Cool Bollywood

After making her debut in Bengali films with a small role in Rituparno Ghosh’s Abohomaan, Riya Sen says she is open to do movies of all genres in her mother tongue. Riya, who began her acting career in 1991 as a child artiste with Hindi film “Vishkanya”, says her foray into Bengali films got delayed as she wanted her first Bengali film to be directed by Ghosh.

“I always wanted my first film to be directed by him. And I must say I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. He is a family friend. I was very comfortable,” Riya told IANS in an interview. She played the daughter-in-law of the protagonist in Abohomaan, produced by Reliance BIG Pictures, and says she loved the role of the young, middle-class Bengali bride.

“She is rebellious and English speaking. I was completely at home,” she said. “Now that I have started acting in Bengali films, I will look forward to working with various directors. I would like to act in films of all genres,” added the 29-year-old model-turned-actress.

Riya and her sister Raima will now appear on screen in Ghosh’s yet-to-be-released Hindi movie “Noukadubi”. Though the siblings don’t have a single scene together, Riya said it was a “lovely experience”. “She (Raima) was extremely caring. She took care of all my needs,” said Riya. When told that people would now start comparing them, Riya said: “Well, I guess people will do that. But there is no competition between us. We don’t see each other as rivals.

Asked whether she was satisfied with the way her film career has progressed, Riya said: “Yeah, I am very happy. I have lately been choosy about films. When you start your career, you act in all kinds of movies. You don’t pick and choose. But later on, you may feel that there were some films where you should have given a second thought before saying yes.”

The actress, who has acted in Bollywood hits like Jhankaar Beats, Qayamat and Apna Sapna Money Money, says walking the ramp made her more confident while facing the camera as an actress. “I guess the experience adds to one’s confidence, though not to a large extent.” Daughter of former Bollywood diva Moon Moon Sen and granddaughter of Bengali film legend Suchitra Sen, Riya claims hard work and not lineage made her a successful actor.

“It is after all hard work and sheer hard work which pays. And I am game for slogging it out. I don’t care if people compare me to my grandmother. I can never be like my grandmother. Nor was my grandmother ever like me. People may compare me with her or my mother Moon Moon. But I am cool about it,” she said.