Nargis Fakhri: Blessed to have made it so far with no skills and without sacrificing values

Nothing beats the weekday blues better than a breezy conversation. And you'd least expect that from an actress, who is busy promoting her next film. But Nargis Fakhri is a welcome change. She unapologetically speaks her mind. In her case, it's the interviewer's job to censor what can't make it to the newsprint. In her most under-dressed avatar, the actress confabulates with us about everything that matters to her at the moment.Excerpts:
'Banjo' is ready to release. What do you plan to do now?
I'm heading back home to New York and then to Mexico, Barbados, Argentina and Hawaii over the next two months. I love travelling. I travelled even when I didn't have money. I ate noodles to save up for a ticket and a hostel. Girls usually spend on shoes, make-up, jewellery, clothes, partying and drinks. I don't spend on anything. I save up for travelling. Even when I wasn't in this profession, I did that. Experiences are far more valuable than shoes.
So, the movies will have to wait?
Yeah. It's extremely important to make yourself happy first.
What excited you about 'Banjo'?
The character, Christina, suited me, as both of us are from New York. She is fearless, has a mind of her own and gives her best to whatever she does. While playing the part, I relived many things. Of course, the story was heart-warming and I connected with it, too.
What were you reliving?
Ah! Coming to Mumbai for the first time, trying to take a rickshaw, the traffic jams and getting lost on the streets. I still remember the first day when I landed in Mumbai ' it was 2 am. When the sun rose, in a jet-lagged state, I looked out of the window and saw so many people and such a lot of traffic. It was overwhelming. I don't think I left my room for two days. And when I did, it was as overwhelming as it was from the window.

With 'Banjo', you visited the pockets of Mumbai that you probably wouldn't see otherwise. How was it?
Great, and I'm thankful for that. I hadn't seen that side of Mumbai. I've been working in a closed environment all along. And it's not like I had the chance to make friends with the locals who'd take me around.
You had left the city a few months ago... what brought you back?
I really love 'Banjo'. I think when you like something and work hard on it, you want to do your best. When people are good to you, be good to them and so, I came back.
But when you weren't in the country briefly, a statement was issued about your ill health...
(Cuts in) People just issue whatever they want. And people make up whatever they want. And all online publications carry the made up stuff. I am always laughing at this and I'm so confused about the 'news' here.
What was the nature of your illness?
It's not anyone's business to know. When you are sick, you are sick. Period.
Coincidentally, your social media timeline had deep philosophical messages at that time, talking about life, broken hearts and other such emotions.
Who knows what I write there. That's what I am. Hey, do I look like a bimbo? You think I can't be philosophical? (laughs) I am philosophical. I'm a human, questioning the world all the time. And then if I find something worth sharing, I put it out there for people, not for myself.
None of those messages were about your life?
Someone's working hard to create stories. And I've realised, you can make up a story with just snippets.
Does it affect relationships?
If I had said something mean, then maybe.

There's constant conjecture in the press about Uday Chopra and you.
Yeah, I see that. But that's cool. I guess they have nothing better to do. But that way, I make headlines, which means I am relevant. I'm totally cool with that.
Okay, so what excites you about acting, considering critics in the five years of your career have never warmed up to you? Does it affect your choice of films?
They're so mean! Why do they hurt my feelings? (laughs) I don't get affected anymore. After Rockstar, I got affected. I didn't have friends and family to tell me any better. A lot of fake stuff came out. I was confused. When you're not in the business and have never been exposed to it, you don't understand how it works. I didn't know people could write fake stuff and get away with it. But when it became a recurring feature in my life, I stopped bothering. I don't even read papers. As for the offers, the story must excite me, like it did with 'Madras Cafe', 'Main Tera Hero', 'Housefull 3' and two lovely dance songs...
And there was 'Azhar', too.
We won't even touch that area. And now, 'Banjo', after a long wait, is ready to release. And this is probably the last film for me this year.
Is it true that you want to make a career switch?
Yeah. I would like to shift to the health and wellness industry. I don't know what I'd do in that space. I could even get into psychology. I have a lot of options. It might take some time to get there though.
Is that because this profession has limited you to doing certain kind of roles?
I've been limited by Bollywood because I am not fluent in Hindi. They can't cast me as a village girl. That would take a lot of training. Without knowing the language, it's difficult to become the best. In acting, it's action and reaction. Hindi is not my language. It will always be a struggle. If I ever have a chance to get a role to get out of that pigeonhole that they've put me into, I'd get a trainer and work hard on it.
So, you think you could do with some more training in Hindi?
I've already invested five years doing that. Language might not be my thing. I once had a boyfriend who spoke Spanish. I have a friend whose mother, despite being in America, speaks Spanish. I only converse with her in English. It's the same thing with Hindi. It's tough for me. I have to think of my words and sentences before speaking, which delays natural reaction. So, I am okay with people bracketing me. But my bills are paid, girl!
Have you ever tried speaking to Jacqueline Fernandez about how she makes the language work for her?
Jacqueline has been here longer than me. Maybe, she's more confident while speaking in Hindi with the accent, with a few mistakes here and there. I make mistakes, but I get conscious.
Are you comfortable with people in the industry? Or do you feel like the elephant in the room?
The people I worked with were nice. People say hello to me at parties. But I don't have anything to converse with them. They only talk about movies. I don't even watch my own. So, I don't know what to talk about. Also, I don't know most people. I don't remember names. And because I usually sleep early, I'm sleepy at the parties, too.
If you had more friends here, would you have stayed on for good?
I don't think so. This is not the place I will stay forever. Also, my mum's in the US.
Would you like to do more Hollywood films now?
Sure, I'd like to try but only up to a point. I have been blessed to have made it this far here with no skills, no knowledge, no family, no friends and without sacrificing my values and morals. On my own, I wouldn't ever have come here to try. I'd have chosen another career. And I'd do that even now whenever I move back home because there's no need to pigeonhole your career in a cramped space. Don't be surprised if you find me doing some charity work in another country. It'll be far more satisfying.
Listen to the songs of 'Banjo' on Gaana.com