bollywood reviews

Sherlyn Chopra needs no introduction to internet users. After starring in a forgettable B-grade flick called Red Swastik (as Mona Chopra), Sherlyn grabbed plenty of eyeballs with her album Outrageous directed by adman Prahlad Kakkar. When Sherlyn is not posing for provocative images, giving outrageous quotes and getting embroiled in endless controversies, (spats with producers, directors, business managers et al) she is probably shooting for a music video or getting a butt surgery done.

But Sherlyn is completely unapologetic about what she does and how she goes about it. Maybe she has got it right after all because up next for this Hyderabad girl is a Yash Raj film with Shahid Kapur.

Buzz18.com caught up with the girl with plenty of gumption, and the queen of Internet and mobile downloads, (we didn't say that, the statistics do!) as she talked and talked about what keeps her busy and happy and the monies rolling.

Who is Sherlyn Chopra?

A sexed-up kid.

Huh?

Yeah, a kid who keeps barking about sex but never indulges in it. She keeps barking, barking, barking but never bites.

Where are you from?

Hyderabad.

How did you land up in Bombay?

As a school kid I was always into academics and all kinds of competition like elocution, recitation, drama. Every year, I would be the school topper. Then I just wanted to break free from being this studious person.

DON'T MISS: HOT! Sherlyn's latest photo shoot

When was this?

All throughout my school life and first two years of college. I was really sick of indulging in studies, not having a social life, not having friends.

Why was that? Was it because of your family or the environment?

At home I would study and not interact with my siblings (brother and sister), in school the same thing. There was no social life.

Were you a loner?

Yeah, I guess, I guess. When somebody would ask me who is your best friend I would say my books. I was that boring. I guess I reached a point in my life when I wanted to break free and know what happens in the outside world. That's when I told my daddy I did not want to pursue medicine and not be a doctor like him. That was a huge setback for him.

He thought I would take …ummm…what's that course called…Science in Junior College. But I opted for Maths, Eco and Commerce.

After two years of college I thought of participating in a beauty pageant, just like that. And when I told my parents I want to take part in the Miss Andhra pageant, they were like: 'Kaun se angle se you consider yourself a beauty queen?' Well, I said I was confident, had no stage fright and could answer well. These were my plus points. Does not matter if I was not a stunner, because at that time I was not. I weighed 60 kg, had a double chin and looked like a mum of six kids.

No way!

Honestly, I can show you the pictures.

Surprisingly I was crowned the beauty queen. The judges were impressed with my answers.

Do you remember the question?

Yes, I do. I was asked what did I think of Pakistan as an Indian and India as a Hindustani. They were stunned with my answer and I vaguely remember what I said.

Can you recall?

Umm… yeah, I said something like as an Indian I think Pakistan has a mental block against stretching out a hand towards friendship and unity.

I did not have amazing costumes like the other contestants in all the rounds. I just had one saree to wear throughout. That was it. That gave me a lot of confidence, I was like 'okay fine, beauty is not only about chiseled features it is also confidence and how well you speak and what comes from within'. And then I told my parents I want to pursue something in the glamour field. I did not want to pursue science. Then one fine day I said I wanna go to Bollywood and then I wish to go to Hollywood. I packed my stuff -- I had a Skoda then -- drove down to Bombay, put up with some of dad's relatives. My dad was like 'No way am I helping you out.' I started calling up people and that's how it all began.

PICS: Sherlyn Chopra poses for PeTA

So there was zero co-operation from your parents.

Yeah my mother wanted me to stay back and do a spa or a beauty salon like her, get married. She wanted me to pursue medicine.

They told me acting can only be a hobby not a profession, you cannot live for the rest of your life just by acting.

How long have you been in Bombay?

It's been four years now.

Have you reconciled with your parents?

My father passed away in 2005, my mother still thinks I am making a big mistake. She says, "Fear God, for all your actions", and I tell her, 'My faith is what keeps me going. I read the Bible everyday. And I remember this passage that says, let peace be your umpire!'

Sometimes I feel maybe I was an adopted kid, (I have two other siblings, I'm the middle one) simply because I am so very different from my parents, my mother. We are just poles apart.

How has it been in Bombay?

Today I feel I can mint money all my life just being a part of the glamour world, it is not just about acting.

Which brings us to the next question: Do you consider yourself an actress, or a pin-up star or something else?

I would say I am an all rounder.

When it comes to portraying emotions I think I can do it with ease and finesse, and when it comes to wearing a bikini, I can do it at the drop of a hat.

PICS: Gym bans saucy Sherlyn Chopra

But there are other girls who can do the same - wear a bikini at the drop of a hat. What makes you any different from them?

Well, it is not just about wearing a bikini and striking a pose. It is about what comes out from your persona, it is about, 'What signals are you sending!'

What signals are you sending?

Ha ha ha! Well, whenever I am facing the camera I love to tease, I love to play this naughty girl, teasing, flirting, seducing. In my mind I am conversing with the camera. I am like, 'So, you wanna take me to bed? So take me to bed

But is that how you are in real? Or just an act you are putting on?

Yeah, I am like you know, 'What would Sherlyn do if she was in a wild frame of mind?' I love playing, I like exploring myself: the girly Sherlyn, the goody Sherlyn, the dark Sherlyn, the wicked Sherlyn, all of that comes out…

How many different Sherlyns are there?

Ha ha ha ha ha….

Quite a few, one Sherlyn which has not been unveiled so far, is what people will get to see once I start on my films … this will come soon.

Which one is that?

Sherlyn the believer in god. It is the only way to survive for me.

You are also crowned the queen of Internet downloads. What does that mean?

Well, I have been told by mobile content providers that my images are hugely popular with Internet users, and they are the most downloaded on mobiles as well. People find my images fabulous and exciting and they like to use them as wallpapers.

Now that you have started acting in mainstream films, would you give up posing for these downloadable pictures?

Never. I would like to die in a bikini! I have a strong attachment to what I do, I believe one needs to have loads of confidence and attitude to wear a bikini without a sarong.

While watching Race, the third lead in the film disappointed me (she is talking about Sameera Reddy). She was wearing a bikini with a sarong to hide her sins that had accumulated around her belly, the sin on her thighs. If you don't have it, don't show it, don't give a nervous breakdown to your viewers.

Oops! Sherlyn, Shawar and a couch

Who are the women you look up to?

Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie and what I like about them is that in the midst of giving these complex emotional performances, their slip may be showing, their bare assets may show, there is no difference in their expressions, they are so comfortable with it. Halle Berry for instance had this intense lovemaking scene in Monster's Ball, where they are acting just the way two adults would be in bed, and then the next moment she is back to playing Halle Berry. They are all so comfortable with nudity and being these fantastic actresses at the same time. I think it is a great combination of being a stunner and a fab actress at the same time.

Why is it that we raise an eyebrow when here is a girl in a bikini and assume she is not a great actress too? A lot of this comes from mental blocks. Why should a great performer say no to anything?

Why is it that every time one hears about you, it is about some controversy. Can you recall any instance in the recent past when something positive has been said or written about you?

I am misunderstood and it is okay. People's approval or disapproval doesn't matter to me. I know that some day these 'senior' journalists who have written me off, will take me seriously.

When will that happen?

When they see the consistency in my performance.

Where does it begin?

With my projects, my interviews, the quotes, my answers, my lifestyle…all of this will make an impact. I do not indulge in cat fights. I am a workaholic, I like designing my own projects. I designed Outrageous and now I am designing Dard E Sherlyn.

What is Dard E Sherlyn?

A notch above Outrageous about dard, diamonds, chocolate sauce, amazing visuals, my summer treat for all the young guys out there, and the oldies as well.

PICS: Sherlyn too hot for Prahlad?

Tell us about the Yash Raj film.

I cannot say much, there is Shahid in the film and I will start my workshops soon. I have a good role with a song sequence as well.

Do you think this banner will help you?

Yeah, I am sure because already a lot of people are talking to me. I am in the process of firming up plans for my next film, Aagey Se U Turn, with T-Series. It is a comedy with my production house will produce and may have Ritesh Desmukh in it.

I have been told that I have the potential to deliver a stellar performance like Rani's in Black and look like a stunner as Bipasha in Dhoom2.

What is your equation like with Prahlad Kakkar who directed you in Outrageous?

It was good until the release of Outrageous. We started getting too familiar with each other and familiarity breeds contempt. He thought my quotes were downmarket and a lot of things I said did not make sense to him. So I said, well, don’t try to change me or tell me what to do and what not to. And we parted ways.

News about your butt surgery, lip surgery are constantly hammering the media.

There is nothing negative about enhancing your derriere. Do I have to talk about wearing blood around my neck like Angelina Jolie and talk about how many orgasms I have in a day? Is that positive and talking about my posterior isn't?

I am beginning to realise there are a bunch of people out there with a never-ending list of dos and don'ts for me. I am not interested.

But everything that you say or do is designed to provoke.

Yes, I want people to take me home.

Certainly not to meet their mothers!

Ha ha, no, no, no! Ha ha ha ha. NO. They would only end up with a broken heart.

How many times in a day do men proposition you? What is the most common line they throw at you?

Hmmm… I am not really like that….But yeah. I have had a lot of men ask me, 'Are you really as hot as you look in your wallpapers?' I say, 'I'm not giving you a demonstration!' Just because I smile, I wink or kiss, does not mean I am ready for this!

I have stopped looking for approval or inspiration from Bollywood. Look at Madonna, and how she is doing such amazing stuff, looking gorgeous at fifty. That's the kind of screen presence I want.

How are you doing financially?

Quite well. I have two CAs managing my affairs. I get a nice fat cheque every month thanks to the mobile downloads and I have received my cheque for Yash Raj too.

Does your shelf life bother you? What if someone who is prettier, sexier, younger comes into the picture?

I consider myself no less than a warrior. If someone gets into the battlefield, I'd say, 'Awright, you think you are better than me? Show it to me'.

HOT: Sherlyn puts JLo to shame!

What makes you think you are any better than the others?

This never-ending zest for life….

We are not interested in philosophy, theories. Give us one good reason why we should even look at you, give you a chance. Picture this, you are on stage with the five best from showbiz, and you have just one chance to convince the people about how good you are. How and what would you say or do?

One's true abilities are tested when one is cut off from all support: no godfathers, boyfriends or anything. You are left with yourself, your abilities, beliefs and weaknesses. So pitch me with say someone like Sonam, but take off her famous surname, and everything else, and give me one fair chance to perform. And then judge for yourself.

Is that all?

Ummm… if there was a jury out there, I would just wear a fabulous, outrageous bikini, that would showcase all my tangible assets, grab the microphone and say, 'Listen you guys, if you do not pick up me, you are the biggest losers in the world!'