The news is out. Freida Pinto, who somebody said went from obscurity to worldwide superstardom in the blink of a well-curled eyelash with Slumdog Millionaire, has bagged the biggest and perhaps best role of her young career as an actress.

It is in Tarsem Singh’s $100 million Greek mythological epic War of The Gods which will release in the summer of 2011. An excited Hollywood press is supposed to have cranked up the buzz blaster and Tarsem himself described his film “as a larger-than-life adventure with the look and feel of an Italian renaissance painting — a setting well-suited to Freida’s timeless beauty”.

The actress, who plays Phaedra — the hero’s oracle in War of The Gods, was in Mumbai when the story broke. I met her for tea one evening at a city hotel poolside where she was shooting a campaign for a UK human rights organisation. She walked upto me with her hair blowing madly in the breeze, long legs flashing in snug designer jeans, golden-beige thongs peeping carelessly over the waistband through a tomato-red top. I thought she looked what she was, a sweet and young Catholic girl from Malad in whom Danny Boyle saw some spark and cast in Slumdog, changing Freida’s life forever.

She’s been in Mumbai since Christmas, spending time with her family, catching up with cousins, dodging the media which wanted details of her love life with Slumdog co-star Dev Patel. “My career made me known to the media, so keep it at that, I don’t want to divulge personal details of my life. And if I truly and honestly believe I have nothing to say, why bore people with my chatter,” Freida asked. So that was that about Dev Patel. I asked her what she had been doing all of last year, after Slumdog swept the Golden Globe and Oscars, taking her from Malad and screen tests and auditions in Bollywood to red carpets alongside Hollywood’s most glamorous. “Two films,” she replied, “for which I spent four months in Israel and four months in London, that took care of 2009.”

The films are Miral, a Franco-Israeli film based in war-torn Jerusalem during Israel’s 1948 partition from Palestine. And You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, a Woody Allen film, in which Freida acts opposite Josh Brolin, and with Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas and Naomi Watts. “What about the James Bond role,” I asked. “I have no idea where that came from,” Freida shrugged, “even my LA agents were curious. But this is a Bond thing, it happens with a lot of actresses, or with those in the news. It was very flattering, I must say, and I don’t know if I would have done it. I’m too young to be a Bond girl. There’s not much of a role, though some of them have become iconic, and you need somebody more mature and beautiful than me.” This coming from someone described by the international fashion police as being among the most beautiful, best dressed, desirable and stylish women of the world. “Oh that’s nothing,” she said dismissively, “there will always be someone else next year. I want to be an actress who will be remembered.”

Isn’t it strange, that despite her success in Hollywood, there are no roles yet for Freida to play in Bollywood? She clicked her tongue in irritation, “I haven’t said no to Bollywood, I am looking at scripts, when I hit the nail on the head — I will announce it. I have to do a Hindi film. Bollywood is changing, it is globally appealing, and the stars here all treat me well.”

They pat Freida on the back when their paths cross and tell her, “Keep it up, babe.” But there’s only one star in Bollywood who she looks upto. “Shah Rukh Khan,” she said, “His is by far the most inspirational story of all, he’s graceful, charming, and so wonderful, the best representation that India can have internationally.” She co-presented an award with SRK at the Golden Globes last year. “And I don’t know yet if I was more excited or nervous to be standing next to Shah Rukh Khan,” she giggled like an infatuated teen.

What would she have been doing if Slumdog hadn’t happened, I asked. “I’d be struggling, I still am — actually, the struggle never ends. Before Slumdog, I’d wake up and wait for a call from my agency. Then go for auditions, trying to make it, get a break in Bollywood.” And now she’s, what, the highest paid actress in India? “Oh dear, who said that,” Freida wanted to know, “and where’s the money? Nothing came to me!” But yes, what Slumdog had done was it made her more confident. And it opened Hollywood up to her. “It gave me the opportunity to choose what I want to do. Unless you get success, you don’t get the privilege to say yes and no,” admitted Freida. “But at home, they treat me the same as before, my mother is always telling me not to leave my things lying around, and I roam about the house in pajamas. But I cannot go down and play 7 Tiles anymore with the other building kids…”

Madhur Bhandarkar, who could be called the man behind the original Slumdog, Traffic Signal was more that flattered and said in a recent interview:

“I’d love to work with Freida, Today I’m at a stage where an actress of Freida’s international popularity singles me out. I guess I must’ve done something right in these ten years as a director. Can you imagine the kind of potboilers I’d be making if my first film Trishakti had clicked?”

The director who is known for his female centric films, read: Chandini Bar, Page 3, Fashion feels this could be the reason behind Freida’s decision. Pinto could be Bhandarkar’s ticket to the Oscars if he did churn out a film for her, you listening Madhur?

Pinto said: “My entire crew make fun of me but I think Danny Boyle should get Indian citizenship because he really got under the skin of a Mumbaikar better than anyone else.

“He has not been naïve about the fact when you come to Mumbai you see slums. It is just the way it is.”

She added: “When you are starting off with no acting skills, acting with him is a blessing. He is enigmatic.”

Boyle’s Jai Ho trust recently purchased a new home for child cast member Azharuddin Ismail, whose house was demolished.

However, she didn’t succumb as she was aware of how such things work in Indian cinema.

“It’’s kind of taboo. It usually gets cut off at the censorship board level, so what’’s the point of having shot it?” Contactmusic quoted her as saying. She added: “Three or four years back I was auditioning for a film and I met this man who was like, ”We can be good friends,” with a twinkle in his eye. I knew where that was coming from and it didn”t feel right.”

However, Pinto has stressed that such incidents doesn’t mean that she is averse to do sex scenes for Hollywood directors, when needed. “It all depends on the director, what kind of work he’’s done in the past,” she said.

“I come from a completely non-filmy background, being born to Mangalorean parents in Mumbai. The only connection I had with the entertainment industry was my sister, who works as a producer in NDTV,” says Freida while talking about her background. “But I did have dreams of making a career in acting which is why I used to participate in all dramatics events in my college (St Xavier’s in Mumbai) In fact, I even started walking the ramp and modeling for different brands after graduating I wanted a toehold in the entertainment industry,” says Freida while walking down the memory lane.

Freida took up modeling quite seriously and before she could bat an eyelid, she landed up with prestigious assignments for big brands like Wrigleys, Skoda, India Today, De Beers, Hutch, Airtel and Visa. “Though I was getting lot of good modeling assignments and doing quite well, I was not completely satisfied since I wanted to make a mark in acting,” says the mode-turned actress who started doing rounds of production houses and participating in various auditions in search of a break.

“As part of one such routine audition process, I got a call from Loveleen Tandon, the casting director of Slumdog Millionaire. Initially I could not believe that they were actually calling me to audition for a Danny Boyle film, but as they say truth is stranger than fiction,” says Freida while recollecting fond memories of her audition. The entire process went on for close to six months. “Since I had no training in acting, neither had I acted in any other film, I was confident of not getting selected! In fact, the audition process itself was a big learning for me. It was nothing short of an acting course,” says Freida who was pleasantly surprised at getting selected for the role.

Once she was selected, there was no looking back for the Mumbai girl. It was a dream run for her, though it involved a lot of hard work. Freida shot for the film in her hometown Mumbai, though later on she toured the entire world to receive various awards and accolades. “I think I have lived through all my dreams in the four months that I worked in the film. A newbie like me could not have expected anything else. Working with Danny Boyle, the director, was a fantastic experience. There is so much to learn from him and he did teach me a lot” says Freida. “The entire cast and crew of the film worked very well as a team. I developed a very good rapport with Dev Patel, my co-star in the film. Since he was new to Mumbai, being an NRI, I used to show him different places in the city and have great fun,” says the 24-year old model turned actress who has become an international celebrity now.

The film, apart from the accolades, has also received some brickbats for showcasing the tried and tested poverty theme from India. Freida, expectedly rubbishes all that and has been quoted as saying, “This is one of the most honest films made about my city. There is not an iota of imagination in the movie.” The realistic movie, based on a reality show has since won a number of awards across the globe, including four Golden Globe awards for best film—drama, best director and music. Slumdog Millionaire has also won awards at the Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival and British Independent Awards. No mean achievement that!

Needless to say, Freida is on Cloud Nine after all these accolades. But to her credit, she has not lost touch with the ground level realities. “I am just starting my career and need to be very careful about every step I take. With so many awards for the film, expectations from me have definitely skyrocketed. I have to be very choosy about the roles I take up in my future projects,” says the actress.

Would she be doing Hindi films? “I am not sure whether I will be able to do the typical Hindi potboiler or not, but I would definitely like to do Hindi films. However, right now I would prefer working on some Hollywood projects,” explains the actress who has already hired agents in India and the US to hunt for the right project for her.

Source: Real Bollywood

The things people do for a quick buck, and it seems Hollywood’s current ‘It’ girl is no exception.

After wowing critics as the star-crossed lover in Slumdog Millionaire, landing a spot on the much-coveted Tonight Show with Jay Leno and even catching the eye of ladies’ man, Gerard Butler, Pinto can be excused for letting fame go to her head. But the 24-year-old is full of surprises.

“I was a very independent child and always wanted to make my own money,” Pinto tells Emirates Business. “By the time I was 13, I had promoted Act II popcorn in supermarkets, and done voiceovers in stadiums during matches. It earned me Rs125 (Dh12).

“When I turned 15, I threatened my mom, if you don’t let me take up a proper job, I would go to Bacardi parties and serve alcohol,” she laughs.

Her clown act happened when she started working at an entertainment company, knowing even then that her place was in the bright lights.

Recalling the day that would change her life forever, Pinto appears just as excited about that fateful call, like it happened only yesterday.

“My manager received a call from casting director Loveleen Tandon in 2007. Loveleen told my manager they were making a film in India based on Mumbai, and Danny Boyle was directing it.

“My manager rung me up and said, ‘Freida, this is one audition you would not want to miss’,” she says.

With no acting experience, barring her sporadic clown gigs, Pinto claims she wasn’t even sure she would land the part, but was simply happy to just audition for “a Danny Boyle film”.

A month later Pinto got a call from Tandon informing her she had been shortlisted for the role of Latika, the film’s female lead. “The next audition was conducted by Danny himself and I was a nervous wreck. Little did I know it would turn into a six-month audition process.”

Pinto would receive calls sometimes once or twice a month, sometimes to check her acting capabilities, the other time to test her younger version in the film (played by Rubina Ali).

Ideally, most budding actors would brush up on their homework – in this case, read the Vikas Swarup book that has inspired the film. But Pinto didn’t even have that option.

“Even though I haven’t read Q&A, my character doesn’t even exist in the book. I was completely created out of the imagination of writer Simon Beaufoy. I consider myself his baby.”

Ask her if she knew Slumdog would go on to become a champion for the underdog, and the one-film-old actress opts for a level diplomacy reserved for Hollywood veterans.

“I had no expectations when the film was first released,” the actress reveals. “I didn’t want to live in this world of expectations, because when you don’t anticipate the accolades and you receive them, it’s all the more sweet.”

So is Hollywood or Bollywood her career choice?

“My agent says the second project will be even tougher to choose because everyone will have their eyes boring into you,” comes the giggling response. “Presently, Slumdog is my only love and no other film can even compete.”

Source: Emirates Business 24/7

Freida Pinto, female lead in the much acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire, is enjoying every minute of her new found stardom. “It’s been a great homecoming,” she says with a tired but contented smile. The Indian premiere last night has kept the jet-lagged actress on her toes ever since she came back from the Golden Globes.

“I need to treasure these moments for the rest of my life. For someone who’s never acted before, this break was a blessing. Working for Danny Boyle was like attending the best acting school. When we started working, he told me, ‘Life isn’t always the same. Brace yourself for the world!’ The attention does get overwhelming at times and I’m still getting used to it. I’m a shy, reserved girl. Even when today someone compliments me, I get very embarrassed,” she says with laugh.

The last week has been almost surreal for the ex-Xavierite. “Suddenly everyone needs my opinion and wants to know everything about me! Just yesterday a man stopped me to ask if he could take a picture with me. The adulation has been very unexpected. At the Golden Globes, I felt like Alice in Wonderland on the red carpet. Being among all those stars was a very humbling experience and was even more special because I’ve struggled to get where I am,” says the dusky beauty.

And what about the criticism that came her way for the off-shoulder couture dress she wore at the awards function? “It seemed right at that time,” she says with a pout. “But I’m obviously going to be more careful now.” Bollywood is yet to reckon her although she’s already made up her mind on doing any type of meaningful cinema. “I’m open to Chinese, British, African or any other type of cinema that I find appealing enough,” she declares.
Her co-star Dev Patel recently described Freida as his soulmate. “I heard about that,” she grins. “What he meant was that we connected the most on the sets since we were both aspiring actors who thought alike and who’d just got their big break. And once the movie released, we helped each other cope with all the slew of attention that came our way.” Her parents are, of course, thrilled about their daughter’s success. “They’ve almost got a rehearsed speech ready to recite about the film to everyone they meet. And my mum is preparing a scrapbook for me, which contains every thing that has been published on me,” she laughs.

Has she changed since Slumdog Millionaire fell into her lap? “Not at all. I’m still the same, sensitive and simple girl who always dreamed about being an actress. The only thing that’s changed is that the girl walking around in jeans and tees has now taken to wearing designer dresses,” she chuckles. “Being in the public eye is unnerving at times but I think it’s a small price everyone pays for fame. But I keep telling myself all the time — I’m an actor, not a star.”

Source: Times of India

Dev’s not your everyday musclebound hero, but it’s just what the doctor ordered for Danny Boyle, who was not, in his words, looking for the typical ‘hero-in-waiting’ for Slumdog Millionaire. A film that’s stirred up a real hornet’s nest among armchair critics about its portrayal of Mumbai.

The three of them are at the JW Marriott and in an “oasis of calm” as Boyle puts it. “Hornet’s nest?” he says, taking a bite out of an enormous muffin. “Terrible things happen in London and New York. There are slums all over the world. I’m aware that a lot of people have said a lot of nasty things about the film but the difference here is that there’s a great humanity in this film. Everybody loves the underdog. It’s a soft spot anyways for everybody. We all love the idea that a nobody can come right out of nowhere and make it. And of course, I loved doing it!”

For Freida, it’s a dream come true. “The six months of auditioning really helped me get into the actor mode. I’ve never acted before,” says this ex-Xavierite, continuing, “But the most challenging scene for me was the kitchen scene, where Danny told me that I have to say no with my words but say yes with my eyes to Dev’s character. That was a really tough thing to do, and I remember several times just getting frustrated with not getting the scene right.” But it all worked out quite okay in the end. This is all quite a dream in a way for Dev, a kid from Harrow, UK. “When we were flying down to India together yesterday morning, we got upgraded to first class. And Dev was absolutely thrilled by that!” said Boyle, glancing at Patel, who was fiddling with getting the samosa knot of his tie the correct way. “Yeah it’s a whole lot different; Danny would keep telling me to act in such a way that the audience would be able to follow every emotion I was trying to convey. The Taj Mahal sequence was the toughest for me. When I tried that scene the first time, I went all over-the-top, and overacted. But then Danny showed me how to control myself. And measure out my emotions,” says Dev.

That’s exactly what these three will have to be doing in real life as well, as for the duration of their stay in India, they’re going to have to deal with all sorts of questions about a film that has pretty much become the talk of the town. Danny realises that there are probably a lot of people who have already seen the film. To which he says, “Hey, this is the Maximum City right? Aaram se is my favourite expression here. But you know what? India is probably one of the few places where the film industry makes stars out of directors as well. And one of the few places where the name of the director is displayed real big on the posters!” he laughs.

Source: The Times of India

CNN-IBN: So many festivals, nominations awards – How is life after Slumdog…?
Freida Pinto: It’s unbelievably unreal. I cannot believe that any of this has happened. It’s been six months and nothing has yet sunk in. Even at the Golden Globes I remember I called up the lead actor next morning after the awards night and said, did we actually win four Golden Globes or am I just dreaming?

CNN-IBN: You have been signed by a creative artist agency that signs many stars – is that true?
Freida Pinto: That’s true, obviously I have a very good manager here. Out there I have a very good manager who manages people like Kate Winslet etc. She is phenomenal.

CNN-IBN: There is the criticism that the film also sells India’s poverty and slum life?
Freida Pinto: Yes it does project India’s slum life but what about it showing country’s growing economy.

CNN-IBN: You have won the BAFTA nominations. How do you feel about it?
Freida Pinto: I am nervous, I literally fell of my seat when I heard about it. I was in transit at the Frankfurt airport and I literally fell of my seat.

CNN-IBN: Do you believe all of this was written, like Jamaal’s story?
Freida Pinto: Yes. I believe everything in life is written. If it is meant for you, you get it.

Source: IBN Live