Return of the Ravishing Raveena – Part 1

“I love the kind of tweets that I receive from my fans across the globe” Before going to bed and when I wake up in the morning, Read More">I love the kind of tweets that I receive from my fans across the globe. You get so much warmth. It’s a direct touch with your fans. UsRead More

"I love the kind of tweets that I receive from my fans across the globe"
Before going to bed and when I wake up in the morning, I love the kind of tweets that I receive from my fans across the globe. You get so much warmth. It's a direct touch with your fans. Us meeting at Otters Club did become some kind of a news on twitter I should say (laughs).

"It was the advertising world from where I got my name 'Ravishing Ravs'"
My second name is 'ravishing' but you should know who gave me this name. The advertising world started calling me that and then it moved on to the film industry. My first ad was for Sunsilk where I played a 'star'. I get out of the Merc and walk in to the premiere with another model Suchitra Pillai who now is a dear friend. Everyone surrounds me to take autographs. Cut to the real life premiere of Pathar Ke Phool. I get down with Suchitra in similar fashion and I'm mobbed (laughs). This was eight months after my first advert. Such a coincidence isn't it? But it was Shabbir and Nomita from White Light Productions who did the Sunsilk advert and it was him who started calling me 'ravishing Ravs'. Then Prahlad Kakkar caught on and then the magazines and newspapers followed.

"I love 'Tu Aashiqui Hai' from Jhankaar Beats"
There is a song from Imtihaan that goes 'Is Tarah Aashiqui Ka Asar Chodh Jaaonga'. Let me tell you it's the most romantic song a man can ever sing to a woman. Can you believe it; I was properly hearing it a few days ago on some radio station that played the song. My personal favourites are the songs 'Baakhuda' from Kismet Konnection and 'Tu Aashiqui Hai' from Jhankaar Beats. I recall my honeymoon when Anil was a bit drunk when he picked up the microphone and started to sing 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston from the film Bodyguard. I grabbed the mic from Anil from further embarrassment and started to sing to which all the foreigners said that I sing better than him (laughs).

Give me a break! Since 9am in the Otters Gym, Raveena was sweating it out. I was like, what? Do you really look like that in the morning? Ravishing at 10?! Meeting Raveena Tandon for breakfast can be any man’s dream come true. So get aside boys, Read More">because I had that under control. I decidedRead More

Give me a break! Since 9am in the Otters Gym, Raveena was sweating it out. I was like, what? Do you really look like that in the morning? Ravishing at 10?! Meeting Raveena Tandon for breakfast can be any man's dream come true. So get aside boys, because I had that under control. I decided to wear white pyjamas and a pink top with my cap only to impress my school day crush. I was in seventh standard when Patthar Ke Phool released. I thought she wouldn't give me an interview as much as she grants an audience. This isn't to suggest that Raveena once regarded as the definitive screen femme fatale is haughty or reserved. So I sent couple of text messages to her as a reminder that no matter what, I will make it to the club in time. I reach the club at 10am on the dot in the rains. I know I know, I was thinking the same that what if she was wearing a yellow saree and we could've danced. But the moment got shattered when I bumped into Anil Thadani while waiting for my ravishing moment. And the moment arrived in her black slacks and her black t-shirt with OM symbol printed. And like all good things start with 'Om' written on it, our interview too started with just that. Raveena is a witty and voluble talker. But her conversation is definitely part performance - the eyebrows that rise mischievously, the husky voice that purrs at times, the pronouncements on anything from Lolo to Chi Chi to Aamir to the newbies to desirability. We go on the first floor of the Otters Club that overlooked the magnificent view of the pool and the beach and sat at a length almost infectious sipping a hot cuppa ginger and mint tea. This is the thing about Raveena - she can look gloriously pretty, but never quite stunning like the Bollywood babes are right now. I mean, Ravs (as I'd love to call her) was more meat than just bones, and her interview was no different. Over the last two decades in her acting career, Raveena came across as absorbing as a sponge - took in what she wanted and chucked the rest, and today it is uniquely satisfying to watch our princess unfold herself onto the club's first floor balcony, an actor whose ability to move from adorable to angry, from ditzy to dazzling, from moody to mesmerising and yet all anybody seems to really know about Raveena Tandon is just 'ravishing' and 'mast mast'. In this Part 1 'must' read interview, UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent gets Raveena Tandon back, back to where she belongs, back to Bollywood. Don't worry honey; we've got your back!

“From Vyjantimala to Rekha to Parveen Babi and me, Read More">everyone has done an item song” It’s good that the song ‘Main Chandigarh Ki Star‘ happened. It’s a great song and a terrific dance number. Everyone is making it out to be an item song from but it’s just a PR overdrive. I tweeted about theRead More

"From Vyjantimala to Rekha to Parveen Babi and me, everyone has done an item song"
It's good that the song 'Main Chandigarh Ki Star' happened. It's a great song and a terrific dance number. Everyone is making it out to be an item song from but it's just a PR overdrive. I tweeted about the song a few days ago that it's not an item song because I am fully clothed (laughs). 'Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast' was an item song. And by the way, there is a difference between an item song and an item girl too (laughs). Earlier an actress of the film would do an item song but today the definition has changed. Everyone's done those songs. So even a Vyjantimala has done it, Parveen Babi did it in Namakhalal and Rekha has done it in Jaanbaaz.

"Aamir is in his full glory when he plays pranks"
My association with Aamir Khan continues since Parampara days. Now I am in touch with him through my husband because Anil, my husband distributes most of Aamir's films in India. We meet up whenever the trials are there and Aamir being the regular pranksters is still the same. Back in Andaz Apna Apna, Aamir was in his full glory but we used to get back at him (laughs). He played a prank on me during the song, 'Elo Elo....Elo Ji Sanam Hum Aa Gaye'. The good thing is that some people don't change and it's for the better.

"The two films I've signed are Alert and Zoom - Straight To The Top"
My family is my top and first priority. Even now when I am overloaded with work and need a break, I spend time at home with my family. I don't want to do that much work also. I want to do it only when I can. I am juggling work very carefully. I've signed a couple of films; one of them is Alert with Sanjay Dutt that we start to shoot in July. Then there is Zoom - Straight To The Top that is also a very exciting drama on the film industry.

Watch this space to read Part 2 of interview with Raveena Tandon