Saif’s Italian ex beau Rozza Catalano has been unable to check out the Khan’s first home production ‘Love Aaj Kal’, which incidentally had Saif ‘convincingly’ romancing two ‘foreign’ artistes Giselle (Harleen) and Florence (Jo) on screen. Some cine-buffs even wondered whether his whirlwind fling with signorina Catalano off-screen, aided him in his slick performance. Responds Rosa, “Hey, I am just back from a month-long tour of Europe. I was freaking out with friends and family. I could not catch up on any of the Bollywood releases out here. Anyway my good wishes are always with ‘him’ (read Saif) in whatever he does,” declares the model-actress, adding that she has lately been on a high. Before we probe as to which spirits she sipped, she chuckles, “It was performing all those dare-devil stunts in the upcoming Khatron Ke Khiladi reality TV show, (Colors Channel) which swung me into ecstasy.”
Khatron ke Khiladi apart, there is a lot happening in Rozza’s professional life. Taking time off from her favourite Capoeira (a native Brazilian dance-exercise) fitness sessions, which she indulges in whenever she is not busy shooting, Rozza settles down to talk about her career and her future plans. For one, she is quite miffed with people referring to her as the “latest firang item-girl in B-town who is set to upstage Yana Gupta”. “It’s true that dancing is my passion and I have done item-songs for a few Bollywood movies like ‘Shaurya’ and Sunny Deol’s ‘Chamku’. But I hate being tagged as an item-dancer because there’s much more to me. Producers are now signing me on for well-defined roles. One of them is a movie ‘Ek Second—Jo Zindagi Badal De’ directed by Partho Ghosh where I play the role of Jackie Shroff’s foreigner wife. There are other films in the anvil too,” she reveals, adding that she has now appointed an agent to co-ordinate her work in Hindi films.
However, she has been having a tough time communicating with the agent, who speaks only in chaste Hindi. “It is no doubt an effort but on the flip side, I would say it is a blessing in disguise because I get to regularly learn new Hindi words and phrases from him,” laughs Rosa who being an ‘Indophile’ relishes Indian spicy food, freaks out on mangoes, and has a fetish for ethnic outfits and Hindi songs even off-screen.
Although she still nurses a ‘soft corner’ for her mentor-cum-ex-beau Saif Ali Khan more as a “silent well-wisher”, her dream-dude is none other suave Akshaye Khanna . “Given a choice I would love to work with Akshaye because he is such an awesome performer. But Hrithik Roshan’s dances and screen-charisma also fascinate me,” she confesses on second thoughts. Incidentally, Rosa won the hearts of ace choreographers Saroj Khan and Ahmed Khan when she danced to their tunes for two different songs in a forthcoming film. “It was an awesome privilege working with both of them.
They did seem impressed when I completed my song portions much ahead of the schedules that too with the right lip-sync. It was just that I had learnt the Hindi lyrics and understood the translated meanings well in advance. So I knew precisely the right expressions,” claims the Italian model whose “dream” is to briefly meet Madame Sonia Gandhi someday. “The way Sonia-ji has blended so beautifully into Indian culture, her moral strength and leadership qualities are truly an inspiration for me,” she justifies. Wasn’t Rosa hunting for a new emotional anchor after her bizarre break-up with Saif Ali? “Since I believe in giving 100 per cent to a relationship, I am in no frantic hurry to get hooked on to someone just for the heck of it. Right now I am enjoying my single status, while my ‘work’ is my constant partner,” she declares as a parting shot.