Sohini: Acting cannot be taught

You seem to get all the right breaks with the right directors... First it was Anjan Dutt, and now, it���������������������������s Kaushik Ganguly.
My first film, Bow Barracks Forever, fell into my lap when I was still studying. I took it up as I wanted to get a feel of the industry. Jackpot, too, happened by chance. I didn���������������������������t go around asking for roles.
Jackpot isn���������������������������t doing too well despite good reviews....
I heard it���������������������������s doing average business. I can���������������������������t really say anything more.
Did any of your dad���������������������������s films, like Dadar Kirti, help you build your comic timing?
My role in Jackpot is different from any of the characters Baba has played. Of course, I have watched all his films several times over. But that was not to get tips on how to play Jackpot���������������������������s Mithu Dutta!
Did you take tips from your dad?
No. I don���������������������������t think acting can be taught. You can���������������������������t be taught when to laugh or cry. It has to come from within. Baba never interferes with my work. Each day, after I came back from the shoot, he would ask me
how it went, and after I nodded an ok, he used to smile and say, ���������������������������Jao giye rest nao���������������������������.
And what was the feedback from your parents like?
Mom said she liked the film and the way I pulled off the role. But Baba felt I could do better in my future ventures.
Do your parents have a say in your choice of films?
Ma prefers to stay away, as she says she doesn���������������������������t understand the intricacies of the film industry. Baba, on the other hand, tells me to go by my gut feeling. I do exactly that.
Do you feel that your character was overshadowed by Rahul���������������������������s in the film?
Not at all. I think we complemented each other.
But don���������������������������t you think Rahul hogged the limelight with his powerhouse performance?
It���������������������������s not about hogging the limelight. Rahul is a brilliant actor and an amazing co-star. He was extremely co-operative on the sets. There were times when he had no scenes, but used to stay on to help me out with the dialogues. That made my task a lot easier.
The film sees you in a comic avatar... How funny are you in real life?
I���������������������������m too serious in real life! My sense of humour is dry and sarcastic.
What was the funniest moment of the Jackpot shoot?
You know, initially, I found Rahul to be really disgusting, because each time we finished canning a sequence, he used to place his false pair of teeth on my head, my hand or my lap! I couldn���������������������������t even hide or throw them away as they were essential for the film. Now, thinking back, I find it really funny.
Did you always aspire to be an actor?
Never. It was only after I went to Bangalore and explored other options, that I realised I wasn���������������������������t cut out for a nine-to-five job. It is important for an individual to love his or her work and I���������������������������m doing what I enjoy.
And do you also enjoy all the media attention?
Having seen my dad face the flashbulbs for 30 long years, I���������������������������m used to it. I feel that one should be firmly grounded, no matter what happens.
So what���������������������������s next?
There is Animesh Roy���������������������������s Ei Poth Jodi Na Sesh Hoy, where I���������������������������m cast opposite a newcomer Aditya. It���������������������������s a love story, and we will start shooting from mid-March. Then there is Ajay Singh and Sudipto Ghatak���������������������������s
psychological thriller Alive where I play Dr Tina, who is involved in a medical scam. Each character in the film has a negative streak.
Check out Sohini���������������������������s pictures