BollywoodHug: Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta’s living out of her suitcase these days. Shooting back-to-back for one film after another, the past few months have seen the Bollywood stunner traverse the globe from one end to the other, right from the Bahamas to Cambodia, and now to London. “I have rested enough,” says the actress, referring to the slight lull in her career graph last year, post a rocking 2007. “But now, I’m just looking forward to work and some more work.”
Having taken her de-glam look to quite an extreme in Billu earlier this year, the actress will now be seen taking her glam avatar to sizzling heights as she puts her best bikini bod forward in Anthony D’Souza’s Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar and Zayed Khan-starrer Blue. Produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd, the film that releases on October 16 required the actress to be at her sexilicious best. Though Lara reveals that she has no hang-ups about showing off her fab toned figure in a two-piece, she does admit that there’s a “lot of hard working out involved in getting into a bikini on screen”. “Having a good body gives you a lot of confidence to carry off any look with the right attitude. But the emphasis is always on being and feeling fit. That’s sexy and yes, sexy is fun!” says she about her hot beach look in the movie, that promises to catapult her into the league of B-town’s sexilicious brigade of Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra on screen. The ‘water-babe’ also reveals that she’s as excited about this underwater action thriller, as she is about the other two comedies lined up soon after – Housefull and Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai. But, having performed some daredevil stunts for Blue, is she gearing up for some more action-oriented films now? “Oh yes. I am really dying to play a superhero. That’s very high on my agenda,” she laughs. “I would love to at least have one super-power – either the flying bit or the invisibility one. That’s always been my childhood dream.” And if she could turn invisible for a day? “I’d sure like to find out who’s behind spreading all the false rumours,” she laughs, referring to reports of her being upset about co-star Katrina Kaif ’s role being increased, and being overshadowed by international pop-queen Kylie Minogue in Blue. “All of us actors are very secure in our own space. So, where’s the question about insecurity? That’s way too juvenile,” she says, rubbishing the rumours. Not the one to mince words – whether it’s talk about her professional life or personal – the actress is as receptive of criticism as she is of appreciation on the career front. But she does put her defensive foot down when it comes to “the constant imaginative speculation” about her love-life. Having sent out a clear signal that any talk bordering on her relationship is akin to treading on thin ice, we cautiously ask what’s high on almost everyone’s mind – is Bollytown’s sexy lady single? “Well, all that I can say is that I do not believe in frivolous affairs and hope to be in a steady relationship some day. Having said that, I am also not the type to go and shout from rooftops if I do find true love. My private life is not for public consumption and I prefer it that way,” she signs off.