Bollywood Stars
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 Exclusive InterviewI am a mad girl... fully!
Teen icon Genelia D'Souza is too busy these days with her films IT'S MY LIFE, HOOK YA CROOK and URUMI. In Kolkata to launch Nocturne lounge, the actor tells our correspondent that she won't change her mad self for anything.
How will you define yourself as a person?
I am a person who loves to chill out more than anything else. I spent my entire college life at Cafe Coffee Day at Carter Road (Mumbai). Even today, I have not changed my lifestyle; I still walk my way from home to the cafe, though now at times, it's a bit difficult because of my hectic schedules.
And also, because people recognize you?
Yes. But unlike other stars, I thoroughly enjoy it. I get super-excited when someone calls me by my name. I too scream back: 'Aiyeee'. I know, at times, this creates confusion. So I try not to do my mad things all the time.
Tell us about your childhood days.
I grew up in Bandra. I am a complete sportsgirl; I have played everything-from basketball to hockey...the Joggers Park has so much been a part of my life because of my trainings. Not many people know that I am a state-level athlete. People used to call me a tomboy, though I used to say that I am a tomboy with a feminine side, though even I don't know what that means. (Laughs) I am a mad girl... fully.
How did Bollywood happen to you?
One day I got a call from Ramoji Rao saying he is doing a Hindi film called TUJHE MERI KASAM and wants to launch me! Now, it was bad enough that I got into modeling because I was from a family who has no clue about the glamour world. And films were something I couldn't even thought of attempting; first because, I was clueless about acting. And then, in my family, films were like 'No no no, it is a bad world and we can't get into it...blah blah blah.' And these guys kept calling me for a month-and-a-half. Then, my mom said this is an opportunity and that I should try it out. I always have the option to quit if I am not happy with it. Read More
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 Interviews
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Genelia in Brief
Real Name: Genelia De Souza
Birth Date: August 5th, 1987
Birth Place: Bombay, India
Nicknames: Teenage Superstar of Bollywood, Cheenu
Height: 5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Zodiac Sign: Leo Read More
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Genelia D'Souza Picture Galleries
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 Career MilestonesWhen D'Souza was offered a role in Tujhe Meri Kasam, initially she turned it down, as she was not keen to pursue a career in acting. But the crew insisted and kept contacting her for two months, and she agreed when she saw the Telugu version of the movie. Tamil director, S. Shankar, was impressed with her performance in the Parker Pen commercial and decided to cast her in a leading role in his 2003 Tamil film Boys.[19] D'Souza was selected among 300 girls, who had auditioned for the movie. She signed three movies simultaneously in three different languages, Tujhe Meri Kasam (Hindi), Boys (Tamil), and Satyam (Telugu).
D'Souza's professional movie career began,[20] with her Bollywood debut Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003. Indian film critic Taran Adarsh noted, "Genelia is a wonderful performer. She catches you unaware with a performance that's natural to the core." The movie garnered poor box office returns, and it failed to propel her career in Bollywood. Following her poor debut in Bollywood, she decided to act in South Indian films.
Later the same year, she made her Tamil debut as the teenage girl Harini in Boys, a story about five teenagers having stereotypical teen-boy fantasies. The movie, though noted for its vulgar sexual content, was a box-office success, and subsequently she started receiving Telugu film offers. She left Tamil cinema for a while to concentrate on the Telugu film industry. She made her Telugu debut in 2003 as a medical student in Satyam. Sify noted in their review that, "Genelia is excellent as her body language is her major asset." The movie was well received, and it raised her profile in the Telugu film industry.
In 2004, D'Souza appeared in her second Bollywood movie, Masti. The comedy focuses on three close friends who reunite after three years, but are now married and are being harassed by their wives. D'Souza portrayed the character of one of the wives. Taran Adarsh was complimentary of D'Souza's role, saying, "Amongst the wives, Genelia is the best, Genelia looks the stern and demanding wife and is sure to be noticed." Read More
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