"I refused to wear a bikini"

Minissha Lamba has shot down reports that she walked the ramp in a bikini in her forthcoming comedy 'Hum Tum Shabana', saying there was such a scene in the script but she refused to do it.

"I put my foot down and didn't wear a bikini in the film. A scene was planned but I refused to do it," Minissha, who wore a bikini for her role in 'Kidnap', said.

Directed by Sagar Ballary, 'Hum Tum Shabana' is not a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, says the actress, adding: "The impression that you have is that it's a story of two guys who are after a girl. It's typical of a romantic comedy. If you think that that's all there is in the film, then you have to think again."

The 26-year-old, who mader her debut with 'Yahaan' in 2005, is working with Ballary for the second time for 'Hum Tum Shabana' after 'Bheja Fry 2'.

The bikini scene notwithstanding, Minissha feels lucky to be part of the film as it is one of the rarest of comedies where the story revolves around a female character.

"Most comedies don't have much space for women. It's a very male dominated domain and most comedies are male oriented. In 'Hum Tum Shabana', I am lucky to get the title role and everything that happens is around or motivated by Shabana. So she is the central character in the film, which is very rare in a comedy.

"It has an equal dose of emotion, drama, and action and of course comedy. It's not a slapstick comedy I would say," she said

Releasing September 23, the film has Shreyas Talpade and Tusshar Kapoor wooing Minissha.

Talking about her character, she said: "She is part of a beauty pageant. And she is the most unlikely contestant to be in a beauty pageant. She doesn't fit the criteria of someone who can be a model. She doesn't win the pageant, of course. The drama that happens after that is the high point of the film."

Friends turned foes, Shreyas and Tushhar, didn't let their personal differences affect the shooting of the film, Minissha added.

"If they had a problem between them, I did not know about it. Either there are no conflicts between them or they are just brilliant actors. See, everyone was professional on the sets. Even if they had personal differences, they are such thorough professional that they didn't let it affect their work," she added.

Minissha, who has starred in films like 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.' (2007), 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' (2008), and 'Well Done Abba!' (2009), will be seen next in the Akshay Kumar starrer 'Joker' and the hard-hitting action drama 'Zilla Ghaziabad'.

IANS