Carry On Jatta 3 star Sonam Bajwa REACTS to the time she met Aamir Khan after auditioning for Laal Singh Chaddha: I was feeling so ashamed…

Sonam Bajwa will soon be seen alongside Gippy Grewal in Carry On Jatta 3 . Directed by Smeep Kang, the film will hit the silver screens on June 29. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actress for an exclusive chat.

Excerpts: You are very well known in Punjab. How do you handle fame? An actor or any artiste for that matter is made a star because of the love of the audiences. I am sure every artiste has his/her dream to become a star.

You get that fame after you get the tag of being a star. I enjoy that tag honestly. I don’t think there’s ever a point, ‘Oh! I have to handle this’.

I enjoy thoroughly and feel fit for it. I am living my dream and handling it. I try to work as hard as possible as I want more recognition and more fame.

I feel great with this tag. Priyanka Chopra Jonas recently said that when actors enter the industry, they have just one small dream of getting one film. But their dreams grow bigger with time.

What do you have to say? I have been working for 10 years doing films. I just feel I have been working only for just three years and I still have to do a lot of work. I feel I have just started.

I have bigger dreams and want to do better work. So you have done all Punjabi films? No, I have done three South Indian films also. Two films were Tamil and one Telugu film.

But when I started my career it was a Punjabi film with Gippy. It was called Best Of Luck. After that, when I was shooting for this Tamil film called Kappal, I received a call for Punjab 1984.

This was my second film which bagged the National Award. Offers from Punjabi films kept pouring in so I didn’t have time to do any South films. The Telugu film Aatadukundam Raa (2016) was in the earlier phase of my career.

Whenever I would get a call from the South industry I was busy doing at least three Punjabi films. Throughout the year my dates couldn’t match. I can’t complain.

I was meant to start my journey in the South and settle down with Punjabi films. A post shared by The Free Press Journal (@freepressjournal) How comfortable are you doing films in your own mother tongue? Indeed it feels great to work in films in your mother tongue. You feel very comfortable.

But I worked in Tamil and Telugu films. It was an enriching and wonderful experience. Will you do South films if offered now? If I get a chance and if the script is good I will definitely opt for it.

Living in the city of dreams, Mumbai, did you not try in Hindi films? I did try in the Hindi films. I auditioned for many films. I was offered a few films but somehow it didn’t materialise.

I auditioned for Happy New Year and you won’t believe I also auditioned for Laal Singh Chaddha. When I met Aamirji (Khan) he remembered my audition. I was feeling so ashamed when he told me that he had remembered that audition.

Did you not feel bad to have not passed out the audition for Laal Singh Chaddha? Kareenaji (Kapoor Khan) has done that film. Though I have not seen the film, but she is a bahut kamal ki actor. I feel those who deserve get the roles which are meant for them.

In the beginning when you don’t get a film you have auditioned for, of course you feel bad. This is our job as an actor. Whatever is meant for you will come to you.

Someone not from a filmy background should make a mind-set to appear for as many auditions as you can but don’t keep high hopes. Yes you should give your best. In order to go ahead in your career you have to face the audition as and when you are called for it.

Maybe Aamir Khan may think about you for his next? I have no idea about that. But if you are doing good impressive work then you don’t need to remind anyone, they will call you on their own. My intention is simple.

I need a good response like all my Punjabi films are doing well and they all love me. Were you offered any Hindi films earlier? I was offered a few roles from the Hindi film industry but I declined those films as I was thinking about the reaction of the Punjabi audiences and also what will my parents have to tell me. I just don’t want to do Hindi films for the sake of doing it.

It has to be meaningful and a good role. (To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here .

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