She’ just had her “wow moment” with James Cameron and Barack Obama could well be next in line (that’s her dream list)!
But I’m still to get over James,” Koel coos, recounting her tryst with him during her chat show on telly, which she hadn’t anticipated would happen so quickly. “You’ll be shocked by this” she repeats ... James had been busy all day, but he squeezed in time for me and when he came, he was prepared ... he had googled information about me! That’s what makes him so formidable to interview. He knows what he’s up against!
She goes on, “James wanted to talk to me at a level that he knew I could get. The end result was a poignant two-sided conversation ... ” James this ... James that ... she reels off and we begin to wonder if this James’ hangover is an exception or is it the same with the many celebs she goes on air with? “I’ve had SRK like over three times ... and each time after the interview is over, I have had dreams about him for days together,” she laughs wickedly.
Weren’t those different days when she had time? Cut to the present, even during the quick tete-a-tete we have she tells us that she’s “needed”. She’s got into the media business full time, re-jigging an entertainment channel. Things would surely have come easy for media baron Arun Purie’s daughter. And she’s quick to fume, “What was easy? Am I the number one Bollywood star?” In a quick about-turn she says softly, “There was a time when I’d insist that I had made it all on my own, but I do owe my confidence and a good education to my parents. I am proud to be a powerful man’s daughter and I am sure he is proud to be Koel Purie’s father! But there are some things I lost out because of my surname, especially all those leading lady roles ... I’ve lost out on all those casting couch experiences ... they could have taken me places. Seriously, now I have no option but to invite them to my couch (for the TV show)!”
But Hindi films these days have evolved and many feel that this is the best time to be in the industry. “I rarely agree, but this is something I totally agree with. When I had started off there were these arthouse films or outright commercial films to choose from. Now filmmakers are becoming braver and films are getting more urban, bolder and better. I’d say, if you’ve got a story to tell, tell it the way you want to instead of introducing commercial elements to make it saleable. I’m glad that there no longer is a magic formula to decide a film’s fate. It is now anyone’s game,” she expounds”. In her brave new world Koel sees channels “rising above trivial TRP battles to offer meaningful and credible content to viewers”.
Now that she’s busy with her new tasks, will we see less of Koel on the silver screen? Seems like it when she says that her new film, The Great Indian Butterfly (was done “for a good friend”) has her as a woman who “makes no compromises and decides on go solo for her personal happiness”.
In real life though, Koel emphatically declares — “I recommend marriage!” What makes her say that? Even as we prompt her with words like stability, emotional health and the like, she brushes it off with a simple —“There’s this person you love and you make him/her your family.” If marriage is a family affair then do cultural differences pop up between her and Laurent Rinchet, who is French? “Half my friends are from different parts of the globe, so I’ve never felt it,” she says.
And has the spunky lady ever been to the city of Nawabs? You can hear the excitement in her voice as she says, “Oh yes! I’ve been there to interview Saina Nehwal for the couch. It was one of her first TV interviews —and look now she’s World No 5!”
But I’m still to get over James,” Koel coos, recounting her tryst with him during her chat show on telly, which she hadn’t anticipated would happen so quickly. “You’ll be shocked by this” she repeats ... James had been busy all day, but he squeezed in time for me and when he came, he was prepared ... he had googled information about me! That’s what makes him so formidable to interview. He knows what he’s up against!
She goes on, “James wanted to talk to me at a level that he knew I could get. The end result was a poignant two-sided conversation ... ” James this ... James that ... she reels off and we begin to wonder if this James’ hangover is an exception or is it the same with the many celebs she goes on air with? “I’ve had SRK like over three times ... and each time after the interview is over, I have had dreams about him for days together,” she laughs wickedly.
Weren’t those different days when she had time? Cut to the present, even during the quick tete-a-tete we have she tells us that she’s “needed”. She’s got into the media business full time, re-jigging an entertainment channel. Things would surely have come easy for media baron Arun Purie’s daughter. And she’s quick to fume, “What was easy? Am I the number one Bollywood star?” In a quick about-turn she says softly, “There was a time when I’d insist that I had made it all on my own, but I do owe my confidence and a good education to my parents. I am proud to be a powerful man’s daughter and I am sure he is proud to be Koel Purie’s father! But there are some things I lost out because of my surname, especially all those leading lady roles ... I’ve lost out on all those casting couch experiences ... they could have taken me places. Seriously, now I have no option but to invite them to my couch (for the TV show)!”
But Hindi films these days have evolved and many feel that this is the best time to be in the industry. “I rarely agree, but this is something I totally agree with. When I had started off there were these arthouse films or outright commercial films to choose from. Now filmmakers are becoming braver and films are getting more urban, bolder and better. I’d say, if you’ve got a story to tell, tell it the way you want to instead of introducing commercial elements to make it saleable. I’m glad that there no longer is a magic formula to decide a film’s fate. It is now anyone’s game,” she expounds”. In her brave new world Koel sees channels “rising above trivial TRP battles to offer meaningful and credible content to viewers”.
Now that she’s busy with her new tasks, will we see less of Koel on the silver screen? Seems like it when she says that her new film, The Great Indian Butterfly (was done “for a good friend”) has her as a woman who “makes no compromises and decides on go solo for her personal happiness”.
In real life though, Koel emphatically declares — “I recommend marriage!” What makes her say that? Even as we prompt her with words like stability, emotional health and the like, she brushes it off with a simple —“There’s this person you love and you make him/her your family.” If marriage is a family affair then do cultural differences pop up between her and Laurent Rinchet, who is French? “Half my friends are from different parts of the globe, so I’ve never felt it,” she says.
And has the spunky lady ever been to the city of Nawabs? You can hear the excitement in her voice as she says, “Oh yes! I’ve been there to interview Saina Nehwal for the couch. It was one of her first TV interviews —and look now she’s World No 5!”
