"I don't know who recommended me for Bhoothnath" - Shaana Diya 
By Joginder Tuteja, April 19, 2008 - 14:55 IST
The name Shaana Diya may not instantly ring a bell. A relative newcomer, who made her first big screen appearance for a Bollywood flick in Namastey London (as Laila), she has been watching her steps before getting on a signing spree. In her early 20s, Shaana, who was born to a Gujarati mom and a Swiss Jew dad, has been carrying dreams about making it to the celluloid ever since she can remember.
"Blame my mom for that", laughs Shaana, who would now be seen in Bhoothnath while sharing screen space with none other than Amitabh Bachchan, "I am told that she was watching a film even when she was in labor. I guess it was imperative that the movie bug bit me from my very inception."
Though Shaana has spent most of her life in Switzerland (13 years) followed by London (close to 10 years), Mumbai has been her abode for last one year. "With Namastey London becoming a big hit, I was noticed even though the role was relatively smaller. Feelers started pouring in about good roles and I decided to stay in Mumbai itself and explore opportunities."
One such opportunity was Bhoothnath where she plays Amitabh Bachchan's daughter in law. In the film, she is married to Priyanshu Chatterjee who himself is returning to a prestigious project after quite a hiatus.
"Let me be honest, I got Bhoothnath through a recommendation. Vivek (Sharma), the debutant director of Bhoothnath, heard about me and checked my performance in Namastey London. He contacted me and shared with me what the role was about. I liked the role and next thing I knew, I had the offer in hand. Simple as it may sound but the fact remains that Bhoothnath happened quite easily."
Does she mind sharing about the 'recommendation' part? Laughs Shaana, "I am sure you won't believe me but it is very true that till date I don't know who recommended me for Bhoothnath. Vivek just told me that he had heard about me from someone and wanted to see if I was interested. There were no further questions asked by me while he too didn't delve further on the recommendation bit."
Shaana agrees that though her character in the film is strong, she had to walk a thin rope and not make it sound overtly negative. "I play a strong-n-practical woman with a glamorous yet realistic feel to her persona. What I like about the role is that she has a voice and does bring on a strong feminist aspect to the affairs. At times, the role even made me explore my own personality."
Since she comes from a predominantly Western background, what kind of outfits would she be seen in Bhoothnath? "I mainly wear Western outfits but as I said earlier, the look hasn't been designed to be overly glamorous. When you see the film, you would realize why imparting a realistic touch to this character was so important", explains Shaana.
Bhoothnath isn't the only project where Shaana is currently involved with. She also has an English film in hand where she plays the lead role. "The film is called Idol and though it is in English, it has been made in India itself. It is directed by first time filmmaker Lalit Ajgaonkar. What attracted me towards the film was its unusual story and script. The moment I heard it, I was on for it. I guess my choice of roles hasn't failed me due to which Bhoothnath as well as Idol have been satisfying experiences", replies Shaana.
With Namastey London, Bhoothnath and Idol belonging to diverse genres, is there a specific image that she has in mind for herself? "I am not particular about how I want to be known in the industry or is there is a particular kind of personality I wish to bring on the screen. I look myself as a chameleon who can change colors as per the demand of the role. There isn't any specific mould that I wish to get into since I have it in me to be a different person for a different kind of a role."
"Being known for my professionalism if what I aspire most for", confesses Shaana, "I guess I have been plain fortunate to have got an opportunity to work with none less than Mr. Bachchan at such an early stage of my career. Once you work him even for a day, you learn so much about what professionalism is all about. Just interacting with him teaches you so much which no acting school or workshop could possibly do.
And how about Shah Rukh Khan? Does she have any scenes with him as well, not to say learning about professionalism from him as well? Says Shaana with a tinkle, "Well, for that watch the film. I don't think it is fair on my part to be revealing everything about me and my role in this interview itself!"
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