No more ornamental roles for me: Yana Gupta

Bollywood item girl Yana Gupta , who has no projects in her kitty right now, says she will only take up films that are original and challenging. "I would come to Bollywood only if a great project comes up. I don't really think I would do a film that is a copy of a Hollywood flick. Also, I will not work with people who copy and have no stand of their own," Yana told IANS in an interview.

"No more ornamental roles for me!" she stressed. Yana was here to launch Amatrra Spa.

The Czech model struck gold after featuring in the Kingfisher calendar. Her stint in Bollywood started with the film "Dum", which sank without a trace at the box office. But Yana's sizzling performance in the song "Babuji zara dheere chalo..." turned her into a star overnight.

But she is still waiting for a solo hit. The celebrity candidly confesses that many projects slip out of her hand because she doesn't have command over the Hindi language.

"I wouldn't deny that Hindi is not an issue with me. I had to say no to some projects because people wanted someone else to dub for me and I didn't."

"I wouldn't mind playing an NRI or a foreigner but I will do the dubbing myself. Otherwise the same passion won't reflect on-screen and again I am doing nothing in the film than just looking good."

So what is keeping her busy?

"I am currently working on my yet-to-be titled book on nutrition and a pop album for which I have written, composed and sung songs.

"Actually, I am a fitness freak and when I came to Mumbai I gradually put on a lot of weight, courtesy the Indian food. It is too yummy to resist and full of fats.

Mom's words really matter to me : Soha

Pic : bollywoodmantra.com

Khoya Khoya Chand may have foundered at the Bollywood box-office but actress Soha Ali Khan is on cloud nine after mother Sharmila Tagore praised her performance.

"My mother had never before told me that she liked my acting but after Khoya Khoya Chand she complimented me," Khan said. "She said I had done a good job."

The film depicts the relationship between an actress, played by Khan, and a writer-director with the story based in the 1950s. But Khoya Khoya Chand was a disappointment at the box-office last year and also failed to win over critics.

"I'm slightly confused where we went wrong," the 29-year-old actress said. "There's an argument that the second half could have been pacier."

"Maybe people were expecting something else and what they got they didn't like."

But her mother's words seem to have made up for the film's failure and Khan said she would cherish the moment.

"Her words really matter to me more than what the critics say."