It's fun to be with Maddy: Kangna

Where others credit their genes, godfathers, godmothers and Lady Luck for their first foray into films, guess who gets the credit for Kangna? Her curls! 

"When I entered the industry, I was very thin, and had curly hair, and just that look was unique and set me apart." Curls straightened out, she continues, "Other than that, I think the films I started out with were performance-oriented ones. As an outsider to the industry, you take what you get. I was lucky  Gangster did well commercially and many awards came my way. Had that not been the case, I may not have had a second chance." 

Today, Kangna can let her curls down, smug in the knowledge that she's on the wish-list of many a producer, director, and all those actors who've a say on who their leading lady should be. Her latest outing sees her getting married to the dishy Maddy in Tanu Weds Manu So, how was the chemistry with him? "He was a lot of fun on the sets. Maddy's from a non-film family, very educated, and I'm sure if he hadn't been an actor, he would've been a high-ranking Army official. There's so much one can talk with him outside of films." 

What about the sizzle and spark? "To play a character like Manu, you need a level of maturity and security as an actor, which Maddy has in abundance. It's because of that the film works," she says, refusing to be drawn into it any further. 

What she'd much rather talk about is how food played a big part in them hitting it off. Says this foodie, "There were a lot of foodies on our sets, and because we were shooting in the north Indian towns of UP and Punjab, there was extraordinarily good food available all around. Everyone on the sets was a foodie, and that includes Maddy, director Aanand Rai, producer Shailesh Singh and me. I have memories of Shuklaji's chaat house, kulfi stores... even a stall that sold great badam milk!" 

So, is Tanu like her, given that Kangna too hails from a small town? "Not just me, but any girl will find some bit of herself in Tanu. Tanu's from a small town, but she's not a village belle. She's very bold, and it shows in her attitude." 

With so much happening for Kangna in Bollywood, will Kollywood (Dhaam Dhoom seems so long ago) have to wait awhile? "I'll do any cinema if the script is good. I think very highly of south Indian cinema." 

For someone who's done many an intense, high-strung role, one would think that serious, layered characters would be more her thing. But she surprises by saying that goofy oddball roles are what she enjoys more. "Comedies are certainly more fun." 

The girl with the curly hair has her future all ironed out. After the nuptial bliss in TWM, she's going to be seen in Double Dhamaal, Rascals, and Game. From the hills to the arc lights of Bollywood, this is one girl who's come a long way. And going much longer.