Courting Umrao Jaan Late actor Rajkumar's son Puru Rajkumar¢s first film with J P Dutta LoC bit the dust, but he does not believe that one swallow makes a summer. Excerpts from an interview with TWF correspondent Vickey Lalwani on his role in the much awaited Umrao Jaan and the film.

Q: What is your role in Umrao Jaan?
A: I play Gauhar Mirza who is the son of a rich Nawab and a kothewali. Money stops coming in after his father dies and he is left at the mercy of kothas. He grows up with Umrao. He is Umrao's first love.

Q: What made you take up this role?
A: J P Dutta and Shabana Azmi. Working with them is an honour for me.

Q: Is it the same as Naseer's character from the original?
A: The way I understand it, I don't think so. The character has too many shades- anger, love, frustration and jealousy. From whatever I know, Dutta's film is not a remake of Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan. Here we are dealing with Umrao from the stage of being Amira which was her name before she became a jaan.

Q: Are you confident about the film?
A: Period films mostly don't do well- Asoka, Mangal Pandey... A: (Interrupts) I have a very good feel for the film. If the audience shares my level of enthusiasm for it, there is no reason why it won't click.

Q: But J P Dutta is known for his war films?
A: That's the beauty of this film. He has only made testosterone driven movies. This one is an estrogen driven one. And I am not complaining to be in a film where I was surrounded by beautiful women (laughs). If he has made only one type of movies in the past, it does not mean that he can't do something different.

Q: Even his last film with you LoC didn't shake up the turnstiles?
A: That you say in hindsight. Could you have said that before? Same way, there is no hundred per cent guarantee for the success of any film until it has hit the theatres, be it this Umrao Jaan or the old one. If we knew for sure what was going to happen, this film industry would have been a totally different place to be in.

Q: The music of the film is not doing well?
A: Says who? In fact, I have heard that it's doing pretty good.

Q: Compare Rekha and Ash in the two Umrao Jaans?
A: I wouldn't compare them. I know that comparisons are inevitable, but they are unfair. Rekha and Ash are two different personalities. If you ask me whether Ash has done a good job, the answer is yes. If you ask me whether Ash has looked good in the film, she looks good most of the time anyway.

Q: Who would you vote for Rekha as Umrao Jaan or Ash as Umrao Jaan?
A: Both.

Q: You can't cast two votes?
A: Then, I abstain from voting (laughs)

Q: What was the most difficult part for you in the film?
A: The character has too many shades, but J P Dutta made my job easier. Dutta doesn't work with a script. He has an in-depth vision of every character he deals with.

Q: So you were not given a bound script?
A: No. But I didn't expect it either. I have worked with Dutta in LoC and I know.

Q: Okay, but I still don't have an answer to what was the most difficult part for you?
A: Well, there is one scene that comes to mind where I needed four retakes to get it right. That's when I get to know that Umrao has become a jaan. I had to emote sadness, frustration, defeat and lots more.

Q: Who has done your costumes and were you comfy in those?
A: There is no richness in my clothes. There are some interesting kurta pyjamas. And surely, I was very comfy in them. I don't know who designed them. But I was given those by Dutta and Bindiya.

Q: How were Abhishek and Aishwarya as co-actors?
A: Absolutely no problem. He was there in LoC, but I had no scenes with him. I wanted to work with him. I am fond of him. Maybe because I am in awe of his father. I had worked with Ash in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, and there is a certain comfort level between us.

Q: Did you get friendly with them and keep in touch after the shooting was over?
A: Unfortunately, no.

Q: Is it because they were too engrossed in themselves and did not mix sufficiently?
A: Nothing like that. Basically, I also am a reserved person.