'For young people, kissing is very natural'

After a strong female-oriented film No One Killed Jessica, comes another, Turning 30!!!. Starring Gul Panag and Purab Kohli, the film is about a girl, well, turning 30!

Gul talks to Sonil Dedhia about the film, and also tells us why we haven't seen much of her in her eight-year long acting career.

What is Turning 30!!! about?

Turning 30!!! is a heart-warming take on a single woman's journey, shown in a humorous way. My character Naina faces issues which any modern, urban and independent girl could face -- issues relating to love, work, friends etc.

Naina is very liberated, aggressive and rebellious. She believes in living life on her own terms. You will see the whole transformation that a woman goes through when she is about to turn 30 (in the film).

You're working with a first-time female director -- Alankrita Shrivastava -- in this film.

The director is the captain of the ship and it really doesn't matter if it's male or female.

I enjoyed working with Alankrita because she has told the story from a female perspective. In the past, we have seen female-oriented subjects but they are seldom told from the woman's point of view.

Why haven't we seen you in more movies over the years?

I think very hard of what I want to do and why I want to do it. Fortunately for me, most of my films are noteworthy. I would rather do five films and be remembered than do 30 and being recognised for only 10. The ratio is going to be the same.

Is it a conscious decision not to work in commercial cinema?

My first film was Dhoop, which was a critically acclaimed film. My sensibilities matched with that kind of cinema and I could relate to it. I am big champion of cinema with realism in it. Yes, it was a conscious decision to start with this kind of cinema and I am enjoying every moment of it.

So we won't see Gul Panag in a full-blown commercial movie?

I haven't done commercial cinema, in the truest sense of the word. Actually, all films are made by the intention of making money, so there is no bifurcation. Films are meant to be seen by the audience and not for the filmmakers. All the films that I have done have been sensible.

I don't subscribe to fantasy cinema. I don't think I can do roles where I am sitting here at this moment and in the very next scene, I am seen singing and dancing around a tree. I don't think anyone does that in real life.

So you're saying you will never dance around trees?

When a boy is dating a girl, they hang out in a coffee shop or go for a drive, or watch a movie, or eat in a restaurant. I don't think they do a group dance in the middle of the road. It's insane, I cannot do that.

Urban girls will be able to relate to Turning 30!!! in a better way because urban woman are always pressurised that their biological clock is ticking and they should get married. In non-metro cities, a girl is married with kids by the time she is 30. Her life is already on a plateau.

You turned 30 some years ago. Have you seen in any changes in you?

Yes. Now, I am very clear on taking on people. For example, if I don't like a journalist's question, I wouldn't take them on. I wouldn't have done this five years ago.

During the mid-20's, one is a little restrained and tentative. It's difficult to speak up, as you tend to worry about the repercussions. When you touch 30, you are able to understand who you are.

Do you think actresses come with an expiry date?

40-plus actors still want to romance 20-plus actresses, so the situation hasn't changed much for actresses in Bollywood.

There are a lot of interesting parts that haven't been highlighted a woman and it will be interesting to showcase that. Turning 30!!! is one of these stories.

Do you believe in rebound relationships?

I don't get into rebound relationships. I just sleep with Purab Kohil in the film. He says that I can't be your rebound sex toy. Since I am not in a rebound relationship, I won't address that question.

But do I believe in rebound relationships? No, I don't go with it.

Kissing scenes seem to be a part of every film.

I think Indian audiences are divided into two. 50-plus people are a minority today. Most of the audience is in the range of 15 to 40. For these people, it's the most natural thing in the world.

What next?

I am eagerly waiting for Rectangular Love Story, which is directed by Rajat Kapoor. It has Purab Kohil and Ranvir Shorey. I am reading some scripts but haven't found anything as exciting as Turning 30!!!.