Chennai: Her slick act in Aadhi Bhagavan was almost revolutionary and shocked the Tamil audiences, who’d only known Neetu Chandra in her vivacious, glamorous avatar. They got to see her in a new light. The performance was so good that it even garnered her a SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role something that Neetu appreciates, but still asks why she wasn’t given a Best Actress award!
Recently in Chennai for an event, the girl of many talents (she’s a Kathak dancer, a theatre actress and a martial artist as well) says, “Yes, Aadhi Bhagavan got me several accolades, but not many future offers! But right now, I’m excited about my English-Greek flick, Block 12, that releases in a couple of months. I play an Indian girl who comes into the lives of a family that is strained by friction and divided by social issues and my character brings them together. It’s a family drama, yes, but with the underlying tones of an economic crisis engulfing the country. We shot in Cyprus for the flick, and it was a terrific experience,” Neetu tells us.
Is working with a foreign crew and cast different from her Indian film journey? “Not really, as I’ve always considered myself a global actress. I’ve worked in Bollywood as well as the major regional languages in South, collaborated with some of the most technically brilliant filmmakers, and I love the stage as well! My roles have been diverse from running around trees to playing a trained criminal. Times are changing now, and we are getting more roles of substance,” she says.
Neetu, who has represented India at the International Taekwondo Championships as well as the Korfball World Championship, has always been known for her love for sport. She even became the face of the National Basketball Association. But outside films, she’s proudest of her stellar performance as Umrao Jaan in the theatrical production, Umrao. “All our shows have been sold-out so far, and I couldn’t be happier. Performing on stage is such a high, and I’ll always continue to do it and balance it with films on the side. Next year is huge for me. I have five Bollywood and two Tamil releases. The audience will get to see me in roles I’ve never essayed before and have experimented a lot in terms of my characters.”
