Nothing is better than watching a Rajini film in Chennai: Mahima

Everyone knows Mahima Chaudhary as the ���Pardes girl���. She was called a ���one-hit wonder��� as most of her films post Pardes failed to make a mark at the box office. Though a slew of her films didn���t leave an impact, she was constantly in limelight, thanks to her relationship with ace tennis player Leander Paes. Currently divorced from architect and businessman Bobby Mukherji, she lives with her parents and daughter, Ariana at Mumbai.The actress who was in the city recently, tells CT about her upcoming Bengali film, body shaming, her filmi plans and more...
Tell us about your memories of Chennai...
I have been here several times, as a model, when I was doing ads. I remember shooting for a couple of talcum powder ads here. And I loved roaming around the city, too. I remember staying in a hotel in ECR with my mother, and loved going on long drives. Shopping was another thing which I loved doing here. In fact, one day, I went straight to a sari shop from the airport, but it was way too crowded. So the driver took me around to a few other shops. I love the colours of Kanchipuram silks ��� the original silk is something which one gets only here. This time, I also want to take a packet of gunpowder when I leave the city.
Do you follow Tamil films?
A lot of films that I am being offered, are from the south. The directors and producers ask me to watch the DVDs of a lot of these films. The last film I watched was Mumbai Police, a Malayalam film. They wanted me to produce its Hindi version. I do know about the films that are being made in the south ��� the latest being Kabali that has caught the attention of many across the nation. I am a huge fan of Rajini, and my friend who lives here, has promised to take me to the film. I think nothing is better than watching a Rajini film in Chennai.
What���s happening on the movie front?
The shooting of my Bengali movie, Dark Chocolate, is complete ��� its premiere will be held at a film festival, at San Francisco, next week. It might have a theatrical release in India post September. The film will be a Bengali release, and there are plans to release a few prints in Hindi, too. It is based on the popular Sheena Bora case. I wanted to do a film whose story was based on a real-life incident like this. We have heard a lot about female infanticide and honour killing, but rarely do we come across something like a mother killing her daughter who is in her 20s. It was a mysterious case, and nobody knew the motive. What leads a mother to kill her own daughter, is one of the things that the movie addresses. The audience will be left with a question at the end of the film. This is one role that I took up without having to be overly convinced.
What about other projects and TV series?
Shooting for a TV series takes too much time. They want a nine-to-nine schedule and expect six months of commitment. I cannot give that much of time for a serial or for a reality show. I would rather make a movie; I hope to do something here, in Chennai. I think, films are made much faster in regional industries. I finished my Bengali portion for Dark Chocolate within 40 days. I think a lot of youngsters are are making fantastic regional films ��� be it Marathi, Bengali or Telugu. I would love to work with some new talents, who could convince audience with interesting stories.
What are the genres that interest you?
I have done enough of running around trees as I had been a part of several romantic movies. I think a movie like Drishyam would be nice. Shabana Azmi���s role in Masoom was very nice ��� I am looking forward to do something on those lines. Hollywood has a lot of movies that revolve around single moms, how to stay single, etc. I would love to do an Indian version of those films.
How has motherhood changed you?
My daughter is eight, she is very creative. She sings really well and is extremely interested in crafts. She makes handmade gifts for everyone in the house. In fact, she completes me by all means. I have started focusing a lot on her life, than mine. I don���t even get upset anymore. I used to cry when people used to talk about me and my relationships, or when they insulted me. But I get over it really fast these days. I don���t care about a lot of things after her birth. Sometimes I feel that I should have had her a long time ago.
How has Mahima changed over the years?
I am not very active these days when it comes to movies. But it was a conscious decision because things were not working for me, and I had to sort a lot of stuff on the home front. I always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but because of all the pressure, I am back to work. Though I am not interested, I don���t have a choice now. I stay with my parents and daughter and have a happy family. As much as I would love to be home, I cannot.
What are your views on body shaming?
To start with, nobody has the right to decide who is hot, or who is not. The guys whom I hang out with, tell me that they don���t like size zero. Similarly, I have the choice to like or dislike boys who have a beefed-up physique. A lot of women say that they don���t like men who workout too much and have six-packs. They prefer the normal guys. Though it is true that fitness is important, you can never comment on anybody���s weight, complexion etc. We, Indians are still obsessed about being fair. Curvy women are beautiful, look at Kim Kardashian, she is bootylicious. I am happy with my curves and I flaunt them.
What does love mean to you at this point of time?
I need someone who is not selfish. There should be no insecurity in a relationship. I need a companion who is on the same page as me. In several cases, a couple wants different things from each other. There was a time when I was busy and couldn���t give my relationship any time. So, the person you are with, needs to understand you completely.