She
is the princess of Bollywood. Esha Deol, the
daughter of one of Bollywood’s most successful
real and reel life screen pairs Dharmendra and
Hema Malini, is proving herself to be as big
a talent to reckon with, as were her famous
parents. Sexy, lovely and petite she seems to
have inherited all her mom’s dainty looks
and her dad’s effervescence. Her impeccable
pedigree in the narrow world of Bollywood is
exemplified further through her superstar brothers
Sunny and Bobby. With a famous family name behind
her, it is natural that a sublime conservatism
should inspire her choice of roles. No unnecessary
exposing for her. She says, “An actress
is all about acting, revealing is not even in
the job!”
In 2002 Esha made her debut in Koi Mere Dil
Se Poochhe in which she got pitted opposite
the heartthrob Aftab Shivdasani. The film did
average business, but Esha easily managed to
cut an above average figure and her work won
critical acclaim, when she bagged the prestigious
Filmfare Best Debut Award. But it was super
grossing films like Kaal and No Entry that allowed
Esha to carve a niche of her own in Bollywood.
Whereas earlier she was known mostly as the
daughter of Hema and Dharmendra, now people
started knowing her as a great actress in her
own right. Esha seems to be really living her
motto, which happens to be, “Face your
fears and live your dreams.”
About her decision to follow her parents and
her brothers into Bollywood, Esha says, “I
always knew that I would want to act one day
and command the same kind of respect other stars
get from people. I guess it is my love for the
acting career that has brought me here.”
This is what makes Esha so exceptional –
that she is not in Bollywood for mere fame,
nor is she here for the big bucks that she gets
for playing her roles. She is here because her
acting talent beckons her to be here. She relishes
every moment of the time she gets to spend before
the camera. So engrossed she is in her work
that she hardly bothers about petty Bollywood
politics. She says, “I prefer focusing
on my career rather than give clarifications
trying to justify myself.”
Rumors are rife that Esha Deol will play her
mother Hema Malini’s role in the remake
of Sholay to be made by Bollywood’s hot
shot director Ram Gopal Varma. It would be a
fitting dénouement to Hema’s legacy
if her daughter were signed to play the role
of Basanti that she immortalized in the cult
classic three decades ago. Hema Malini says
that Basanti’s character was conceived
for her only. However, her daughter Esha is
equally capable of acting as Basanti, she adds.
On her part Esha says that she will not leave
any stone unturned to justify Basanti’s
character that is remembered fondly today by
millions of viewers. In fact she considers Basanti’s
role as the most privileged one for herself.
But isn’t Esha’s mind agog with
the notion that as Basanti she may have to handle
comparisons with her mother? When quizzed on
the subject, she says, “The comparisons
are bound to be there. I just can't help it.
I am taking it very lightly. I know I have to
face it. I have given my best in the film. Now
let the audience and the media judge and decide.
I have her genes so, I guess, some mannerisms
are bound to be similar. But we are very different
from each other; she is more controlled while
I am more fun loving.” If Esha manages
to bag this coveted role, it could achieve marvels
for her acting career. Other than Esha, Sholay’s
remake is being envisaged with superstars like
Amitabh Bachhan, Ajay Devgun, Katrina Kaif and
others.
Now about the million-dollar question - who is the
lucky man who holds the key to this pretty lass's heart?
If there is indeed such a man then Esha is doing a
remarkably fine job in keeping his identity a secret.
There is no dearth of rumors though - rumors that pit
Esha with the cute Aftab Shivdasani or with the hunky
Fardeen Khan. Few months ago the gossip columns went
on overdrive when it was reported that Esha was dating
Abhishek Bachchan. But the pair insists that they are
only good friends and nothing else. The exceptional
thing about Esha is that in her case the buzz is always
about her work and not regarding her myriad dalliances.
That is clearly like Esha, she tends to bask in the new
challenges that every new role throws. By solving the
challenges, by playing her role to perfection, Esha keeps
redefining herself to her critics and to her fans.
