After showing skin without any reservation in films She feels "Chup Chup Ke", where she featured with Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur, has changed her image

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I'm glad skin thing is over: Neha (INTERVIEW)
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, July 23 (IANS) After showing skin without any reservation in films like "Julie" and "Sheesha", bold and beautiful Neha Dhupia treads a non-glamorous path in
Priyandarshan's comedy "Chup Chup Ke" and says she is relieved.

"I almost feel like a debutante again. I am glad that the skin thing is over," Neha told IANS in an interview.

She feels "Chup Chup Ke", where she featured with Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur, has changed her image.

"'Chup Chup Ke' gave me a new de-glamorised avatar. Everyone thinks of me as a girl with the bronzed body. People were shocked to see me wearing a salwar-kameez
throughout the film.

"There is no fun being an actress if you don't keep re-inventing yourself. I went through this supposedly sexy phase. And let me tell you 'Chup Chup Ke' was fun for many
reasons, including Bebo (Kareena) who was absolutely hassle-free. In fact, I stand by her behaviour," said Neha.

While Kareena played the mute mademoiselle, Neha was the chirpy talkative one. "So it's a nice cute balance between us." .

She cannot get over the fact that Priyadarshan offered her a non-glamorised role.

"I was that hot babe in Priyan's (Priyadarshan's) earlier film 'Garam Masala'. I had a brief role there. That I guess led to bigger things in 'Chup Chup Ke'," added the actor.

Priyadarshan had promised her a more prominent part next time. "But in this industry who keeps promises? Priyan did and I respect that," said Neha, who is also excited
about her new image in other films.

"Gradually the sexy wave has peaked. I was comfortable enough with Deepak Shivdasani's 'Julie'. It was an author-backed role for me. I relished doing it.

"But somewhere by the time I came to 'Sheesha' the steamy thing ran out steam. Audiences got tired of watching such films. But I am not ashamed of what I did."

Neha admits "Sheesha" had an excess of the skin and smooch formula.

"You know in hindsight it's easy to say what went wrong with a film. There were many things that I could feel going wrong with 'Sheesha' when we were doing it. Some bits of
the film were definitely over-the-top.

"But there was nothing I could say without sounding arrogant and out-of-turn. Unfortunately for the film and fortunately for me 'Sheesha' didn't work. Otherwise, I'd get more
such offers," she said.

Talking about her role in "Teesri Aankh", she said: "Let's just put it this way. (Director) Harry Baweja and me go back a long way. He had launched me in 'Qayamat'. When
he offered me this new film I couldn't question him about the role. Some things in life you do blindly."

She is very excited about "Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local" where she is totally in an unglamorous role.

"It's about these two strangers - me and Abhay Deol. The fresh pairing is exciting. We meet and spend two hours together. It is a comedy of errors. It is a really funky film,"
said Neha about the film.

Finally, Ujjawal Chatterjee's "Uthaan" which he claims is inspired by model Jessica Lal's life.

"Not what I have shot. My character doesn't have anything to do with Jessica Lal. I play an ambitious model who chooses between love and career. It is a simple story and
fortunately I didn't have to do anything cheesy."

After-hours?

"I've moved into my new place. I really spend a lot of time working out. I spend at least two hours in the gym. I like to spend time cooking. I am very domesticated. I'd rather
stay at my new home and watch TV or read a book than go out and party."

Neha admits she had relationships in the past but there is no one special in her life right now.

"There have been relationships off and on. But nothing spectacular and nothing right now. I don't want to fall in love. I want to rise in love. I don't want to go ballistic when I fall
in love. The only thing that I want to surrender to is my work," said the actor, happy to be out of the so-called sexy image.