There are strokes of myriad emotions and feelings on the canvas of Indian cinema, but Diana Penty feels beyond that, the whole movie-making business is a big gamble -- but one that actors have to take.
"The whole movie-making business is such a gamble at the end of the day -- something works, something doesn't. It is a gamble you have to take. So yes, there is a certain amount of pressure, but I can't let that govern the way I go about for my next project," Diana told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
After her modelling stint, Diana ventured into Bollywood with "Cocktail" -- which also featured Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone -- in 2012. Her role of a demure Indian girl named Meera stayed with the audience despite the presence of Saif and Deepika.
But she maintained her distance from the big screen after her debut. She came back to the silver screen last year with "Happy Bhag Jayegi", in which she was seen as a carefree Happy.
After back-to-back successes, one might think that there would be immense pressure on Diana to have a hat-trick. The actress says the mantra is not to sit and dwell over it.
"People used to ask me that since 'Cocktail' was such a huge success and I took so much time off, so was there pressure? I'd say, yes, there was pressure, but somewhere towards the end you get so involved in the project that you don't have the time to sit and think about it and be like, 'Oh my god, I have to be stressed right now'," she said.
The two film-old actress feels she is too new to stick to a strategy for the road to success.
"I am too new to have a fixed strategy. I approach the projects by thinking whether the audience would like to watch it, does it keep me interested, or will it keep me hooked... Is it helping me to step out of my comfort zone," she said, adding that she finds it important to "strike a balance between commercial and art films".
So, are you mentally prepared for a failure? Diana asserts that there is no other way to go about it.
"As a person, I tend to prepare myself for the worst. It is a defense mechanism. I have done this all my life in most situations and not just work-wise," the actress said.
Talking about failure is easy than facing it, feels Diana.
"It is only that much that you can prepare yourself. But when it actually happens, it is completely a different ball game. Then you have to learn how to deal with it and cope up with it."
"You never really know once you are in that situation. So, it is hard for me to think about it, and hopefully that situation will not come," said the 31-year-old.
Now, the actress wants to be part of a drama and thriller.
She concluded by saying that she has "been meeting people (for next project)... It will not take four years, I promise. I am working on it and this time it will not take long".
