Giselle Monteiro
Love Aaj Kal has left the viewers in question mark who is ‘Harleen’, as the name has disappeared from the cast. And she is the Brazilian model Giselle Monteiro successfully played the Punjabi girl in the movie. Director was not in favor to reveal that a foreigner playing Punjabi kudi in our desi cinema.
19-year-old model can’t speak Hindi or dance with those desi latkasandjhatkas. However the dance sequence in the film choreographed on her, which drove the entire unit up the wall.
Imtiaz said, “We wanted to put her through the paces with Sarojji (choreographer Saroj Khan). Sarojji didn’t have the time. Getting the Indianadaa right was proved very tough for the ‘gori mem’. We take for granted those nakhra-jhatkamatkas which we’ve seen our sisters performing at weddings. Indian girls have those adaas without being trained. But for a foreigner it is tough. Giselle could’ve done with a bit more training.”
Wonder was why Brazilian as Punjabi girl especially when many such gals in B-Town? Imtiaz said, “Well, during auditions for a Punjabi girl opposite the Sikh Saif, I couldn’t find the right girl to play the 1965 ki gali mein rehne wali ladki, purane zamane ki.”
Actually Giselle came to Imtiaz’s office auditioning for other role. “Giselle was to play Jo, Saif’s Caucasian girlfriend in the second-half. And she was not fitting for the role. But my wife suggested Giselle as Harleen, solving my question. She could not speak the Hindi but it was not an issue as she had two lines to speak, which we dubbed,” added Imtiaz.
Evidently the Brazilian has played the role of small-town girl with such a precision that any urban Indian actress would have done. “The small-town mentality in every part of the world is similar,” adds the director.
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