Monikangana Dutta gearing up for act two

Model-turned-actress Moni-kangana Dutta, who sizzled in a bikini a couple of years back on one of the most exotic calendars in India, still insists that she is very conscious of herself among people.

“I am a very shy person actually. I am not gregarious and given a choice, I would like to remain just with my friends. But I know that my screen image and my work portrays me as this exotic girl from the East,” admits Monikangana who will be sizzling as the international face of a lingerie brand.

Moni says that she is prepared to start her life from scratch as an actor as she slowly bids goodbye to her career as a ramp model.

“When I came to Mumbai, everyday was a challenge and every moment was a learning experience. I wouldn’t say that I struggled because wherever I went, the doors simply opened up for me. Somehow I was always at an advantage and never really struggled. But yes, I am my biggest competitor and I’m constantly adapting to new situations — it’s one of the biggest challenges,” says Monikangana about her stints on runways in India, Paris and the US.

Now, back in front of the camera, Moni says that her second innings as an actor might be tougher than it seems. “I am prepared to slog it out. I have taken proper acting classes (at actor Anupam Kher’s training academy). It will be a tough time for me because I am giving up a lot of plum (modelling) assignments because I am now readying to be an actor. It’s a process where you discover a completely new person within yourself,” she adds.

Her director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known to have a temper. We ask Moni if she ever experienced this and the dusky beauty disagrees. In fact Moni says that she has only witnessed Sanjay’s caring side. “I don’t know what people have been talking about. I was also told that he is a task-master. But I found him to be an extremely caring person — someone who nurtures talent and takes care of his actors,” she says adding, “I have never come across any such instance and I thought to myself that next time I should never listen to people talking rubbish about somebody,” she ends.