VluvAnita.net

Natassha

Anita Hasnandani, a simple middle-class girl from Mumbai, began her career as a television actress working in a number of successful Balaji Telefilms’ serials.

TV doyen, Ekta Kapoor who was impressed with her work in the Balaji products, renamed her Natassha, and signed her up for her second home-production (the first being ‘Kyo Kii Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta’) ‘Kucch To Hai’, opposite Tusshar and Esha Deol. The movie bombed but Natassha was the surprise packet, as she turned out to be the villain. Moreover, her number ‘Ding Dong’ (whose picturisation was akin to MJ’s ‘In The Closet’) became a chartbuster.

Natassha’s next film was with Tusshar again, ‘Yeh Dil’, by the successful Telugu director, Tejaa. Incidentally, Natassha had featured earlier in the film’s original (Telugu) version and was signed up for the Hindi remake. ‘Yeh Dil’ flopped at the turnstiles but Natassha’s performance was noticed.

Her recent release, ‘Krishna Cottage’ (somewhat a mix between ‘The Ring’ and ‘Evil Dead’) with Sohail Khan and Ishaa Koppikar may not have managed to secure a thunderous opening but Natassha’s sincerity and her sizzling act in the hit number, ‘Bindhaas’, is the talk of the town.

Unarguably, this “Balaji girl” is climbing up the ladder slowly and steadily and is ready to go places. She will be seen in yet another Balaji Telefilms’ product soon, with Aftab as her co-star and also in an E. Niwas film to be launched soon! Watch out for Natassha!

http://www.bollyvista.com/article/a/36/2361

‘I’m not a violent person’

By: Shaheen Parkar
April 15, 2004

Her name may be Shanti in Balaji’s supernatural film Krishna Cottage which releases this Friday “but I create more ashanti, especially in the movie’s first half,” says Natassha. Krishna Cottage is directed by Santram Verma (Kahiin Kissi Roz) and also stars Sohail Khan and Ishaa Koppikar. “I play a bubbly college student; the kind who always makes a big noise about everything. In the second half, however, I quieten down due to certain happenings.”

Natassha is in Melbourne shooting for Balaji’s next venture Koi Aap Sa, a love story directed by Partho Mitra (Kkusum, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi), with co-stars Aftab Shivdasani and Himanshu Malik. She will also be seen in E Niwas’s 11 pm which she describes “as a triangular love story.”

An Ektaa Kapoor discovery, Natassha acted in the Balaji soap Kabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli. Her big screen debut was Kucch To Hai with Tusshar and Esha Deol. She has also acted in a couple of South films including the Telugu hit Nuwu Mennu (You and Me) which was remade in Hindi as Yeh Dil with Tusshar as co-star.

Model-tuned-actress Natassha owes her filmi aspirations to Ektaa who not only gave her a “dream debut” but also the numerologically correct screen name Natassha (her real name is Anita Hasanandani).

As she waits for the spooky Krishna Cottage to come alive on screen, Natassha tells us when was the last time she….

Cried while watching a film: Two days ago when I saw this film called 50 First Dates in Melbourne. It stars Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. It is about this man who is in love with a woman who suffers from short-term memory loss… so he has to woo her everyday as she keeps on forgetting.

Shopped till she dropped: It was in Bangkok, a year and a half ago. I was at this store MBK from morning to night and still did not finish.

Worked out: I work out daily and am on the treadmill everyday. There are also a couple of cardio exercises I do daily. Thrice a week I am at the gym.
Felt jealous: I am happy with what I have.

Hit someone: I don’t recall ever hitting anyone. I am not the type who gets violent.

Cooked a meal: It was Sindhi curry for a Hyderabad-based newspaper for their celeb cooks section.

Read a book: I am reading Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese. I am quite enjoying it. It’s all about dealing with changes in your life.

Felt humbled: We visited this old age home in Melbourne. It was very moving to see these old couples and how they live despite all odds.

Let your hair down: In Mumbai a week ago, in fact just before leaving for Melbourne. I was with a bunch of friends at Lush and we partied hard.

Went for a holiday: To Bangkok a year and a half ago. After that I have been shooting without a break.

Debutant director
Santram Verma
makes the switch from small screen to the big with Krishna Cottage

ON HIS DIRECTORIAL DEBUT:

I have been associated with Ekta Kapoor for over three years now. When I was directing the hit thriller series Kahin Kisi Roz for her, Ekta came up with the idea for her next home production.

ON KRISHNA COTTAGE:

It’s a supernatural thriller with a difference. I know it sounds cliched to call your film different. But it indeed is with a strong undercurrent of emotions that’s brought out in a love triangle. It certainly is not a crude, crass horror flick. FEAR being the essence of the narration.

ON WORKING WITH EKTA:

Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious. She is definitely a truly involved producer. In fact, we both share the zest and zeal to create something really good. I must also mention Sohail Khan, Ishaa Koppikar & Natassha for their tremendous support and total faith in me, despite my being a firsttime director.

ON ANU MALIK’S MUSIC:

Anu Malik has given a superhit number Bindaas which is already a chart-topper and his soulful number Suna Suna is hauntingly romantic. The background score and special effects have heightened the fear and scare impact terrifically.

The scary fest began last year with Ram gopal Varma’s Bhoot and this year Ekta Kapoor is hoping to cash in on the trend with her Krishna Cottage. ‘Based on a book no one should read’, her new film warns you before shots of the lead actors singing tuneful ditties engulf you. ‘‘Krishna Cottage is a love story with a lot of thrills and chills thrown in,” says actress Isha Koppikar throwing back her blonde coloured mane.
The movie also stars Sohail Khan and Natassha, the Ding Dong girl from Ekta’s last film Kuch to Hai. ‘‘The film begins as any other campus film, but somewhere along things change drastically,”says Sohail Khan.
The film’s promos suggest a love triangle between Koppikar, Khan and Natasha as we see the actor romancing both the women, but the actors are not telling. ‘‘To reveal anything would be to give the storyline away. But love in this film apart from evoking the usual reactions of happiness and tears, also brings out something else – - fear,” grins Koppikar.
The film has been shot in Mumbai and Auli in Uttaranchal, where a part of a song and the climax has been filmed. The weather conditions were tough but Koppikar and Khan describe it as ‘‘a memorable shoot. Since the sun sets at five in the evening there and we needed daylight, we were up everyday by five in the morning. Can you imagine doing that in minus temperature?” she says cheekily.
Adding to her woes was the fact that she had to be wearing a chiffon outfit. ‘‘As soon as the director would
c a l l
for cut, I would be immediately engulfed by a shawl, my hands stuffed into gloves, a monkey cap crammed on my head and a cup of steaming tea thrust at me,” she reveals.
The name of the film evokes curiosity. ‘‘I was a little taken aback myself since Krishna is also a God, but the film is not about a cottage alone. People speculate if it is about a cottage where a group of students take refuge and then are killed one by one. And I say no!”says Koppikar.
Horror and love story all rolled into one — that according to the filmstars is the USP of the film and Sohail Khan is prompt to reply, ‘‘We are all characters in the films, shelled in, it’s the script that is the King.”’ Both stars are hopeful about the fate of their upcoming venture at the box office, ‘‘because a good film always works.”
And how was it working with Ekta Kapoor? ‘‘Oh it was wonderful. She is very dedicated,” says Sohail while Isha adds, ‘‘Her dedication is to be seen to be believed. She knew the dialogues of every scene that was being canned,”’ gushed Isha.
While Ekta’s last film was a disaster, it remains to be seen whether the ghosts of Krishna Cottage can carry the film at the box office.

Tusshar is on cloud nine these days, and not without reason. Although his Yeh Dil bombed all over the country when it was released in February last year, it has gone on to celebrate golden jubilee in at least one theatre in Mumbai.
The love story, a remake of a Telugu blockbuster, was rejected by audiences but loved in a distant Mumbai suburb, Bhiwandi. They seemed to have simply adored the Tusshar-Anita (Natassha) starrer.
That’s the reason for the film celebrating golden jubilee in the suburban cinema

USUAL love stories make you cry, but this love story scares you more than anything. We’re talking about Krishna Cottage, which is more than just a love triangle. Actually it’s an amazing murder mystery. The film starring Sohail Khan, Ishaa Koppikar, Natassha and Rati Agnihotri is slated for all India release in April, but the movie’s music soundtrack has already hit the jackpot. Distributed by Times Music, it comprises three peppy tracks including the Bindaas song, which is on everyone’s lips, and two romantic melodious numbers tuned by Anu Malik. Planet M in Banjara Hills will host a special appearance of the film’s star cast on Monday evening. At least you can get to ask them whodunit?