*~Singh is Queen!~* Mona Singh (Jassi) FC - Page 7

MUMBAI: After setting the stage on fire and bagging two awards from dance reality shows, TV actress Mona Singh is yet to be seen shaking a leg on celluloid. The reason, she says, is the offers that come her way are way too sleazy for her.

'I have received offers for doing item numbers in films but they are vague. I can't dance around with 20 weird men while wearing revealing clothes and pouring alcohol on myself. That's just not me,' Mona said.

'I have never ever had that sort of image and I don't even think I can carry it off well,' she added.

Mona Singh is back on yet another reality show titled Arre Deewano Mujhe Pehchano on Star Plus. The actress, who arguably has a good comic timing and an equally good sense of humour, is seen tickling the funny bone of viewers through gags and stand-up comedy.

Not seen in any soap after Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi , Mona is presently doing a cameo in Radhaa Ki Betiyaan Kuch kar Dikhayengi which is produced by the same production house which produced Jassi. There is one more thing common between these two shows – In Radhaa Ki Betiyaan, Mona Singh is once again linked with Apoorva Agnihotri her Armaan Sir of Jassi…

Tellychakkar caught up with the actress on her third stint on the reality show, her upcoming flick Three Idiots and Armaan Sir.

Excerpts:

What prompted you to do Arre Deewano Mujhe Pehchano?

This show is different from the rest and the USP of the show is Gadhashree (the animated cartoon who passes remarks on the acts), there is no rona-dhona, no elimination and no nasty judges insulting you. I agreed to do the show because it's full of fun and is stand-up comedy. This is something that I have not tried before.

Wouldn't your fans recognise you're so popular?

We will have some make-up changes and then we set up a gag. In my first gag there was this girl who wanted to woo her boyfriend so I went as the guy's mother and asked her if she loves my boy. And we got some superb reactions from the guy. It's hard to recognise us as we put fake noses, chins and cheeks. The task is to pull off the gag.

Doesn't it sound like Champion Chaalbaaz?

Arre Deewano is different from Champion Chaalbaaz in terms of contestants. Here we have all celebrity participants and there are no judges and elimination. People will watch it as a stress-buster.

Do you get involved when the script is written?

They have a creative team and even we come up with our own ideas and suggestions. We tell them if we want to do something in particular. We sit with the creative team and work on it together. Then we work on the looks and make-up which is followed by a couple of rehearsals as one can't predict how the person on whom the prank is to be played will react.

You also appeared on Comedy circus.

Yes and I forgot all my lines.

Did you draw inspiration from the show?

No, infact I was so scared thereafter that I decided never to do comedy again because Shakeel is a fabulous comedian. We didn't do any rehearsals and he said that we will manage it on stage and I too agreed with him thinking that it was not a competition. But we goofed up on the stage as he picked up some other lines and I completely forgot mine.

Have you ever been prey to such pranks?

Oh! I have been victim to a prank on Champion Chaalbaaz. There were these artists in the disguise of cops who started interrogating me. They asked me where I was heading so late at night and asked me to show them my passport and driving license even though I wasn't driving the car. And falling prey to their prank I actually told them that I wasn't carrying one.

You have done almost everything from a serial to dancing to hosting and now stand-up comedy.

Oh! I am really lucky and I need to thank my stars for the same. I have danced and acted in Jassi and now I am learning comedy. Now, I am excitingly looking forward to my movie Three Idiots which is directed by Raju Hirani.

Would you like to tell us about Three Idiots?

My first schedule was in September 2008 in Shimla. I was obviously very nervous about sharing screen space with the likes of Kareena Kapoor, Aamir Khan and Boman Irani. I am playing Kareena's sister and we are Boman Irani's daughters. My first shot was with Boman Irani and we had rehearsed it a couple of times. When we completed the shot everybody started clapping, applauding and cheering. I was so touched with their warm gesture. My character name in the movie is Mona.

How is it getting back with DJ and Apoorva Agnihotri in Radha Ki Betiyaan?

It's a cameo as I don't want to do regular daily soaps. Five years on-screen I have been dating the same man but its great fun. We share a great on-screen chemistry, camaraderie and equation. Deeya and Tony are great friends to work with and I am enjoying playing the character. I think the cameo would run for another two months.

It seems the madness surrounding reality shows is going to continue for some more time. Every channel and production house is thinking of a new reality show to hook the viewers on. The latest to join the bandwagon is Star Plus whose new show Arre Deewano Mujhe Pehchano is coming on air soon.

The programme has eight celebrities including Mona 'Jassi' Singh, Mandira Bedi, Rakhi Sawant, Sweta Keswani, Divya Dutta, Mahesh Manjrekar, Yash Tonk and Gulshan Grover. However, the programme will not have any judges and have an animated character called Gadhashri instead. It will be the connecting point between the participants, audience and host. Arre Deewano Mujhe Pehchano premieres 2 January every Friday — Saturday at 10 pm on Star Plus.

Excerpts from the interview: