Rajeev Khandelwal is not an ordinary actor: Caterina Murino

Caterina Murino is best known for her stunning presence as Solange Dimitrios in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. But there is much more to this Italian beauty.  She has done over 50 TV shows and films in English, French and Italian, and is now set to make her Bollywood debut opposite Rajeev Khandelwal in Fever.

She says, “I am naturally curious about life and all its experiences. I want to experience everything. I’ve travelled so far and so long that sometimes, I forget where I am. Although I am known as the ‘Bond girl’, I’ve done films and television shows in different languages. Now I am trying Bollywood for the first time. It’s exciting.”

So why Bollywood? “When Rajeev Jhaveri, the director of Fever met me in Monte Carlo, it didn’t take me long to say yes to his film. The script was absolutely gripping. I felt the film would turn out really well, and I was right. I watched the film recently and it has everything that I had read in the script. This is not an ordinary film and Rajeev Khandelwal is not an ordinary actor,” Caterina says.

She confesses that she is not a big Bollywood fan. “Where I come from, I did not have the chance to see many Bollywood films. But once, a friend of mine showed me Jodhaa Akbar and I was blown away by the exquisite beauty and presentation. My Bollywood debut is different from the usual song-and-dance films. I am very happy that people here will see me in this film.”

Caterina is in India to promote the film and to help a bigger cause. “If one has the name and voice to help the poor, one must do it. As much as I love acting, my biggest passion in life is supporting charitable causes. It is my dream to make this a better world.”

She visited Dharavi in Mumbai as part of her association with an NGO. “If my association with Bollywood is the way to put across the message of hope, then so be it. In Africa, I’ve been associated with NGOs, but cinema is not a powerful medium there. Cinema is far more influential in India.”

At the moment, she’s enjoying her stay in India. “I’ve visited Noida, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. It’s been a hectic and fulfilling trip,” she says. About her love life, she says that she is single, which is why she is able to travel so much by herself.