I did 'Fanaa' to get into Yashraj: Lara

Taking a cue from Aishwarya Rai who did "Kajra re" to get back into Yashraj Films after her fallout with Shah Rukh Khan, Lara Dutta has learnt that it's never right to say no to a big banner. She admits that she did "Fanaa" to get into the good books of the Yashraj camp.

"It helped me get an entry into Yashraj Films," she admits candidly. "Though I didn't strike any bargain with them, in the back of my mind I did know that doing the part would put me in their good books. And to be in the same frame as Aamir Khan and Kajol...wow! Would that ever happen again?

"Also Kunal Kohli had asked me to do a cameo in 'Hum Tum'. At that time I was busy shooting 'Aisa Jadoo'. I was petrified to say no to 'Fanaa' because having said no once to Yashraj I thought I was out of the camp. Obviously not," she laughs about getting "Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom".

"Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom" has changed Lara's positioning in the movie market. "I've become very choosy. I don't perceive myself as frivolous any longer," she said.

Recently, Lara addressed the British House of Commons on the sensitive subject of human trafficking. Her oratory skills were received with thunderous applause.

"It was a wonderful opportunity and to my good fortune it was very well received," she said.

Lara added that she always enjoyed her role as a spokesperson for her country over and above her other roles. "But being an actress is also fun. It certainly was fun working in 'Partner' with David Dhawan and Salman Khan for the first time."

Surprisingly, Lara isn't taller than Salman. " Fortunately I wasn't taller. Because of Salman's court cases 'Partner' took 15 months to finish but it was so much fun.

"Working with David Dhawan on a comedy was very different from working on a comedy with Priyadarshan ('Bhagam Bhag'). Also, Govinda is in full form in 'Partner'. After 'No Entry' I haven't laughed so much doing any of my films.

"Considering how much of me has been seen in some recent films, you'll see me doing enough in 'Partner'," she said.

Lara has been with Kelly Dorji for years but says she is enjoying her career too much to marry any time soon. "I just don't feel the need to make it legal. I'm having a bit too much fun with my career right now. I feel I've walked into the industry now," she said.

Indo-Asian News Service