"Women don't have a shelf life in films"

She plays a priestess with the power to see the future in the Hollywood film 'Immortals' and Freida Pinto says that if she actually gets such powers she would like to increase the longevity of her career as women don't have a shelf life in films.

"If I had Phaedra's powers and if I could look into the future, I think I would want longevity in my career. I say from the point of view that women as such do not have greater shelf life in this industry," Freida said.

However, she added, there are a few exceptions.

"Some of them defy all odds like Helen Mirren or Meryl Streep, who can do exactly what a 20-year-old can do. So I think I would wish for that," she added.

Directed by Tarsem Singh, the film 'Immortals' starring Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke and Luke Evans is an epic tale of treachery, vengeance and destiny, and the actress is all praise for the director.

"What is unique about this film is it is completely Tarsem's take. He never puts you in a box and wants you to repeat his vision word to word. He not only wants you to understand his vision but also bring in your own take to the film," said Freida, who rose to fame with Danny Boyle's Oscar winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

"I was to incorporate stillness in my character from the very beginning, which meant no twitching of the eyebrows or too many body movements. He felt that since Phaedra is so contained and internalised, everything had to come out through the eyes and her words rather than the body movement. Because he gave me the flexibility and chance to understand his vision and bring that into my character, I think we managed to pull it off."

Ever since her rise to fame, the 27-year-old has been part of an interesting mix of films like 'You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger', 'Miral', 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes', among others and the actress says each film has been a learning experience.

"Every director that I have worked with has had a USP. Danny sees how he keeps you sucked into the character throughout the film. With Woody Allen, it's hands off but sometimes hands on, so you sometimes don't know which way you are going. Every time you deliver a line and look at him for approval, which is quite rare to receive. He was interesting to work with as he lets you improvise and play with the lines," she said

"Julian Schnabel of 'Miral' was very fatherly and kind and compassionate about the story he was filming. With Tarsem it was a completely different world. Nothing like what I had already experienced."

With Freida being an Indian actress, one would always think she would be a part of Bollywood but she has ruled out any such plan. However, she does admit that with the advent of modern technology, the Hindi film industry's style is changing.

"They (Bollywood films) are an amazing celebration, we have enjoyed them for years. At the moment it is changing and with directors like Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banarjee...it's a style that is slowly changing; something that we saw in the 1980s and it's happening again with modern technology. I have already done 'Trishna', so when people see it, they'll know I've already done a Hindi film," she said.

"Even 'Slumdog' for me is an Indian film, it was directed by an English director but one cannot discredit the fact that there was Anil Kapoor or Irrfan Khan in the film," she added.

IANS