In an unusual pairing of sorts, Bipasha Basu has teamed up with Nawazuddin Siddiqui for Suparn Verma's horror film Aatma. Sreya Basu speaks to the actress in Mumbai on God, religion and afterlife

Since your latest film Aatma deals with afterlife, do you personally believe in such a thing?
When we read on Internet or through a lot of religious texts, we get to know about many religions which believe in afterlife. And there are lots of people who are non-believers. As for me, I believe that there is a soul and am sure the soul must be going somewhere after death. So I believe in afterlife.

Do you believe in God?
I am very religious and I believe in God. There has to be a God above and I am one of the blessed ones as to reach here and be Bipasha Basu for so many years from no where. But I am not overly ritualistic. However, I must admit that with time I am getting more and more spiritual; my calling for God has become a little more than before. It's not because of the presence of my parents, but a natural call.

With films like Raaz, Rakht, Darna Zaroori Hai, Raaz 3 and now Aatma, why is that filmmakers mostly approach you when they make a horror film?
I don't know. But I guess am becoming the face of fear.


But that leaves a possibility of getting typecast in the horror genre.
But I am a very greedy actor.

What made you do Aatma?
I don't have a perfect answer for this. But I would only say that the script, screenplay, the way Suparn gave me the first narration, I could just see that this is a fabulous film and is going to be very entertaining. Also I, as an actor, have to step ahead somewhere.

Definitely horror is a genre where people enjoy getting scared. But it is one of those very nascent stages where India can do so many different kinds of stories by using horror as a genre.

Are you scared of the supernatural?
Yes. I get scared very easily, especially when I see horror films. Even when I was hearing the narration of Aatma, I had put my fingers in my ears. In fact, now that we are promoting the film and talking about supernatural all the time, I have become a Batwoman ... I am spending sleepless nights.


Anything else that scares you?
I am scared of gaining weight; so I get scared when I have too many sweets.

No tête-a-tête with you is complete without talking about fitness. Out of your busy schedule, how much time can you devote daily for your workouts?
For me, working out is like brushing my teeth, having food and sleeping. It's a part of my regular life. I don't have a fixed time for workouts, but be it in the morning or afternoon or night, I make sure to take out that much time for my fitness and health.

But do you feel like working out after, say, shooting or partying all night?
If you are physically tired, I don't think you should push yourself; instead have adequate amount of sleep, rest and recover and then work out.


What is that one thing that you have stopped taking for the sake of fitness?
It's almost 8 years that I have stopped taking rice. I only have rice on my birthday. I literally feast my heart out on my birthdays. I believe it's very important to celebrate the first day of our life and if you love to live life, it's very important to acknowledge this day every year.