“I am ready to act in kissing and bold scenes in films or web series if the director shoots the scenes without resorting to sleaze” HEMA SHARMA

By JYOTHI VENKATESH

The sprightly and lissome actress Hema Sharma, whose real name is Hemlata Sharma hails from Muradnagar (Ghaziabad) U. P. After her graduation, Hema was always determined and extremely keen to work in the film industry.

Having embarked on her journey as an actress, in the year 2017, with the film Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se.

Hema Sharma is glad that she continues to be still a part of this industry . Hema, who is grateful to actor Govinda for having encouraged her to become an actress, is confident that she is poised for a long career in films.

I meet up the cute and demure lass clad in a chiffone sari for this interview at Café Coffee Day in Andheri, where she says that she is happy that Anupam Kher (with whom she acted in the film One Day Justice Delivered) has promised her that he will come up with a book of poems written by her.

Was One Day Justice Delivered your debut film as an actress?

No. It was my third film as an actress. I had made my debut with the film Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se in 2017.

In YPD Phir Se, I was cast along with Dharmendraji and Kriti Kharbanda. As a girl hailing from a middle class family in a small town like Modinagar near Ghaziabad, it was thrilling to act with Dharamji especially because my late father had christened me Hema because he was very fond of Dharmendraji.

Go on!

I did not even dream that my first film would be with one other than Salman Khan himself.

After I started acting for Dabangg 3, which opens with a scene of mine, I feel I have a close contact with Salman, but though I respect Salman, I do not love him nor am I a fan of his.

I have even told him as well as his mother than I do not love him or am his fan, because he has crores of fans, all over the world who tell him that they love him.

Can you name some of your favorite actors in Bollywood?

I have a very strong connection with Salmanji, as was proved In Dabanng 3, though I was visible in the film in the opening scene only.

And who are your favorite actresses in Bollywood?

I like Vidyaji. I feel that undoubtedly she has always had a special kind of magic in every performance of hers, whether it was in Kahaani or The Dirty Picture or for that matter in the recent release of hers on Amazon Prime Video- Sherni.

I also hope that I too am able to weave in the same kind of magic, with not only my acting talent but also my dancing skills and am still awaiting an offer to prove that I have it in me.

What is your view on the current corona Virus and the COVID 19 epidemic that has created havoc in social life all over the world?

This epidemic corona Virus has changed the entire yug and ended up converting it into Satyug.

Everybody today is living his or her life. Nowadays people are content watching epics like Ramayana and Mahabharat. I have not at all faced a situation as sordid as this before in my life.

What has this phase taught you as a human being?

This phase has taught me as well as many others that we should not plan too much for our future, for the simple reason that frankly, it’s not at all in our hands.

Now we have learned from everyone else in the world from every corner to always pray to God to please save us.

To what extent, do you think that practicing yoga every day is a must for health?

These days, ever since the epidemic set in throwing all our schedules haywire, I have been compelled to take up online yoga classes.

It’s very good not only for one’s health but also for one’s brain too, as you end up automatically getting a positive attitude.

Is make-up a must to enhance a girl’s beauty?

I’d say any day that beauty is in your skin only. Since I myself am basically very genuine and not at all artificial, I don’t believe in ‘fake’ or artificial ‘padded’ beauty accessory or for that matter even cosmetic beauty.

How ready are you to act in web series which require a lot of exposure in terms of skin show and explicit nudity?

I am eagerly waiting to be part of a good web series. I am already a part of the web series Avinash in which Randeep Hooda plays the leading man.

But the only hitch is that I want to do good work without explicit nudity and unabashed skin show.

Are you in favor of kissing in films as well as web series?

Kissing and bold scenes are playing a major role nowadays in not only films but also in web series.

I am ready to act in them provided I am sure that I am actually in the hands of a competent director who knows how to shoot the scenes aesthetically without resorting to vulgarity or sleaze. It all is completely dependent on the director.

How was it for you to interact with an actor like Anupam Kher?

Anupamji is an actor par excellence. It was wonderful learning a tip or two in acting from him while acting with him.

Anupamji has praised me for my poems and has even promised that he would publish a book of my poems shortly as he feels that I am a good writer who expresses her thoughts very lucidly.

Was it easy for you to get a break in films?

After my B.A, I worked in McDonald, a hospital as a receptionist, an airline, Airtel and in a banquet hall at parties at a very young age as I had to sustain a family consisting of my two brothers and a younger sister.

Bunty Rathod of Meerut, who was the writer of YPD Phir Se, recommended me to the director Navneet Singh of the film and asked me to audition for the part of Kriti’s friend.

I confess that it was not at all a challenging role for an actress like me but I grabbed it because I felt that it was a good enough break to begin with for me.

Is it true that you wanted to be a choreographer in the beginning?

Way back in 2015 in the USA, I had the opportunity to choreograph dances for celebrities like Esha Deol, Neha Dhupia and Govinda, for some shows held there where after watching me dance, the popular RJ Shobha Joshi of Geetanjali Radio Station told me that I should have been Hema Malini’s daughter as I danced better than Esha Deol and I was actually on Cloud 9.

Have you been trained in dancing as well?

I have been learning Bharat Natyam as well as kathak right from childhood and not only learning but also teaching even aunties how to dance even while I was studying in 8th standard and earning 8000 bucks every month.

Have you also been a part of TV serials?

Yes. I had acted in Samrat Ashok earlier, besides Kahaan Tum Kahaan Hum

Is it true that you are averse to acting in web series?

Yes. I am not at all keen to do any and every web series. I had turned down Farhad Samji’s offer to be part of Ekta Kapoor’s web series Boo Sab Ki Phategi with Tusshar Kapoor and Mallika Sherawat which was on air in ALT Balaji where I was asked to play the part of Ruchi since Kiku Sharda who played a total in it was required to address me as Chuchi.

I believe in being feminine and being a girl with grace though if the script demands it, I am game to do lip to lip kiss.

What is your take on wearing a two piece bikini?

You should wear only those costumes in which you will feel comfortable. The tragedy with the young women of today is that they have adopted the Western costume whereas men yearn to see girls in traditional Indian clothes.

I feel that it would be a big compliment when a man wants to touch you when you are attired in traditional costumes, like a sari which does not reveal much of your body.

It is sad that today’s girls have no dharam, karam or for that matter sharam. Now I am sure when a director offers me a part, he will know in which role, I will be comfortable as an actress.

Tell me frankly whether marriage is necessary in today’s times for sex?

In today’s times, I feel that marriage is not necessarily for only sex. Even today a marriage happens only for the sake of societal riwaaz.

Do you mean to say that there are couples who do not indulge in sex because they are not comfortable with each other or lack the necessary chemistry on the marital bed?

I would not at all hesitate to tell you that nowadays there are a few couples who are not at all in a sexual relationship, even though they are married, only because they are not at all comfortable with each other, but still they prefer to live together for the sake of society.

Weren’t you skeptical of the syndrome of the casting couch in Bollywood when you set out to act?

Basically, I possess a very strong sixth sense and can easily see through a fake person from even a long distance.

I am also shrewd enough to smell a wrong person easily

Do you believe in the concept of virginity?

In today’s times, whether it is a male or for that matter a female, I’d say that nobody is a virgin nowadays.

We are living in Kalyug. And now the definition of love has undergone a radical 360 degree change.

With physical connection on the increase and more emphasis on the physical connect between male and female as well as male and male or for that matter female and female, known as lesbian relationship.

It would not be out of place if I say that sex has become a primal need of every one, so much so that even if you don't really love a person, you can still have a sexual relationship, especially since the younger generation today is more practical and are far more active as far as sexual relationship with no strings is concerned.

Who are your favorite actors in Bollywood?

Rajesh Khanna has always been my favorite, followed by Kajol, Preity Zinta, Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini and Madhuri Dixit.

What next?

I am all set to play the lead in a Kannada film which has as yet been not titled starring Shivraj Kumar in the lead opposite me.

The film will be directed by Shahabuddin Choudhary who had earlier produced and directed the TV serials like Bepanaah with Jennifer Winget and Om Sai.

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