Former Miss India International, Esha Gupta seems euphoric even as her much-hyped Mukesh Bhatt movie ‘Jannat-2’ is releasing today. “Its an awesome debut for me as I get enough scope to expose my acting talent, my looks and my natural oomph-factor, that too opposite hot dude Emran Hashmi. And to think that during a song sequence, we even went through the ‘shaadi-ke-phere’ rituals and Emran applied sindoor on my maang, in a romantic candle-light setting,” chuckles glam girl Esha who is already busy with her next two film projects, ‘Raaz-3’ and ‘Chakravyuh’. Incidentally, in Prakash Jha’s ‘Chakravyuh’ she plays a daring IPS police officer who locks horns with Manoj Bajpai who in turn plays a Naxalite.
How is ‘Jannat-2’ different from its prequel? Informs Gupta,” While the first part was an exposé on betting in cricket, the sequel revolves mainly around illegal trading in arms and ammunition.
You may call it a rather conventional romance revolving around a small-town guy who comes to the big city looking for heavenly bliss (read ‘Jannat-2’) but falls in love with an attractive girl he would do anything for, but steadily loses himself in the dark underbelly," she shrugs.
Was she game for brazen skin-show which is the mandatory Bollywood mantra? With a nonchalant mock frown, she counters, “Fortunately in Jannat-2 I play a ‘de-glam’ doctor and although there are cosy romantic scenes, there is aesthetic yet sensuous dare-bare exposure.
Depending on the genuine demands of the screen-character and the situation, I guess I will take a call, but will ensure there is no vulgarity if I have to wear bold revealing outfits.”
While maverick film-maker Mahesh Bhatt feels Esha is an Indianised avataar of Hollywood diva Angelina Jolie, cine-industry veterans opine that madame Gupta is a heady cocktail of Zeenat Aman and the ‘late’ Parveen Babi.
The debutante actress is maha-thrilled with the accolades. “It’s a huge compliment to be compared to legendary names, but I guess I will soon have my own unique identity,” smiles the beauty-queen who ironically did not want to get into showbiz initially. “Actually I was pursuing a specialized course in ‘mass media’ and wanted to plunge into creative writing. It’s as if destiny has merrily hijacked me into Bollywood (laughs). Now that I have merited a dream debut I am confident to strike it big,” signs off Esha as she starts humming her favourite ‘Jannat-2’ number.
Interestingly after Esha Koppikar, Esha Deol, Esha Sharvani etc., we now have yet another Esha who seems hell-bent on being ‘one-up’ on her name-sakes who tried in vain to hit big-time stardom