Chitrangada Singh may have just stepped into the commercial format of films and is already enjoying her stint. The actress gets chatty with magnamags.com about her forthcoming massy film I, Me Aur Main and also says she wouldn’t mind doing another item number like Kafirana again! Excerpts:

Your last film Inkaar was stark and serious while I, Me Aur Main is light-hearted. How do you switch between such contrasting films?

It wasn't easy to switch as I was shooting simultaneously for the two films. It is a good change. One is heavy on content and the other is an easy, breezy film. It is nice, the change is refreshing. The level of effort you put into any film doesn't change.

From doing fewer films in the past to having multiple releases now, have you changed your strategy?

I am a lot more serious about my career than I was earlier.

Do filmmakers now rely more on your commitment towards work compared to the times when you were highly choosy?

In the beginning people from the industry used to feel that I am doing films as a hobby and that I am not serious. People still don’t know that I am staying in Mumbai and have a place here for about two years or so. I work from here. It has taken a long time for them to believe that somebody like me could be professional at the same time.

You tried changing your image of a serious actor by doing a completely commercial film Desi Boyz. Do you think the film succeeded in attaining that for you?

Every film does something for you. I was not looking to change my image. At that time Rohit Dhawan came to me and offered me a role in the film. I had not done something like that before and felt like giving it a try. And the same happened with my item song in Kaafirana from Joker. Every film whether it’s successful or not it gives you another facet, changes you a bit. Tomorrow, if I do an item song I know how to better it. So it is good to do different things as it makes you a better actor. I think you learn what not to do which is very important than what to do.

A lot of commercial films are male dominated with having barely anything for an actress to do. With your move to commercial space, would we also see you do such films?

If it makes me do something different then definitely! The likes of Sridevi and Madhuri (Dixit) did great commercial cinema but there was something for them as well to do in a film. Not all commercial films expect women to only look good and do nothing.

What kind of a response have you got for your item song Kafirana?

It has been a mixed reaction. Most people love it. But it was a shocker for a lot of people. It has been a good shock. Unfortunately, the film did not do well

Were you offered any item songs after that?

Yes, I was offered two item numbers but the lyrics did not work for me (laughs). I wouldn't mind doing an item number again.

By Swati Rohatgi