in details.

Are films the reason why you have cut down on TV work?

The Aakaash mega serial Bijoyini has just wrapped up. And I have never done more than one mega serial at a time. Actually it’s not films or television that matters to me. I am hungry for good roles.