Anurag makes me do intimate scenes: Kalki Koechlin

There's more to Kalki Koechlin's film roles than just quirkiness, rage and sleaze. But despite the attention-grabbing roles, Kalki is determined to prove that she is as good at handling drama, as playing a trauma-stricken teenager. 

The actor, who is riding high post the success of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD), says that she is now ready to cut her teeth on commercial potboilers. "I have always thought of myself as a commercial actor," says Kalki, adding, "I've never ruled out masala films. I wanted to do a light-hearted, fun and uplifting flick, which ZNMD was. But on the other hand, it was also treated very realistically," she shares.

But despite a first-rate performance in ZNMD, big production houses aren't exactly knocking at her door. "Things don't change overnight. I don't look at a film in terms of where it will take me and my career. The script has to be believable and has to excite me," she adds.

After ZNMD, in which she got to show her humourous side, Kalki will be seen in That Girl In Yellow Boots, as a British citizen, Ruth, tracking her father in Mumbai and equipped with just a letter. "It is the toughest character I have played to date. The character comes to a different world completely and explores the Mumbai underbelly on her own without even speaking the language," she shares.

But is the film too outre for the Indian audience? "It is a niche film and not a commercial drama. But it is a very interesting story - a story of every woman who should be accepted," says Kalki. Prod her whether reports that scenes of the film - which did the rounds of film festivals - have been leaked on the internet irk her and she says, "There are always a lot of rumours about things. The release of the film got delayed because we were looking for an international release as well and it will hit the screens soon in the US."

Though she has two releases lined up, Dibakar Banerjee's political thriller, Shanghai and My Friend Pinto, Kalki is candid enough to admit that she's "not doing anything at the moment." "I am travelling with my plays, and will be starting another one soon," she shares. Shanghai has her Dev.D co-star Abhay Deol, but Kalki will be seen alongside Emraan Hashmi in the film. "I have no scenes with Abhay. I didn't see him at all on the sets of the film," she says.

As for husband Anurag Kashyap's recent remarks that it is difficult for him to watch Kalki do intimate scenes, the actor says, "Anurag only makes me do intimate scenes in his films. He has no right to complain."

'That Girl in Yellow Boots' my first worldwide release: Anurag Kashyap

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap says that none of his films have ever reached international audiences beyond festivals as Indian distributors are sceptical of giving them a global release. His forthcoming " That Girl in Yellow Boots" is his first world wide release.

"That Girl in Yellow Boots", written and acted by Kashyap's wife actress Kalki Koechlin, is releasing Sep 2 even in non-NRI theaters in America.

"None of my films had been released internationally so far. Be it 'Black Friday', 'Dev D' all the films went to festivals, garnered acclaim and I ended up selling it to the satellite," Kashyap told IANS in an interview.

"'That Girl in Yellow Boots' is releasing in all Scandinavian countries, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and in America there would be 30 art house releases. It's apparently a small release but a big one for my film," Kashyap said.

Kashyap criticised Indian distributors, terming them inefficient and dishonest as they "repeatedly failed or deliberately didn't make international releases" of any of his films even after owning overseas rights, "just assuming there is no market for such non-conventional films".

"What has been my frustration ever since I started making film is that my films go to festivals across the world then when I approach distributors they ask for world rights as well. They take the world rights but don't release them outside saying there is no market for the film abroad. Internationally none of the distributors know how to distribute it or they hide the film from the non-NRI market.

"If a film has big stars like the Khans then a roadside tea stall owner would be able to distribute it across the globe," he said.

He said: "When there is a film which is highly acclaimed in the festival circuit why would that not be loved by other people. For example 'Udaan' garnered audience choice award of another country, why can't they distribute the film in theatres for the same audience of that country."

He is thankful to producer-distributor Viacom 18 for supporting his endeavour to explore the international market for his film.

"I thought that I would distribute the film worldwide personally. It took one year to find international distributors. Then we got Viacom 18, which is the first producer-distributor that said we would work in collaboration because it's the first time for both of us to explore the global market. Viacom 18 is collaborating with so many distributors world wide," said Kashyap.

"That Girl in Yellow Boots", is a look at the social criticism Kalki Koechlin suffered for being an actor with French connections coupled with other real time incidences that appeared in the newspapers, revealed Kashyap.

"When my relationship started with Kalki there used to be all kinds of stories. It was out of reluctance of accepting a white person. She had become a topic of coffee table conversation. A white girl looks good that's why she has got a chance in Hindi film, that's what was concluded.

"What people forget that, is that girl left England to live here as she was born in India and secondly she grew up on the diet of sambar and rice, and she still continues it as she can't take spicy food and her first language is Tamil. But all these things got discounted. We thought let's make a film on it mixing with stories of its kind that appeared in newspapers," said the 38-year-old filmmaker.

"The mixture of all those stories evolved into the story of 'Yellow Boots'. It's a thriller based on a girl's search for her father but set in an underworld that's mushrooming around us that we refuse to see or know," he added.

The film also features Naseeruddin Shah in a pivotal role.

Anurag takes on Salman!

Late Saturday night, Anurag Kashyap put this status on his social networking site profile, " Salman Khan thinks he made my brother's life. Hope he does the same for Arbaaz when he does Dabangg 2. All The Best."

A few minutes later he posted another message, "Abhinav Singh Kashyap, you rock... I love you... Show them what you are made off." The "them" clearly means the Khan brothers. Anurag's outburst comes close on the heels of the news of producer Arbaaz Khan directing the Dabangg sequel. Two days ago, Arbaaz revealed on a micro-blogging website, "Hey guys it's true, I will be directing the sequel of Dabangg. Abhinav for some personal and professional reasons opted out."

It is known that Abhinav and Salman had problems throughout the making of the film. But neither spoke about it. When the film became a superhit, all was forgotten. However when the awards and the rewards began flowing in, the director felt that the Khan brothers did not credit him enough for giving them the biggest hit of the year. While the Khans felt that he owed them for giving him a break, and the opportunity to direct a film with one of the nation's biggest stars. When talk of the sequel began, Kashyap started getting a feeling of déjà vu, and decided not to be a part of it. The producer and the director claimed it was amicable but following Abhinav's big brother's flare-up on a public platform, the jhagda is now in the open. Now will Arbaaz's big brother respond?