Genelia D'Souza

Exclusive Stills from song Main Vaari Jaavan From Genelia's Upcoming Movie Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya

2011-09-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Genelia ----Buzzword in B-town ---getting 10 script a day??

2011-04-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Genelia D'Souza has received much applause for her act in the recently released South movie 'Urumi'.

The film, we hear, is doing so well, that more prints of it are being made and it will be dubbed in more languages to reach a wider audience.

Having said that, Genelia D'Souza, who plays the lead actress in the film is being applauded the loudest. If talks are to be believed the girl has been offered as many ten films on a single day post the release of 'Urumi'. Though Genelia maintains silence on the topic, she tells us, "It's fun doing South movies. You have some great filmmakers and talents out there. It's always a good experience. I'm thankful and glad that people have liked my work in 'Urumi'. An actor knows no geaographical boundaries."

Genelia is shooting in Hyderabad with Rana Daggubati currently. And about the success of 'Urumi', well she's just basking in the glory.

Genelia's interview abut URUMI as she z new action girl in B-town

2011-04-01T04:11:00.000-07:00

full interview of her to rediff.com

What was your first reaction on getting this role?

I met co-producers Mubina and Santosh Sivan in Mumbai and they explained the film to me. I was extremely busy then, and wondered how I would do it. At first it meant excitement. Then the thought came to me that it was a new industry, too, as I had not acted in a Malayalam film before.

What excited you about the film?

Sivan told me it was something I had never seen before. Everyone comes to you saying the same thing, but he has the reputation of making an actor do what she has never done before and presenting her in the best possible way. Ayesha’s character is a warrior princess without her kingdom.

Did you read up for the role, or was your acting based on Sivan’s brief?

Santosh Sir had done two years of research on this. He had the pictures and the paintings. Since he sketches, he had everything drawn when I met him. Of course there were little insertions here and there. I would say Ayesha of Arakkal is an unsung hero. The story behind her is so interesting that it helped me gauge what he wanted out of me as an actor.

You learnt horse racing and Kalaripayattu for the film. How exacting was it?

One had heard stories of horses going ballistic, but I took to it instantly. Sivan never allowed me to smile in the entire film and that for me was one of the biggest challenges, as I am constantly smiling. On screen, you have always seen me bubbly. Here, Ayesha talks with her eyes. She enters the film with a motive. I had to understand her past before shooting for the film because we did not show it.

Did you have any horse riding mishaps?

No. My horse was a very friendly one. I am an animal lover. I realised it was like how you treat your pets. The more you talk to them, the more they understand you. I think that’s what happened with me and my horse Basha.

Were the Kalari sessions exacting?

They were exhausting. When you see others perform Kalari, you think you will pick it up fast but it’s an art, a difficult one. On the first day, my whole body ached. I couldn’t move the next day; it was very painful, but I practised. We used to shoot from 7 am to 6 pm, and every evening from 7 pm to 10.30 pm, I practised Kalari. I learnt to use the stick, learnt sword fighting, learnt positioning the body, etc. I never fought against girls in the film; it was always guys. So, I needed to have controlled aggression.

How did you overcome the language barrier?

It was difficult initially, but eventually you get the hang of it. Of course, you have to work harder. It was tough, but I pushed myself.

How was it doing the daredevil stunts?

Extremely difficult. I am an adventurous person, so I enjoyed doing all of it. But it was a lot of hard work. I can’t deny the fact that I had to practice them.

How did you cultivate the warrior look? Were you asked to put on weight?

No. An Indian frame is a petite frame. Strength means having to put on muscle and girls can never put on muscle. It’s a how you are draped, how you use your eyes. Santosh Sir helped me do that. Even Prabhu Deva helped. It was lovely working with Prabhu Deva. I always thought he was aloof, but we got along beautifully. Prabhu Deva has done a brilliant job.

What were the other challenges you faced?

From the minute I entered to shoot till I finished the film, it was a challenge. There was not one bit that I can say wasn’t a challenge. It’s not something I’ve done before. Ayesha is a Muslim and I’ve never played a Muslim character before. I had to have kohl in my eyes, yet make them look raw. I have not shaped my eyebrows in the film. I had to be aggressive, I had to be hurt.

How was it working with Prithvi?

Prithvi is a lovely co-star who knew a lot about the film. There’s very interesting chemistry between Prithvi and me; I’m petite and he’s a warrior.

How was Santosh Sivan as a director?

He was fantabulous. The way he treats his artistes is a joy to watch. There was no unnecessary waiting. If you are excellent, he’ll praise you and motivate you. He was also the producer along with Prithvi. He held the team together. With Santosh there are so many things that I have never seen.

How long did the shoot take?

Because of Santosh, we finished the shoot in 150 days. I don’t think anybody else could have done that. We would shoot six scenes in a day. There was no compromise though the set-ups were big and there were hundreds of people, horses and elephants.

Do you feel lucky to have worked in Urumi?

I feel extremely lucky. Urumi is the best thing to have happened to me.

Urumi ---Genelia's movies rocks cinema halls (****)

2011-04-01T03:56:00.000-07:00

As the epic ‘Urumi' reaches theatres, Prithviraj, who has always dreamt big, opens up about the film, and his plans as an actor and producer.

'Urumi,' the magnum opus that reached theatres on Thursday, is a turning point for Prithviraj who has put his money where his mouth is by producing the film along with Santosh Sivan and Shaji Natesan. It is a decisive turn for Malayalam cinema because ‘Urumi,' while broadening the horizons of Mollywood, is also an attempt to reach out to a global audience. The lavishly made ‘Urumi' brings together a host of talented actors and technical personnel from Indian cinema. Helmed by Santosh Sivan the movie stars Prithviraj in the lead with Genelia D'Souza, Tabu, Vidya Balan, Prabhu Deva, Nitya Menon, Jagathy Sreekumar and so on.

The year gone by has been a good one for the actor who acted in some-profile releases such as ‘Anwar' and ‘Pokkiri Raja.' This year will see him step into Bollywoodwith Sachin Kundalkar's untitled film in Hindi, produced and scripted by Anurag Kashyap. He and Rani Mukherjee play the lead in the film.

FridayReview caught up with the actor on the sets of ‘Teja Bhai and Family,' directed by Dipu Karunakaran.

Excerpts…

What was it about ‘Urumi' that made you turn producer?

Santosh and I used to keep discussing a historical film during the making of ‘Raavan.' We wondered what was it like when Vasco da Gama set foot on our soil…Finally we fell in love with the project that we decided to go ahead and make it ourselves. We roped in Shaji Natesan, a friend of ours, and thus was born August Cinema.

Although period films have tasted success in Malayalam, this must be the first film on Vasco da Gama…

It is the first film, perhaps in the world, that explores Vasco's arrival in Kozhikode in 1498 and its repercussions. Shanker Ramakrishnan, who has written the story and script of the film, juxtaposed the aftermath of the Portuguese explorer's arrival in Kerala with the local events of those times.

And you wanted it to be set on a grand scale

‘Urumi' is a multi-lingual film that will be released in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English. The only way to break out of the constraints of the traditional market of Malayalam cinema is to make a movie with a pan-Indian appeal.

That explains the multi-star cast?

If the film were to have a pan-Indian appeal, it needed to have faces who would be accepted on an all-India level. All these stars said ‘yes' without any kind of hesitation as soon as Santosh called them. They were confident about his cinema and his sensibilities.

And what about your character Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar?

He is a fictitious character who interacts with persons who are part of our history and reacts to situations that happened then. Vasco visited Kerala thrice and he died in Kerala on his third trip. On his second trip to Kerala in 1502, his unspeakable cruelty against the natives is on record. ‘Urumi's story takes off from there. Kelu sees his father, Chirakkal Kothuval, a warrior and commander of the Arackal kingdom, being murdered by the merchants-turned-conquerors. Kelu had to wait for 22 years for Vasco to return to Kerala so that he could avenge his father's murder. There is speculation about how Vasco died. The most commonly accepted theory is that he was killed by malaria. But if Quentin Tarantino can have Hilter killed in a theatre, this is our take on how Vasco died. [smiles]

Did you have to learn martial arts for this film?

I had to undergo a three-day crash course in using the Urumi. We flew in martial arts exponents to the location. Urumi is a double-edged sword that is very difficult to use. I cut myself a few times during the filming.

You have also sung (‘Vadakku Vadakku') in the film.

That was because we did not want to go through the hassle of finding another singer…

Modesty speaking?

No, honesty speaking. Deepak Dev, who has composed the music of the film, is a fantastic sound engineer. So, what I sound like in the studio is not how it sounds in the final version.

Why was Malshej in Maharashtra the main location of the film?

It is very difficult to find a place in Kerala that would resemble the sixteenth century. Santosh is a perfectionist and he wanted frames untouched by modernity. ‘Raavan' was also shot near this place. But this time, we went further into the heart of the mist-laden Western Ghats. The mist that you see in the film is not artificial. All of us had to use a car, a four-wheel drive, a tractor and then walk to reach the location every day. The logistics was quite something else. So we went for a multi-cam set.

When will the other language versions, including the English version, be released?

Although we had planned on an all-India release, due to elections we decided to postpone the Tamil and Telugu releases. Song writing is in progress for the Hindi version. But the English version will have a completely different look and narrative. The screenplay and dialogues are being done by Santosh himself. We had shot separately for that. But it would be difficult to say when it would reach theatres.

Forthcoming films

‘Manikya Kallu' is a film I had committed to three years ago. It was due to date problems that I got to do the film only now. Then there is ‘Indian Rupee' with Ranjith, P.T. Kunjumohammed's ‘Veera Putra,' Roshann Andrews' ‘Mumbai Police,' and Johny Antony's ‘Masters,' a dark film, in which I work with Sasikumar (of ‘Subramaniapuram' fame).

You gained the sobriquet of an action hero last year…

Two of my films – ‘Anwar' and ‘Thriller' were action oriented; I do not become an action hero because of that. But, then again, if I came across a script that I felt was right, I would go ahead and do it, even if it was an action oriented film. I also worked in ‘Veettilekeyulla Vazhi,' which I thought was an excellent work. So, I don't think I have ever been shackled by an image.

They are many directors I have worked with and I would like to work with them again and again. These are directors I have never worked with but would love to work in the future – Sathayan Anthikkad, Srinivas (really enjoy his sensibilities), Priyadarsan, Ashutosh Gowariker.

‘Anwar' is one film I plan to add to my select private collection of DVDs. It is a movie I would like my grandchildren to watch.

Anwar Rasheed and Amal Neerad, both good friends, have agreed to make two films for August Cinema. I may or may not star in it. Hopefully, I plan to direct my first film next year.

I claim these are the pics of world's most cutest girl

2011-03-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Being a die hard fan of cutest genelia i truly believe that one day she would be listed in the guinness book of record for being cutest girl in the world. Here posting some new pics of Bollywood Bubbly girl Genelia ....wish i could see her forever as such

Add caption

What are your views guys ??

Genelia hasn’t missed out on anything | Deccan Chronicle

2011-03-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

Genelia’s last Bollywood outing Chance Pe Dance met with a dismal fate at the box-office but that hasn’t stopped the actress from thinking any less of herself.

“It’s a misconception that I was a Bollywood dropout who made it big in the South. I started in Bollywood and in the South at the same time. I was shooting a South film directed by Shankar at the same time when I was doing Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003). I am one of the only actresses to have debuted in a Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film in the same year. I don’t regret anything as I am back again and enjoying good work.”

The actress, who has been shuttling between Bollywood and her films down South, doesn’t feel that she has missed out on anything. “It has been quite a journey for me to snap off from here and go to the South and then come here again. I don’t feel that I have missed out on a lot in Bollywood in the intervening years. I was satisfied working there in the South. I gained a lot of experience there. The experience I got has helped me as I am a more confident actor now.”

But she goes on to harp on the single major hit that she has ever seen in her Bollywood career. “For me Jaane Tu… was a new beginning. I always had the potential. It was just waiting to be tapped,” she says.
Maybe someone needs to remind her about the fate of one-film wonders.

Genelia almost married

2011-03-17T05:31:00.000-07:00

John Abraham and Genelia D'souza will be seen together for the first time in Vipul Shah's Force. They almost got married to each other on the sets of this film as well.

The actors were in a wedding sequence and were stopped from completing the saat pheras at the last minute.

Sources say the ceremony conducted was so authentic that had they completed the last round they would have actually been man and wife!

A source said, "We were shooting in Malshej Ghat and there was this old temple where we had got a local maharaj for the wedding sequence.

Unfortunately the pandit has never witnessed a wedding and did not understand the concept of 'cut' and 'action' while shooting. It was a multi-camera set-up and so we needed to have minimum shots.

However whenever Nishikant Kamath would say cut, the pandit would not stop. Finally after the sixth phera someone from the unit realized that the mantras were real and if not stopped John and Genelia would be actually married. So, they were stopped before the final round."

When contacted Vipul Shah said, "Actually it was a funny thing. The local pandit could not understand the dynamics of the shoot and insisted on completing the pheras.

After the sixth phera, everyone burst out laughing as they realized that they would actually be married. John and Genelia then realized this too and burst out laughing.

However the maharaj kept insisting that they complete the pheras and it was difficult to explain to him that we cannot do this.

We also did not want to hurt his sentiments and did not want to be disrespectful towards him. The good part was that the scene came out beautifully as John and Genelia were laughing and smiling, all thanks to the pandit."

Cricket Fever ------Sehwag, Gambhir ,Zaheer With Shahid and Genelia

2011-03-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, launched their newest TV promotion for Colgate MaxFresh Gel. The idea of the new-fangled TVC underlines Colgate MaxFresh Gelâ€™s proposal of reviving brightness and features well-known Bollywood stars and cricketers. Featuring actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia Dâ€™souza, alongside with champion Indian cricketers like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan, the TVC runs with an energetic sound track in jingle with the courage of the running cricket season. The duo, Shahid and Genelia, were looking super cute together while playing trumpet in a shoot. While Bollywood hunky boy Shahid Kapoor was looking dashingly dapper in his grey tee and jeans followed by sleeveless black jacket, and the gorgeous girlie Genelia was looking very endearing in her trendy white top and jeans short pants.

Urumi Is Finally Here

2011-03-12T10:52:00.000-08:00

Trivandrum: Santosh Sivan's Urumi is scheduled to come to a cinema near you by the end of this month. It is believed to be one of the most expensive Malayalam films ever made. Stars cast in the movie include Prithviraj, Prabhu Deva, Arya, Genelia D'Souza, Vidya Balan, Tabu, Jagathy Sreekumar, and many others.

Written by Shankar Ramakrishnan, its story is set in the backdrop of 16th century Northern Kerala and revolves around Kelu Nayanar (Prithviraj) whose mission is to take revenge on Vasco Da Gama. Kelu is supported by Vavvali (Prabhu Deva) and friends.

The story revolves around an 'Urumi', made from the gold melted out of the ornaments of dead people - women and children - who were burnt alive in a massacre aboard a ship.

This big budget starrer is produced by Prithviraj, Santosh Sivan and Shaji Natesan under their new banner August Cinema. Deepak Dev does the music and background score. The film, shot mainly in the forests of Malshej Ghat in Maharashtra & in some parts of Kerala, is set to be a treat especially with Santosh Sivan behind the camera.

So get ready for the visual treat! Here is a one minute prelude to the fascinating film.

Force is an action thriller with heart: Genelia

2011-03-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

Force is an action thriller with heart: Genelia - Hindustan Times: "Asin was the first choice for Force. When she opted out due to date issues, Deepika Padukone, Diana Penty and even Katrina Kaif were in contention for the Hindi remake of the Suriya-Jyothika Tamil superhit, Kaakha..Kaakha (2003). But to everyone’s surprise, Genelia D’Souza"

Watch Genelia's movie Ram Online For Free

2011-03-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

You Are Watching Movie RAM At GENELIACUTEST.BLOGSPOT.COM
About Movie:

Story begins with an incident of 1992. Rowdies go after two children and but their parents find them safely. After that (in the year 2006) Nitin wins a cycling competition held at Hyderabad and a company appoints him as its brand ambassador. The same company invites him to Mumbai. He moves to Mumbai and there, Veeru Bhai (Atul Kulkarni) wins a case on Ram Mandir. But a Muslim called Rahim (Dev Raj) obstructs the entry into the temple. Shakti (Jeeva) is friend of Veeru Bhai. Younger daughter o0ff Veeru Bhai, Janaki (Genelia) is a devotee of Sri Rama. His elder daughter is Jyotika (Rishita Bhat). Janaki stands on marrying her brother-in-law Ram who lost in her childhood. But Veeru Bhai decides to marry her with his friend Shakti

Watch Mere Baap Pehle Aap Online For Free

2011-03-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

You Are Watching Movie Mere Baap Pehle Aap At GENELIACUTEST.BLOGSPOT.COM
About Movie:

Janaradhan Wishvanbhar Rane, a widower has spent his life bringing up his two kids Chirag and Gaurav. Janaradhan has done everything for his kids to bring them up in the best possible manner, ever since they were toddlers. Now when the duo has grown up, Gaurav takes up the responsibility of his father. They both manage the household chores and their business to the best of their abilities. Though he is the younger son, he treats his father like his son. Gaurav is on guard with the vigilance of a disciplined parent. He shouts, threatens, and fights - even locks up his father occasionally so that his prankster best friend Madhav. Mathur who is a divorcee, desperate to get married, does not spoil him. Madhav and Janaradhan who are always in search of a bride for Madhav forever land up in trouble and every time Gaurav has to bail them out and face the embarrassment. Gaurav busy managing his business starts getting prank calls from a girl who turns out to be his old college friend Sheekha Kapoor. Sheekha is staying with her guardian Anuradha who is also Janardhan's first love. Gaurav and Sheekha notice changes in the behavior of Janaradhan and Anuradha when they come face to face after many years. They come to know about their past relationship. Now Gaurav wants his father to get married to his lost love. Gaurav and Sheekha embark upon a rib-tickling journey to arrange his father's love marriage and in the process find soul mates in each other. Of course, the path is not so smooth: there are obstacles. But then, Madhav's desperate desire for a bride comes handy.

Happy (2006) - Telugu DVD Movie Online

2011-03-08T23:03:00.000-08:00

Bommarillu - Telugu's best movie of GENELIA

2011-03-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

Dhee-Watch Online Full Length Genelia's movie for free

2011-03-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

Boys - Full length telugu Movie - Siddartha - Genelia

2011-03-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

Genelia to celebrate womanhood

2011-03-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

View Genelia Gallery

Genelia D’Souza, the busy bee that she is, is taking a break from her hectic schedule to celebrate her being a woman. The actress will later today host a rock concert in Mumbai, in view of the International Women’s Day.

“This is a cause that has always been close to my heart. I consider this (hosting a music show) as a great opportunity in front of me,” says Genelia.

It is said that proceedings of the show will go towards empowering women. “This initiative by Akshara (an NGO) will in every possible way enrich the lives of suffering women,” Genelia says.

Admiring women and their power, the actress says, “The strength of a woman is so high. I am talking about both the physical and mental. It can do magic and change things to a great extent.”

Genelia D'Souza arrives for Dabboo Ratnani's calendar launch.

2011-01-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

Whirlwind week

2011-01-05T04:03:00.000-08:00

Genelia D'souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, August 25, 2010

First Published: 18:01 IST(25/8/2010)
Last Updated: 01:13 IST(26/8/2010)

The past week has disappeared in a flurry of meetings, rehearsals, shoots and interviews. What was supposed to be a much-needed break from shooting turned out to be everything but a break! I have no memory of a second that was spent in doing something utterly wasteful and utterly meaningless (which

was my plan when I decided on absconding from my film sets for a week!). Every second was accounted for something that will hopefully go on to make a beautiful bigger picture.

Sometimes I wish there were two of me. I could just as easily send across my clone to the stuff that bores the living daylights out of me and I could very well go on to the fun, more interesting tasks. Now that we are on the subject of clones, I wouldn’t actually mind a bunch of them. One of ‘me’ could scoot out in the rain to play touch football, the other one could go shopping for me, one of ‘me’ could stay home and gorge on what Mommy dearest dishes up each day and the other one could practically live in a movie theatre and watch just about everything that plays on the screens. Imagine the number of Genelias that you guys would find scurrying around. Have I just trashed the entire idea of ‘celebrity’? Hahaha!

But seriously, the past week made me wonder how much it is that we actors have to be available for. It’s not just about playing your part right under the eyes of your director and a hundred other people, it’s about managing and micro-managing every single day of your life and breaking it up into parts to give out to people.

So, let me enlighten you about last week, which was supposed to be my ‘holiday week’, and turned out to be something like this:

Monday: Script narration, show rehearsals, event appearance.

Tuesday: Shoot for brands, read through scripts, attend ‘unmissable’ party thrown by actor friend.

Wednesday: Write column, attend meetings, attend workshops for films signed.

Thursday: Shoot for a magazine (takes a whole day), squeeze time out for a salon, read through scripts till the wee hours.

Friday: Interviews, meetings, fittings for a show, attack scripts again and try and finish them!

Saturday: Shoot for another magazine, hit the gym, try really hard to make it for a movie with friends but can’t, attend a meeting with regards to work instead!

Sunday: Want to crash and burn but the day has been committed to a brand, so shoot all day and finally make it in time for dinner and a movie with friends — the crash and burn! :-)

Phew! Where is the time, you ask, for myself? For family, for friends? Well guys, this is MY LIFE and it’s beautiful. The camera brings me to life and anything to do with it makes me push myself to the limit and I enjoy the thrill, anxiety, appreciation and exhaustion that comes with being an actor, a celebrity. Being photographed in clothes that I would otherwise never have access to, being able to enact several different characters, being able to connect with my fans through a column, being able to reach out to my audiences on a live platform at events— all these are opportunities that I thrive on. I can never take them for granted.

While my family and friends give me wings, the fact that I’m an actor and a celebrity is the very sky in which I fly and show off my plumes. So what’s my pick then — whirlwind holidays or whirlwind weeks? I say, bring them both on! They’re all the same for me and don’t think I can do without either.

Teaching the lessons of life

2011-01-05T04:01:00.000-08:00

Genelia D'Souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, September 01, 2010

First Published: 19:08 IST(1/9/2010)
Last Updated: 01:30 IST(2/9/2010)

On a rickety wooden bench, we all once sat paying rapt attention to (or at least pretending to pay attention to) a person whose sole mission in life appeared to be imparting some crucial wisdom to the likes of us boisterous children. Yes, for the better part of our lives, we have been subjected to this very

unique breed of humans we like to call ‘teachers’. Now, these teachers are almost alien in their ability to hold down and control a huge group of raucous, easily excitable kids. Since I have two aunts who are teachers, I have had the opportunity to observe these almost other-worldly creatures at close quarters and I’ve discovered that they have certain qualities in humongous proportions — patience, compassion and respect.

A teacher’s influence over our lives is barely understood, grossly under-appreciated. At the age of 10, the wisdom of teachers seems very rigorous and boring. “Honesty is the best policy” and “Pride comes before a fall” — such lessons seem like a waste of time and are willfully ignored. At the age of 25, with relationships turning sour and career ambitions taking the forefront, we silently think back to the days of yore and the simple, proverbial wisdom of teachers.

At 10 years, we took them for granted. A decade later, we realised how much they nurtured our confidence and inner self. Two decades later, we begin to understand that it was our teachers who taught us life’s golden lessons or at least prepared us for them; and hopefully by then they are still around for us to be able to thank them.

The beauty of a teacher is that such a person is not relegated to the classroom. Mentors, guiding force, life coach, guru — call them whatever you like. Your father, professor, first boss, neighbour, janitor — anybody and everybody can be a teacher. That’s the beauty of it all. We can be influenced by people whose experiences have made them stronger and wiser. We can choose to be touched by their knowledge or wallow in ignorance.

I wish a happy Teacher’s Day to all those guiding lights who shined for me — Sister Muriel Rita from school, Aunts Margaret and Una, my first director Vijay Bhaskar, Lady Gaga and Carrie Bradshaw! :-) And this is just the tip of the list. After all, everybody has a lesson to share!

My moment of 'shoes'

2011-01-05T03:56:00.000-08:00

Genelia D'Souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, September 29, 2010

First Published: 18:33 IST(29/9/2010)
Last Updated: 00:53 IST(30/9/2010)

There are a few things that a girl can never have enough of: diamonds, love and shoes (especially in that order, hahaha)! Diamonds are a bit hard to come by and we are oblivious to love even when it’s right under our noses. But, the third item on this list of ‘absolutes’ gets my heart racing and pulse soaring. I

could virtually stare at a pair of patent leather five-inch killer heels for hours before I sink my feet into their immeasurably painful surface!

Yes, like all true and eternal loves, the love of shoes and for shoes comes with pain, pinches, soreness and bruises. But, the returns on this love is a pleasure, a high and a feeling of such immense satisfaction that the pain just washes away and is replaced by a feeling of ’completion’ instead. Suffice to say that if Raymonds suitings make for ‘a complete man’, owning a pair of Ferragamos, Zanottis or Jimmy Choos maketh the ‘complete woman’. Alright guys, you can probably tune out from this point on as I profess my undying obsession with shoes... but think about it as well — knowing what gets girls excited could work in your favour, too! *Wink Wink*

Slender legs, stubby legs, short legs or even tall legs for that matter — placed firmly in a pair of killer heels, they are always a sight to behold. Not only does the height give us women towering confidence, it makes her gait graceful and you can’t deny the feeling of looking down on the world — like a queen surveying her kingdom. Stilettos, wedges, heels — call them what you like. They have that easy knack of instantly transforming you into a sexy, alluring, confident girl. I’m not lying when I say that they get you noticed — there’s a subtle eroticism attached to heels that flat shoes can never compete with.

Soon after I exchanged my sports shoes for my first pair of classic six-inch black heels, I experienced a kind of weird deja-vu. This was years back, but that ‘moment of shoes... oops.... truth’ is quite fresh in my mind. It was an exciting, heady rush, the beginning of a torrid love affair. I’d met my soul-mate and the shoe fetish had begun.

The film that I’m shooting for currently — Urumi — requires me to play a warrior-princess and I’ve been doing all my stunts either barefoot or in flat, jute shoes. DUH! They didn’t really have killer heels in the 15th century. The action and sword-fighting sequences have made me accept and learn grace the flat-footed way. But, I’m missing the painful comfort of my Jimmy Choos every single day!

Fashion Through The Ages

2011-01-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

Genelia D’souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, October 20, 2010

First Published: 17:10 IST(20/10/2010)
Last Updated: 14:14 IST(21/10/2010)

What is the one thing that is enough to put any woman in a tizzy — the one thing that can drive her mad with rage, insane with passion and blindingly in love? Nope, it’s not the perfect man – there’s no such thing as that! *Wicked laughter* It’s FASHION. Fashion has the capacity to incapacitate a woman with a

single faux pas or the ability to make a woman rise with a single accessory. I have never been obsessed with fashion and its demands, but I have to admit: the lure of being fashionable is inescapable.

I have spent hours pondering about the fashion rules for this season and how I can make a statement. It’s true that trends keep changing all the time, but it’s also true that trends come a full circle, and what was passé then, will most definitely be the next IT thing this season. Think about it!

The 60s — the Hippy Decade — was all about breaking tradition and bringing together a lot of trends. The 60s were the decade of the classic hippy uniform — bell bottoms and batik prints. Bikinis, mini-skirts, polka dots, skinny jeans and the French manicure all belong to the 60s, and they are still in fashion. So are ‘peace’, ‘love’ and ‘freedom’ – the three monikers of the Hippy Decade.

The 70s — the Disco Decade — brought platform shoes, halter necks, zippered jumpsuits and spaghetti straps on the style radar and these are very much the flavour of 2010, too. Jumpsuits have saved me from many a casual event and platform shoes can jazz up even the simplest summer dress.

The 80s — the Cheerleader Decade — is my self-confessed favourite. Despite being born much later, I’ve been hooked on to this phase in fashion for a long time. Headbands, leg warmers, lace and leggings — pure fashion magic! The 80s also brought about the short, bolero-styled jackets that end up covering our sexy tubed dresses even now. The era of ‘casual’ began in the 80s and is definitely here to stay.

The 90s was MY TIME! I ripped my jeans (blame teenage angst!) or cut up faded jeans to make them into shorts. I was a monster when you’d put me in a room with a cutter and denims. It was all about expressing yourself through your clothes and making sure you alter what was a factory product just so you could stand out. That’s why an oversized sweatshirt was cropped unevenly or a loose tee was knotted and then tied to the side.

2010 is for the confused souls! Jeggings — are they jeans or are they denims? Dresses are getting shorter and tee-shirts are getting longer. Skirts flare out at the hips and shorts have lace on the edges. For me, my skinny jeans, gladiator shoes and shades save my life, day after day. Whew! Peace out!

Death of the magic words

2011-01-05T03:36:00.000-08:00

Genelia D’souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, October 28, 2010

First Published: 15:52 IST(28/10/2010)
Last Updated: 17:23 IST(3/11/2010)

Gone are the days of kindergarten rules where our world was splattered with words such as ‘Please’, ‘Thank-you’ and ‘Sorry’. I remember being scolded as a kid for forgetting the use of a ‘magic word’ whilst asking for something or when I was giving something. A ‘Please’ before every request and a 'Thank-you'.

for every wish fulfiled. But aaj kal.... That’s not how it works. As Amitabh Bachchan once said in Namak Halal — ‘English is a very funny language’ and funny it sure is!

I’ve been shooting in Australia for quite some time now and you can’t help but absorb some of the local lingo during such extended trips.

So, the other day, when I was back in the city for a shoot, I was confronted with how drastic and hilarious words can be when you change their geographical coordinates. In Australia, the way of the land is to say ‘Cheers, mate’ instead of a ‘Thank-you’. Everybody is ‘cheering’ away, day in and day out. Its a ‘cheers, mate’ for holding the door open for someone or to pick up a dropped pen... And a ‘cheers, mate’ for being served lunch or given your change back. Now if I were to use ‘Cheers’ here, people would either wonder:

a) where’s my glass? or b) feel that I’m craving for a drink!

Lingo terminology, I believe, can actually be made a science! The usage of ‘What’s up with you?’ and ‘What’s cracking?’ has never failed to confuse parents, especially mine. They get a very glazed look on their faces and I can actually sense their eyeballs dying to look up to the ceiling everytime I spout a ‘What’s up?’!! Come to think of it, there is a certain way of saying ‘Dude’ that not a lot of people can get right. ‘Dude’ is a word that reeks of attitude and god forbid anyone from pronouncing it as ‘Due-ude’ which has been known to happen. I may have slight difficulty in controlling my laughter in that case.

But, I’ve come to realise that I’m not the authority on cool lingo anymore! My younger cousins have left me far behind in lingo-ism and some of the slang they use makes my eyes pop! For instance, what in blazes is ‘Psycho Sh*t’?? I’ve heard them use this phrase in situations of distress, excitement, anger and happiness. Like - ‘Dude, I’ve just got some new games for the PS3, man! They are such psycho sh*t!’ Ummm.... Does this mean the games suck, are expensive or are plain awesome?

Or ‘Did you see what he did at the party last night? That was some psycho sh*t happening!’ Which means (and I’m clearly grasping at straws here!) that something untoward happened at the party...someone behaved funnily. Clearly, English has crossed some crazy frontiers when it comes to being the ‘funny language’. Clearly, we don’t know the right ‘magic words’ anymore. Whatever happened to plain old ‘sorry’ and ‘please’? Guess they died the proverbial slow death. Now that’s some psycho sh*t, dude! Hahaha!

Get Adventures !

2011-01-05T03:32:00.000-08:00

Genelia D'Souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, November 04, 2010

First Published: 17:18 IST(3/11/2010)
Last Updated: 12:58 IST(4/11/2010)

Constant adventure — that’s what my life has become. I feel like I’ve taken a few pages out of some action-thriller novel and actually living it out. For the past couple of months, I’ve been to locations that have spellbound me, met people along the way that have moved on to occupy special places in my heart

and succumbed to experiences that have shaken me, excited me and thrilled me to bits. Take the horse-riding for example! Basha is a friend I’ve made for life and horse-riding is now a hobby that has become a part of my personality.

My days in Australia have been absolutely mind-boggling. I’ve had so much fun shooting Orange that not only did the land of the Oz begin to feel like home, I kinda actually miss it now! :-( Oh well, I’m gonna take you guys down memory lane today. Starting with one of the crazier shoots I’ve done right here in Bombay to a thrill-filled Oz run, this column is all about adventure baby! So get ready for the ride of your life!

I’m guessing it all started with Dabboo Ratnani putting me up on a real, live elephant for his calendar shoot. I’ve always loved animals but to be confronted with the mammoth herself left me in total awe. Lakshmi turned out to be a real sweetheart and within moments she had lifted me onto her trunk and we flashed our pearlies and there you have it — the perfect shot! What you don’t know is that tiny moment of fear and uncertainty, when you’re unsure whether she’d fling you on the ground or lift you up in the air! Well, all’s well that ends well!

Australia was another adventure escape altogether. From spending a night in a haunted hotel that actually advertised itself as the perfect place to bump into spooks, ghouls and spirits to sky-diving in Sydney, I have made memories that will never fade. The haunted hotel, nestled in its sinister beauty in the Blue Mountains, was fantastic but awfully scary. We actually heard noises of all sorts — clinks and clangs, footsteps and the loud thuds and it was impossible for us to even spend a night there. Gimmick or not, the hotel is riddled in history and its whole aura is especially spooky. It’s unbelievable that people actually spend a fortune to stay in this hotel. Worth a visit! As for sky-diving, well what can I say? It is by far the best kick I have ever had in my whole life. This simple 3 minute dive has made me an adrenalin junkie for life! The one minute that I spent in absolute free-fall, that cascade towards the earth before the parachute opened, is excitement delivered directly from God. But it wasn’t just once. Within half an hour, I was up in the air again and this time. I even attempted a somersault!

Trust me guys, buckle up and dive! Attack adventure with a vengeance! It’s one life after all, worth taking a few risks that catapult you into a thrilling frenzy right?

Back To School

2011-01-05T03:29:00.000-08:00

Genelia D’souza, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, November 11, 2010

First Published: 17:53 IST(10/11/2010)
Last Updated: 13:20 IST(11/11/2010)

Wooden benches, blackboards, broken chalk pieces and an air thick with memories overcomes me as I walk through the brown corridors of Carmel Convent, my school and my haven for my entire childhood. Here is a place that has been my foundation, my anchor, my Rock of Gibraltar. The one place that has

remained steadfast in its values and made me realise time and again that a person’s character is shaped in school, moulded by teachers and put on display for the world the second you depart the homely hallways.

I went back to school last week as the chief guest for (please tell me what) and returned as a 10 year old with the kind of affection, love and remembrance that my school showered on me. For your school, you can never be an ‘ex-student’. You will always remain simply a student, someone who is still bound to the morals and traditions of what the institution stands for. For me, my school stands for respect, achievement and equality. It’s funny how, as kids, we always looked past the superficial differences and hung out together.

At age five, nobody was a geek, a jock or the popular girl. Everybody was just the same as you and everybody received the same treatment as you. My school prided itself on this very sentiment of equality that I have learnt to pursue and embrace as an adult in my day to day life. When you grow older, the paychecks, the mansions and the swanky cars get in the way of true relationships and we lose respect for each other in the face of seemingly important achievements.

Every time I’m at crossroads, I find myself thinking of my school days and the simplicity with which we were made to distinguish between right and wrong. Any action that belittles people and hurts feelings is wrong and any action that enriches a person is good. In school, we wore the same uniform, sat on the same benches and ate the same food. Our squabbles were even simpler — over erasers, pencils and who gets the window seat in the bus.

Seriously, school is the greatest leveller. It elevates us to the same level, no one is bigger or smaller. We are all the same. Which is why, if you never let go of the values that your school instilled in you, you will always be the person that you were then. And that’s the best that you can ever be. No cynicism, mistrust, envy will ever catch up to you and taint you.

As sports captain, I was always looked up to and I had to make sure that I behaved responsibly and did nothing to dishonour my title. This same quality of restraint is what shapes me as an actor now. I’m in the public eye and I know I’m a role model to thousands of young people across the country. I need to, at every second, display the same heart and spirit that I showed as the sports captain years ago. True — it is responsibility and a lot of pressure.

But, then again, my school has taught me to survive in the eye of the storm and to come through shining. Think of what your school has done for you, people! I’m hoping most of you are still friends with your school buddies, your bench pals and your lunch-box chums! Trust me — those are the best friends you will get simply because they know you at your best and have accepted you at your worst. Head back to school and let those memories overpower you!