|
 Bollywood star Sushmita Sen says she is "floating in thin air"
after lavish praise from Hollywood actress-activist Ashley Judd.
"I'm floating in thin air. This was the first time that I
interacted with an organisation that works so closely with sex
workers. Ashley has been working with them for five years. I'm a
newly converted novice in front of her," Sushmita told IANS.
"To see someone as special as her being so keenly interested in
working at the grassroots level is so admirable," she added.
Ashley visited India in March as part of the NGO Population
Services International to educate sex workers about HIV/AIDS.
Sushmita joined her in the campaign and the two visited brothels
and interacted with young sex workers.
After going back to the US, Ashley expressed her views on Sushmita
on the 'ONE' blog. The "Double Jeopardy" star says that she
admires Sushmita's self-confidence and her unconventional approach
towards life.
She wrote: "I was being joined by a stranger to me, but a beloved
star to millions of Indians: Sushmita Sen, maverick yet firmly
ensconced Bollywood star. We picked her for her willingness to
break with convention in her personal and professional life.
"She, as a single woman, adopted a daughter seven years ago, and
has played roles of 'immoral' women in films. Typically, the big
stars do not touch roles, which are not unassailably virtuous.
"She has that remarkable self-belief, answers to the enigmatic
questions I don't dare touch on, stuff about being a woman in this
world and other things that leave me tongue-tied. She was focused,
clear-eyed, intent, attentive, dazzling."
Sushmita admits Ashley has made her feel special with her
compliments.
She says: "Yes, she made me feel very special. Here was a woman
coming all the way from America. The only common ground we shared
was that we were both actors. She was so humane in her approach to
me. The very fact that she wrote a blog like that proves how secure
she is within her space and how fluently she deals with the world
around her.
"Personally, I think praising another human being, complimenting
them for their qualities, should come naturally to all of us. I
don't think it's just about an actress praising an actress.
That's too shallow a concept for me. For me it's always about one
human being reaching out to another."
Encouraged by the experience of fraternising with sex workers,
Sushmita now intends to carry the good work forward.
"I've never been affiliated with another specific charitable
organisation. I've always questioned this enforced prioritising of
humanitarian work. What gives anyone the right to decide that one
cause is more vital than another?
"It doesn't jell with me. So far I've gone by my instinct. I
didn't want to endorse a cause through any organisation. I've
always thoroughly checked the authenticity of every charitable
institution I've been affiliated to."
But now she realises that an organisation can give great legitimacy
to a cause.
"People like Ashley devote a major part of their life looking after
under-privileged people. We spend 15 minutes doing photographs with
them and feel so good about ourselves.
"I've decided that spreading good word about the good work is as
important. That's what I'm doing. I'm spreading awareness about
the work we do."
Is Sushmita going the Shabana Azmi way?
"I don't know how important social causes are to me now. But
acting is what I do. Everything else that I do is part of what I
am."
By Subhash K. Jha
|
