"I don't belong to any camp"

"I don't belong to any camp"

NRI damsel Richa Gangopadhyay who got registered with much hyped about film ' Leader', is on cloud nine now. This season is a double whammy for this former model as ' Nagavalli', her movie with Venkatesh just hit the screens and ' Mirapakaya', her flick with Ravi Teja is up for release. But what took her more than six months to hit the screen again despite an impressive debut? "I was basking in the success of 'Leader' and wanted to chose the right script after working with Shekhar Kammula.



I wanted to do versatile roles.I don't want to be just another glam doll. My priority is to balance performance with glamour. While promoting Leader, Nagavalli and Mirapakaya came my way and I signed them. I went back home to US to spend time with the family before I start shooting again and here are my two films." she says with a voice filled with excitement. With three film releases in one year, Richa couldn't have asked for more.She has signed another film with ace director Selva Raghavan for a bi-lingual movie with Rana in the lead.Sources say Suresh Babu will produce the movie. With she doing three out of four of her films with Daggubati clan, isn't she wary of being branded as belonging to their camp?


"I don't believe camps exist and every film I have signed is purely coindiental.After Leader, director Vasu saw me in Sureshbabu's office and was convinced that I suit the role I played in Nagavalli. He wanted someone who looks innocent and has large eyes. I suited the charecter and was cast in the project. As far as my next movie with Rana is considered, a lot of my fans on twitter liked the jodi of me and Rana in Leader and wished to see our jodi together on screen again. The director of that film also zeroed in on me only after screen testing hundreds of girls.So, it is wrong to assume that I am doing a film only with Daggubatis.No artiste will seclude herself to one production house and miss out oppurtunities and I would like to work with everyone" she clarifies.



The actress has now silenced the critics with her performance in 'Nagavalli' who earlier thought she would be a one movie wonder.She managed to watch the original 'Aptarakshaka' and ' Chandramukhi' to see how Jyothika and Soundarya played the charecters and reveals that she was almost dropped from the project as the director was upset with her 'walking' style on the first day of the shoot. "After I signed the movie, I realised what challenging charecter I was signed up for. I was very nervous on the first day of my shoot. The director P Vasu was not happy with my walking style and had told people on the sets that If this girl can't walk properly, how can she act? I was almost dropped from the movie. However, there was a challenging scene which I reharsed a lot for.I gave the scene in one take and the director was impressed and put off his plans to drop me. I researched a lot for the role and even got fever out of sheer exorsion doing the role.I gave dubbing to a part of the movie and my voice went hoarse as I had to change the modulation often" Richa recalls.


This Bengali girl is learning Telugu and attempted to speak in the language at the audio launch of her movie recently. Does she have a Telugu tutor?

"I am not learning it from a teacher. I just talk to everyone around me on the sets in Telugu and started picking up. I have learnt music and so I can make out sounds easily. I understand Tamil easily too.I hope to speak Telugu fluently soon"


This former model is under the scanner of Fashion police and fitness advocates for putting on weight offlate.Doesn't she believe in working out and size zero looks? "I don't believe that size zero suits Indian women.Our women should have curves to carry off the saree well.I am a student of nutrition and feel that it is important to look healthy than size zero. I got to focus on my fitness now. I have been busy in shooting schedules which leaves me no time to exercise and also this city offers such delicious and irresistable mutton biryani , majjika Pulusu et al which obviously makes me put on weight.Also I can't do boring exercises like hitting the threadmill. I love kick boxing and hot yoga. I will work on it here on" she resolves.


Richa who is elated that her parents are in the town now who will get to watch both her releases says she wants to make them proud of her. "I am glad my parents allowed me to come to India and let me act in movies.They believed in me and are happy that I am doing good for myself.They are in the country now to attend a cousin's wedding and I am happy they will get to watch my releases this time.I don't plan my future anymore and accept things as they come. I want to live upto their expecations and make them proud" says Gangopadhyay signing off.