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Poonam Pandey: I was never offered a porn film

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

Poonam Pandey loves drama.

The 21-year-old starlet first made news when she announced that she would go nude if the Indian team won the World Cup in 2011. India did win, but Pandey went back on her word.

Instead, she released erotic videos of herself in the bedroom and bathroom.

When Patcy N met her for an interview recently -- Pandey is currently promoting her Bollywood debut film called Nasha -- the starlet gave us a ring-side view of her drama.

She spoke in an American accent -- even though she has lived 'all her life' in Mumbai's north-east suburb called Mulund -- and insisted on speaking in English even though she barely knows the language.

If she did not have a suitable answer, she would laugh non-stop.

Through the interview, she kept her head tilted so that her hair fell just the way she wanted.

Click Next to read just what Poonam Pandey had to say about Nasha, and her elaborate skin show.

'My parents started taking me seriously after I appeared on the Kingfisher calendar'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On her entry into showbiz:

I left college after Class 12, as I lost interest in studies, and started modelling. I saw a hoarding of the Glad Rags Mega Model Hunt 2010 and told my father (a businessman) that I wanted to take part in it. My father said yes but he did not take me seriously.

I went for the auditions. I did not have any pictures of myself but yet I got selected. I was in the top seven before I got eliminated, but because of that I started getting more modelling work.

I did shoots for MTV, Grammy Awards television promos in India and also the Kingfisher calendar. My parents started taking me seriously after I appeared on the Kingfisher calendar and started earning.

'I just said casually that if India wins the World Cup, I will strip'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On the cricket controversy:

I never thought of getting into any controversies. I just said casually that if India wins the World Cup, I will go nude. I was just 19 then. Yes, I did say that in front of the media but I did not expect it to backfire.

I was just a cricket fan. I wasn't even born when India got their first World Cup in 1983. That year (2011), it looked like we were getting the World Cup back to India. Everyone was excited and doing so many things, I just took one step ahead and said I will strip.

My parents were not very happy, and I faced problems at home. I was not some high society girl, but from Mulund and my neighbours looked at me like I had sinned. I had to face my parents' anger.

I still said that if the BCCI gives permission, I will still strip. I am very stubborn and believe that if one has said something like this, one can't back out. I still say if BCCI had allowed me to, I would have stripped naked.

'My bathroom and bedroom videos were publicity stunts'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On her erotic bathroom and bedroom videos:

My bathroom and bedroom videos were publicity stunts. I wanted to set a trend, so I did it my own way. I felt like shooting semi-nude in the bedroom and bathroom, so I did it.

I consulted people with whom I work and told them I wanted to do something like this and they said I should go ahead.

After I did those videos, my father lost his cool. Every time I tweet a picture and they come to know about it, they get very upset with me.

'I did not choose the film because it was raunchy and erotic'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On Nasha:

I had a huge fan following on all the social networking sites. I started getting lots of movie offers -- I got 30-40 scripts!

Despite the videos, I was never offered a porn film. I wanted to do a film which would be good for me and my career so I waited for the right script.

I chose to do Nasha because it was the best script. My inner voice told me this script was written just for me. It was a performance-oriented role. I don't have to prove to anyone I am a good actor but I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of acting.

I did not choose the film because it was raunchy and erotic. Nowadays, skin show is normal. It is not a porn film.

'I enjoyed doing everything in the film, whether it was an intimate scene or an emotional scene'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On doing intimate scenes in Nasha:

If I thought there were too many intimate scenes in Nasha and it would be difficult for me, I would have sat at home and not come out of my bedroom.

I enjoyed doing everything in the film, whether it was an intimate scene, emotional scene or masala or masti. I enjoyed it all.

When I am doing an intimate scene, I am in the character. I am not Poonam Pandey any more so I really don't bother who is watching me.

I never felt uncomfortable doing any scene.

'In real life, no young boy has fallen in love with me'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

Is she the next Bipasha?

Amit Saxena, Nasha's director, had directed Jism and Bipasha Basu became a star because of that movie. When I came on board, I knew I had to work hard and be a good actor. It is important that the director is good but I have to be equally good.

I was a kid when Jism released but I know that the way Amit Saxena portrayed Bipasha was excellent. There is a thin line between sleaze and sensuous and he managed it perfectly.

The film is about an 18-year-old boy falling in love with a 25-year-old woman, but in real life no young boy has fallen in love with me -- may be some Twitter fan, but not in real life.

I get a lot of love Twitter messages and wherever I am, even if I am in the bathroom, I keep watch on all the Twitter messages that I get.

'My father got upset after watching the trailer of Nasha'

Last updated on: June 19, 2013 16:04 IST

On the reactions at home:

My mother has not watched the promos of Nasha. My brother and sister saw it and were cool with it. They showed the promos to my dad, and he got upset.

I was really worried how the family would react to me doing intimate scenes. I didn't think about this when I was doing the scenes because I was so into the character. Once the promos were out, I was scared.

They have watched the trailer now and they are fine. But I am worried how they will react to the whole movie; the trailer was just a spark, but the film will be an atom bomb for them.