I was so stupid to refuse 'Lage Raho Munnabhai': Yuvika Chaudhary

Yuvika Chaudhary

Yuvika Chaudhary talks about her B-town stint and how she is continuously learning from her mistakes.

It was actor Yuvika Chaudhary's first visit to the city and she couldn't have loved it more. From chikan kurtas to chaat, Yuvika expressed keenness to try out everything the city has to offer, except the kebabs! "Since I'm a vegetarian, I can't eat kebabs. But I really want to go and shop. I want to wear a chikan kurta and then go to Mumbai," she says.

The pretty lass, who belongs to Meerut, felt an instant connect with the city. "I was just talking to my mom and telling her how pleasantly surprised I am with the city. The way people talk, especially the 'aap' culture, is so beautiful. Since I'm a UPite too, I'm feeling so much at home," she smiles.

Living the fairy tale

Yuvika's claim to fame was a small role in Om Shanti Om that saw her share screen space with Shah Rukh Khan. Speaking of her experience, she says, "I didn't expect that I would be appreciated for a small role. But I'm so thankful for it. Om Shanti Om was like a fairy tale for me. Shah Rukh is so humble and respectful. And Farah (Khan) is a darling. She loves me and I love her. Even today, when I talk to her, she is so warm." The film is close to Yuvika's heart not only because of the star power but also because it came at a time when she had absolutely no work. "I wasn't getting anything. Leave alone films, not even any character roles on TV. I was sitting in a church and crying because I felt so stuck. I then got a call from an unknown number. It was Farah Khan. I still remember the exact words she spoke. It was such a filmy scene and a blessing for me," she reveals.

A big mistake

Before Om Shanti Om, Yuvika had the chance to work with another big banner. "Raju Hirani had offered me Lage Raho Munnabhai. I made such a big mistake by saying no to it. The role eventually went to Dia Mirza. He spent at least an hour saying 'Beta do this role, it's good for you.' I was so stupid to refuse it. When you are new in the industry, you have no support and absolutely no idea as to what and not to do. Later on, I realized that nothing comes for free and you should respect everything that comes your way," she confesses.

Bollywood ride

In spite of making some early mistakes, Yuvika is now satisfied with the way her career is progressing. "My last film, Enemmy, just released. I starred opposite Kay Kay Menon in the film that also featured Suneil Shetty and Mithun Chakraborty. I played the character of a Muslim girl from Lucknow. It was a performance-oriented role. Besides that, I've ventured into the Punjabi industry with a film called Daddy Cool Munde Fool, which luckily, was a big hit," she informs. She has even starred alongside Govinda in Naughty @ 40 and is all praises for the actor. "He is absolutely fantastic. Only after working with him do you realize why he is such a big name. To be someone in the industry, you have to be special, And that is what Govinda exactly is," she says.

Reality bites

After entering the industry through a reality show, Cinestars Ki Khoj, Yuvika has noticeably stayed away from television, be it reality shows or soap operas and concentrated on film roles, irrespective of their magnitude. "I can either do mainstream television or films. It's so difficult to manage both. They have 16-hour long schedules in daily soaps. I don't think I can take out that time. But if some interesting reality show comes my way, I'll definitely do it. I was recently offered Jhalak Dikhlaa Ja, but unfortunately, I did not have the dates for it," she rues. (Sources from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)