Yogesh Mishra | yogesh@bollywoodtown.in
Celina Jaitly, a former Miss India and renowned Bollywood actress who has worked in hit movies like Janasheen, No Entry, Golmaal Returns, Apna Sapna Money Money, etc., recently had a short visit to Mumbai. Her performance in her last film SEASONS GREETINGS- A TRIBUTE TO RITUPORNO GHOSH by Ram Kamal Mukherjee won her a lot of awards including “best actor in short film” in 2022 but healing from the devastating loss of her parents and son lead her to take a backseat for a few years in order to heal.
This visit of Celina was really for the purpose, and the good news is that people may see her on the silver screen once again very soon. Celina Jaitly is known for portraying the character as Sanjana of No Entry, Meera Nair of Golmaal Returns, or Jessica of Janasheen, but she also has other aspects to her as an actor and also as an individual. In an exclusive interview with Yogesh Mishra, she spoke about her comeback in Bollywood, genres she would like to work with, working experience with director Anees Bazmee in the past, things that are really so special about Mumbai, upcoming film projects, and more.
You are back in Mumbai, so what is the agenda behind coming back to Mumbai, coming back to Bollywood, in fact?
The agenda is starting work again, and by God’s grace, it is said that Mumbai belongs to Mumba Devi, and whoever gets her blessings never lives empty-handed. I still remember that day, when my plane was about to land, when I came as a Miss India contestant. I was sitting at the back of the plane, and when I looked down from the plane, suddenly an unexpected thought came into my mind that I was going to have my own home in this city. This city has given me a lot. I came with a single suitcase as a Miss India contestant from Kolkata in economy class, and that too I got a seat near the toilet. And after that, not only did I win Miss India, but I also won almost every sub-contest in Miss India. After Miss India, I became a runner-up at Miss Universe and a launch in the film industry by the iconic Feroz Khan.
What is really so special about Mumbai & Bollywood?
Mumbai always attracts me. I have spent my time in many beautiful countries. I’m married to an Austrian, but my home is my home. And I know that, whenever I come to my home, here always be work for me, and it is there. I am too busy since I am here. We are working on some amazing scripts and have a lot of good offers. Now it is the era of scripts where you can do something different. Thanks to OTT, you can do so many more different things; so much more is being explored. I am looking at everything. I have a family, which is always a priority for me but so is my creativity and personal growth.
You have a glorious past in the film industry, then took a break, and now you’re coming back after almost a decade. So, in this changed scenario, are you coming back as the same Celina Jaitly or with some differences?
A decade break is not a true fact as my last film SEASONS GREETINGS- A TRIBUTE TO RITUPORNO GHOSH which released in 2022 won me many allocates. See, the thing is that I am very lucky that the current mentality is absolutely changed with the incoming of OTTs. The kind of movies that are made, the audience is not foolish anymore that you can serve the same kind of ghisa-pita masala. Now all sorts of films are being made. There are military films being made, there are films being made on Kashmir, and there are films being made about history, historical films. Earlier, directors and producers could not experiment like this. If you have dedication and passion, then there is good work for you, and I am so happy that I am able to come back to this good work right now. Since now with so many avenues opening, there is a lot of work, so now I can choose what I want to do. As a human being, maybe better I feel now. I am not the same because I have evolved as a human being on many different fronts including as an artist and a human being.
What kind of changes do you personally feel in yourself and in your very own Bollywood?
Honestly, I have evolved tremendously both as an actor and as a human being. While I have children, and I am taking care of family as a mother and a wife as well I have also been working with the United Nations. I have been upgrading myself. I have been working on my music, doing so many different things as an entrepreneur. My songs have millions of views and have developed their own unique following That time is gone when you get married; then you will have to take care of kids and home only. Do I look like that kind of a person? No, I am not that. That is just a thought process in people’s minds. I am Celina Jaitly, who was exploring a different aspect of my life. Actually, I made a comeback during Covid time. I won a Filmfare, I won an IWM Buzz, and I won the New York Film Festival. I did everything, but I am not desperate that I have to work because I want to be busy. No, I want to work because my creativity is crying.
You are now married and having kids with many added responsibilities. In that scenario, to start your career back in Bollywood, how will you manage your personal and professional life together?
Times have changed. The new generation has also changed. We have changed, and how we manage families has also changed. I am not, by God’s grace, I have enough people, staff, support, mental and physical to take care of the children. And these children have now, I have made them independent enough to focus on their lives, growing up, while their parents work. And I am not the only parent working. There are many parents who work; they have even busier careers than I do. There are parents who are army officers, both husband and wife. Parents are both at the border, and kids are with their grandparents. They don’t even have grandparents. So, it’s about your mentality as to how I manage my house; it’s honestly nobody’s business. It’s nobody’s business and nobody’s problem. I know how I have brought up my kids. I know how I am going to divide my time. I know I have people to care for and to rely on. So that support system, by God’s grace, is there, and it shouldn’t be anyone’s problem. Anyone’s problem should be how Celina is performing on screen. How things are there at my home is nobody’s business.
Is there any particular genre that you wish to work on now or would like to carry on with a similar kind of film that you have worked on so far?
Honestly speaking, I’m open to everything that lights a fire in me and that can be anything. It can be a historical film, it can be a comedy, but I will not do work which I don’t shine. If I wish and want, I can be busy 24 hours doing different things and endless hours of work but I don’t want to do that kind of work. I want to do work that gives me really, really good happiness and satisfaction as an actor.
How was your working experience with director Anees Bazmee in the past?
It was a wonderful working experience with Anees ji. I’m still in touch with him, and one day when the stars align it will also be about being part of his upcoming movies. Of course, I love working with Anees ji I have done two mega blockbuster films with him. He is one of my most favorite directors and human being. Anees ji is a good human being and an excellent writer as well. There is hardly anyone in Bollywood like him. I would love to work with him again and again.
You have been part of No Entry, a superhit movie, and now No Entry 2 is announced. Would you like to work with this franchise?
To tell you the truth, it is absolutely the filmmaker’s thought process and creative decision whom they want in the sequel. I completely support that. For me, it is very important that I was a very integral part of the original film that was most successful and continues to rule people’s hearts it is more important to me to remain a part of cinema history than a sequel.
What are your upcoming movie projects?
There is one product I have signed, a non-disclosure right now, so I can’t. They will be launching the project next month. You will see that. It’s a historical project. I’m very excited about that. Then I am looking at something that is international; it’s like a web series. Then I’m looking at something like a science show. So, there are different things that people have not seen these aspects of me. Because people have only known Celina as Sanjana of No Entry or Meera Nair of Golmaal Returns or Jessica of Janasheen. But that very girl has also other aspects to her as an actor and also as an individual. I like to stay quiet about my goals now, by God’s grace my results will do all the talking.
