Interview: Barkha Madan

Posted by Vivek on September 5, 2008 | 3 Comment

She was the Bhoot of Ram Gopal’s film and also missed the podium at the Miss India, when Sush and Ash came first and second.

What got you into films?

I was always academically oriented. Coming from a Army family and doing my honors in English Literature in Delhi. Then the Miss India contest happened and here I was in Mumbai. Modelling, television and films have followed.

You have done Ram Gopal’s Bhoot, Umesh Mehra’s Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi and an Indo Dutch film – Driving Miss Palmen? Quality films and filmmakers and few films, is that the way it has been thought out?

I have not made a conscious decision as such. I go more for the characters I portray, they should be compelling and convincing and it just was a coincidence that what I have chosen has worked out very well.

So how challenging was it for a model to play a ghost . That is the Bhoot? You scared the daylights out of most viewers in your portrayal as Manjeet.

My first fear when Ram Gopal approached me to play the ghost was, would I have to go for a scary look. To his credit he mentioned that I could continue looking just as I was. It was the conglomeration of the script, the sound and most importantly the director, who got that portrayal out of me.

Given that you have ventured into the Indo Dutch world and also the alternative Bollywood would American and European films be next?

Definitely I would love to tap into that segment, if the right role came along. There is only about 10% of my potential that has been used in Bollywood. I look forward to exploring new worlds and even different languages like Punjabi, my mother tongue and Bengali.

You dabble in television, hosting travel shows and in theater, which amongst the three mediums, television, theater, films, excites the actor and the English literature grad in you?

To an extent all do. Theater is a high, because it is ‘”as is”. There is no scope for retakes. Films gives me immortality (laughs), post Booth. Television is one of the most happening mediums in India right now, so that is exciting too.

Given that you did not come from the acting or film background, where do you get your creative inspiration from?

Life, real people. Those provide inspirations to me.