Bad is the new good for Juhi Chawla

Bollywood actor prefers playing more negative roles if they are ‘fantastic and edgier’

MUMBAI: Breaking away from her “bubbly and positive” image in Bollywood, Juhi Chawla played the grey character of Sumitra Devi in 2014 film Gulaab Gang. The actor says she would love to play more negative roles if they will be “fantastic and edgier”.

“I would love to do more negative roles. I am open to doing something unusual again but I am spoiled after the experience of Gulaab Gang. The next negative character has to be something fantastic and edgier than Sumitra Devi,” said Juhi.

During her career, the 47-year-old mostly appeared in romantic or comic roles in films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Bol Radha Bol, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Darr, Ishq, Son of Sardaar and Bhootnath. So, a negative role was a change.

“In 20 years of my career, I was only known for my bubbly, positive, sweet roles. I was apprehensive to play this kind of character who was completely evil from the first to last scene. So, I refused the role at first. But I liked the spunk in Gulaab Gang,” added Juhi.

In Gulaab Gang, she also got a chance to feature with her contemporary Madhuri Dixit.

“Initially, I was quite apprehensive about how we would work together. But before we started shooting, director Soumik Sen called Madhuri and me to his office. We sat and chatted for a couple of hours and for me, that really broke the ice. I told her that it’s really a good script and with us cast together for the first time, this film should go places,” said Juhi.

The actor, who believes in “equality for women and in women empowerment”, is content with the way her career shaped up in Indian films. “When I look back at my career and my life and how much I have learnt, I feel blessed with what I have. I have stopped fighting with myself.

She believes that there is an amazing power in getting to know your inner self and learning how to use it. “If you know what makes you happy, your personality, interests and capabilities, just use them and everything else flows beautifully,” she said.

Juhi will next be seen in Chalk n Duster along with Shabana Azmi, Zarina Wahab and Divya Dutta. She will also be reprising her role of ‘Parmeet Kaur’ from Son of Sardaar in its sequel, alongside Sanjay Dutt and Sonakshi Sinha, which will release on Diwali in 2017. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2015.

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