Sushmita Sen Speaks Exclusively On Jhansi Ki Rani

By Subhash K Jha
You seem to be totally consumed by the idea of making Jhansi Ki Rani.
You bet! My interest isn't just professional, but also personal. By producing Jhansi Ki Rani and casting myself in a role that I've cherished forever, I'll be paying a homage to a woman I admire tremendously.

At times I've to remind myself rudely that the only thing that can get in the way of my dream project is me. Then I've to step back and get objective and professional. Because I don't want anything to come in the way of my commitment to putting this fascinating woman's life on film.

And how is your project progressing so far?
So far so good. I think we're on the right track. For me Jhansi Ki Rani is the only raison d'etre at the moment. But then the world doesn't come to a standstill for the sake of one's passion. I will continue to fulfil my other obligations as an actor. I can't say no to friends like David Dhawan and Salman Khan. And before you ask, there's something popping up with them.

You are the sole producer of Jhansi Ki Rani?
Yes absolutely. My company Tantra is the producer. And there's no fear of falling...from my high horse. Because Jhansi rode across the horizon fearlessly. If I'm making a film on the life of a fearless woman I better be fearless. This woman inspires me like none other. The truth is, whenever you create something, there's bound to be risks, financial and creative, involved. When have I ever been afraid of taking risk?

Any fear of failing with a female-centric film?
None whatsoever. Please remember I started with a woman-centric film (Dastak). Sure, my recent films Chingari and Zindagi Rocks revolved around me and they didn't work at the boxoffice, whereas a film like Main Hoon Na where I had, at the most, an extended cameo,brought me tremendous appreciation.

But do I stop going by my instincts because of commercial failure? Or do I try to see where I've gone wrong, correct myself and move ahead on the path I've chosen? That doesn't really need an answer, does it?

Where will you shoot the film?
It will be shot entirely in India except for the outdoors. We're grateful to the government of Madhya Pradesh for all the help that they're extending to us. They're going to make sure that the project has a suitably prolonged shelf life.

Jhansi Ki Rani is not the kind of film that you shoot over two months, release and forget about it. It's a film about history that hopefully, will have a history beyond the average lifespan of a film. This is where the Madhya Pradesh comes in.

And about the director?
Frankly I'm still not decided on that. We've a few names shortlisted. They're all filmmakers with a track record for an epic vision.

So what steps are you taking to ensure that Jhansi Ki Rani doesn't go wrong?
I'm making sure we're doing our homework very very carefully. Once we go into production I don't want to be caught in any kind of uncertainty. Neither do I want to be an interfering producer. I want to put every thing in place as a producer so that once we start shooting I'll focus only on the acting.

How long have you been prepping for Jhansi?
A year-and-a-half. It's my dream project. And life for me has always been about living out my dreams. In one way or another I've to live out my dreams. I feel Jhansi isn't just a source of inspiration for me, but also very relevant to our times.

When I went through her story and read about her interaction with friends, family and enemies I realized, sometimes you need to look at the past to know what mistakes you don't make in the future.

What would be the film's language?
You mean besides the universal language of the heart ? It'd predominantly be in English. Since a majority of the characters would be Britishers English does seem the logical language. My Jhansi Ki Rani would be a totally global film. Anybody who wants to get inspired will want to see it.

Aren't you afraid your career with crest after Jhansi?
You mean where I do go after Jhansi? From the time I wore the crown as Miss Universe I created my own crests. I've always created my own journey and never bothered with the destination. History and the period film are never short of pinnacles.

After Jhansi I may play Cleopatra, who knows? To call Jhansi the ultimate role would be admitting that life is just a pause in time. It's not. It's a constant symphony. As I get older there'll be plenty of new opportunities. That I'm sure of.

Finally, Ketan Mehta is also a planning a bio-pic of Jhansi Ki Rani with Aishwarya Rai...
I'm very happy for both of them.