'People said I should have been lead of Rowdy Rathore'

Kaajal Vashisht is on cloud nine, having acquired a fan following in Rowdy Rathore, her first film.

The girl from Chennai speaks to Patcy N about Rowdy Rathore, her co-stars Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, and making it as a single woman in Mumbai. 

Rowdy Rathore is doing really well in the first week of its release. What kind of response are you getting from audiences and fans?

People have really liked me and my work in Rowdy Rathore, posting good comments on my Twitter and Facebook pages.

Some said that I am thinner than Sonakshi and some said I am better looking than her, and that I should have been the lead actress.

How did Rowdy Rathore happen?

One of my friends was associated with the Rowdy Rathore team and that's how I knew about the audition.

Initially, they auditioned me for the cop's role (which later went to Gurdeep Kohli) but I was not selected because I am really thin and don't have broad shoulders.

But Prabhu sir (Prabhu Deva) liked my audition so he offered me the role of Sonakshi Sinha's friend, Neha.

Neha is from Mumbai so when Paro (Sonakshi) comes to Mumbai from Bihar, Neha protects her from loafers and similar types.  

Akshay Kumar plays Shiva, who woos Paro and is always around us. Neha doesn't like him since he is rowdy, but eventually begins to fall in love with him.

How was it working with Prabhu Deva? Would you communicate with him in Tamil?

Yes, of course. It was fun talking to him in Tamil on the sets because others would just stare. We had lots of fun on the sets.

How was it working with Akshay Kumar?

When I met Akshay, I didn't feel that I was meeting him for the first time. He is an absolutely amazing guy and very down-to-earth.  

He has such a persona that when you meet him you feel like you have known him for a long time. I never felt that I was a newcomer on the sets when I was working with him.

Sometimes there are many retakes. He is so cool about it and patient. There are lots of things to learn from him.

I am actually learning martial arts because of him. He inspired me. I used to learn kickboxing and now Wing Chun, another martial art.

What about Sonakshi?

Sonakshi is very pretty, she is fun to be around and Akshay sir always plays pranks on her.

She is the sweetest girl I have ever met. I went on the sets with a perception that she is a star kid so she would have an attitude, but she was really nice.

What kind of pranks did Akshay play?

I remember when we were shooting for the song Chammak Chalo Chail Chabeli, it was Raksha Bandhan time.

Akshay's hairdresser had a crush on a dancer and was trying to flirt with her. Akshay made all the girls on the set tie a raakhi on him and sing Bhaiyya Mere Raakhi Ke Bandhan Ko Nibhaana (Chhoti Bahen)! That poor fellow was so embarrassed by the incident.

Did Akshay play any pranks on you?

No, he spared me because he knew that I was new child in the industry. He was very supportive and guided me on the sets rather than playing pranks on me.

Tell us something about yourself.

I am from Chennai, born and brought up there. I studied law and then worked in a private firm in Mumbai

I was supposed to go to the US to study for an MBA degree but that couldn't happen, so I took Journalism at K C College in Mumbai and worked as an anchor for Doordarshan alongside.

Acting was never planned -- it just happened. When I was anchoring, my friends and colleagues told me I look good on screen so give it a shot.

I started auditioning for plays in Hindi and Gujarati. I got my first play because I could speak six languages--Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Marwadi, Hindi, and English

I have acted in several Gujarati plays, auditioned for television and films and then got Rowdy Rathore, my first film.

Did you find it difficult to get a flat in Mumbai?

Yes. There are lots of societies that don't want to rent to a single woman, but I made my way.

Mumbai as a city has taught me a lot. I worked for two years in a bank and learnt a lot about this city. I worked part-time, saved money, and did some modelling after the journalism course.

Why did you change your name from Kajal Joshi to Kaajal Vashisht?

I believe in astrology and numerology. My guru told me that I should add A in my name. 

Vashisht is my gotra (clan) and he asked me to use it as it will give me peace in life. I did that and it has brought me a lot of peace and work too.

Did you have to negotiate the 'casting couch'?

I think this is a very overrated topic. As a woman, you always know which person is right or wrong.

If a person genuinely wants to work with you, he won't chitchat with you. You get all kinds of people in the world; you have to decide who you want to be with.

What are your forthcoming films?

I am shooting for Music Meri Jaan in Indore. It is directed by Tanuja Shankar.