Bollywood's very own item girl Rakhi Sawant is always in news for more than just being an item girl. She recently has come up with her own music album, appeared on Koffe with Karan and done a lot of social services. One side of Rakhi which none us knew was her love for social work. But with the recent campaign for PETA she left everyone spellbound.
You've been supporting a lot of social causes off late. Any particular reason for that?
It's not like I decided to do good work suddenly. I always had intentions of doing good work. And it's not like today I have a lot of money and so I am doing good work, I have always been doing social work.
You made it to the front pages of national dailies with your support for PETA. Why did you decide to support such an unconventional cause of preserving circus animals?
It felt really good to see my photograph on the front page of The Times of India. This isn't the first time that my photo has appeared on the front page of a newspaper. I felt proud that I have taken the right decision by becoming the ambassador for PETA. I am happy that the step I have taken will create a lot of awareness about animals.
Anuradha who is PETA's head told me that they wanted to try out a new concept with me. They said that everyone wears clothes but we will paint your body. I asked them whether it would be allergic and they said not at all. People will feel that Rakhi Sawant is a real tigress and we want to bring out the tigress out of Rakhi Sawant. So, they felt I was a tigress and they painted me accordingly. They said that you are a real tigress who fights everyone.
I read the entire story and even they told me how in the circus twenty one animals were burned because of the fire. All the people ran for their lives and left back the animals who were burned to death. I saw the photographs and felt how someone can be so cruel. Those people just ran away leaving the poor animals behind who were their means of livelihood. When I think about the injustice towards these animals or the government's decision to get the five banned animals back in circus, I am not sure under what pressure they doing all this. This should not happen.
What do you want to say to your critics?
I will let my critics know that let god keep you happy and try as much as possible to criticize me. Even Gandhiji and Jesus had such kind of criticism. If people feel that I am true anywhere then they will love me. Believe in me, that I never do anything for publicity. Because of your love I have got so much fame that I have become an item girl for media and media will never leave Rakhi Sawant.
Do you regret loosing out on Big Boss?
I was going to win Big Boss. Whatever you saw was real. I received a lot of voting on third day to get an exit from the show. Some people are unhappy with my success and didn't want me to win Big Boss.
Not winning 50 lakhs has not affected me because the kind of love people have given me, especially children, leaves me with no regrets. I was recently offered a big Zee TV reality show but I didn't do that because I did not felt it was good.
In Big Boss one noticed that you are straightforward but basically a much better person ...
Let my audience know that I believe in Jesus and Ganapati. I read the Bible and Geeta in which it is written that we should always speak the truth even though problems arise. But people will love you and you will walk on the right track.
I am one of those celebrities who portray more of my negative side than my positive. First accept my negatives. I am from a middle class background hence my education is not up to the standard.
What are your memories of Big Boss... Rupali Ganguly and Kashmira Shah were mean to you....
As far as Rupali and Kashmira are concerned I don't have anything to do with them. That was a reality show. Everyone's real life was shown. Let me tell you that those who do negative roles in the films don't have to be negative in real life. Also the stars who get lot of awards and publicity don't have to be good people in real life.
Does the casting couch exist in the Hindi film Industry?
Casting couch is everywhere. It's all up to us. With me also this thing has happened but today I have become so strong because I have bashed many people but they still haven't changed. This is life and we have to always go ahead.
After Mika released a song about you, you went ahead and turned into a Supergirl....Is he any competition for you?
I have never given importance to Mika. Initially, whatever happened I have told it to the public. I think public have understood that how a friend was used in the party. Now I don't have any problem with Mika because whatever he wants to do he does it. Since I am progressing he wants to progress also with the help of my name. God bless him too. I don't want to take any revenge.
I am a simple girl. Super girl is sung by me for all my fans and is a small momento from me to my fans. The scenes which are shown in the videos are on my mind. So, I took the decision that I will not marry and conceive a child because I will adopt a child and educate him.
At 'Comedy Ka Badshah Kaun', you've had your share of fights with Raju Shrivastav and a Pakistani contestant. What exactly happened?
Actually, there was competition between India and Pakistan. When we are shooting about six jokes are been told. Finally when public sees they show only two jokes. We give marks for the 6 jokes. If someone doesn't make us laugh then honestly I don't give them marks. I am not like others that jokes are been told to me and I go on laughing. For this reason, they all got angry on me as I didn't give good marks even though I was from India.
I said wherever you are from, the show's theme is to make people laugh. If you are not able to make people laugh then you will not get more marks. He then got angry but still I cheered up, we declared a tie between them.
In Big Boss we also discovered that you have a great sense of humour...
My sense of humor has become very strong. I have struggled a lot from the age of 10. I have started earning with a mere salary of Rs 50 per day. With the grace of god I am earning well today. A girl of my age has seen so many Diwali's, Holis and met so many people that my sense of humor has increased.
From where do you get your bindaas attitude?
I don't know why this happened in my body and why I do this. But I do what god asks me to. God comes and says child do this work. You need to believe me because if you do good work then you are called god and if you do bad work then you are called demon. I believe in all these things.
I can't see any injustice on the people. I believe in god and god has said then before you die, if not 100% at least do 50% good. I will definitely do something for poor children because once I was also a poor child and today I have progressed so much even though I don't know English. It's just because of my confidence.
I think of those boys and girls who learn in municipal school or parents of whom can't afford to have an English teacher. If I become something in life then I will issue a law for them because today in our country education is really important.
Hence, according to my affordability, I am providing computer education and we are also adopting two schools on behalf of Lions Club for their education. If they become big after learning then no one will go abroad. Everything will be available in our country.
There has been a lot of tension in your family after you shifted in with your boyfriend
I have never got any help in my life not even from my mother and father. I have walked alone in my life. My mother also did not like this initially. Just for saying I say that yes she supported me a lot and she is with me but no one supported me.
I share my views with public. When my father left my mother she also said that why I gave birth to my daughter, why you came in film line? But today she says that whatever my daughter has done is right even my father says so.
No one supported me at that time. I was always alone. I am not for anyone. I will do only for my people. But today I have settled them to. Now I have told them that now don't expect much more from me. Because whatever I had to do for them I have done it and now I need some time for my people.
Why don't you believe in marriage?
Earlier, I was very excited because I was in love and that time I thought I will marriage because I never thought about love. But the three months feeling could not be understood by anyone unless they stay there. That was love and I still love Abhishek but I will not marry. I am not interested in marriage. Because I saw nowadays they marriage first and then they divorce. Instead I would believe in relationship. At least, he will not think me as nothing. He will respect me.
You are the unofficial brand ambassador of Koffee With Karan....
I am very thankful to Karan Johar. I am nothing still and he called me on his show and gave me respect. May god bless him and my best wishes to him. A girl who doesn't have any godfather was appreciated and called on his show.
Yes, I don't know why everyone is afraid to come with me on Koffee with Karan. They must be afraid since my fans love me a lot hence I might be in limelight. No one should think about that. It's their wish.
The best part was that Karan promised me that my costume will be created by Manish Malhotra. That was like a dream come true.
Have you changed your views about Mallika Sherawat and Aishwarya Rai who you said have trespassed into your item girl arena?
Initially, people used to see me as item girl. But nowadays all the big heroines want to do item numbers because item numbers give lot of fame and they are in demand. So I am proud today that I am today India's number one item girl.
Rapid Fire
Aishwariya's Crazy Kiya Re or Malika's Mayya Mayya?
Ashwariya's Crazy Kiya Re.
Another reality show with Rupali Ganguli
I don't think so.
Item Girl or a Social Cause Activist, who is the real Rakhi Sawant?
Item girl
Your best friend?
I don't have any best friend. Because I don't believe in friends. Initially, I had friends earlier but because of leg pulling I don't waste time in friends. Instead, I like going in gym.
Your views on exposing in Hindi films....
I think no girl exposes with her wish. It is said by the director. Whatever is written in script they follow it. Because recently in my movie I don't have to expose but just because of my director Rahul Rawail who recently showed me the script and said I have to wear this kind of clothes I can't say no because I need to do the film since it was good film.
What are you doing next?
Lots of videos and movies and reality shows
What makes you smile?
When media shows on the TV that they have revealed a truth of the minister or any fraud person shown on the TV or any politician's band bajadi in my language.
What makes you cry?
I can't see anyone's pain. Nowadays there are many news that disturbs hence I cry every day and ask god why he does this and when he is going to take re-birth in this country and punish them. I always believe in real life and not in artificial life.
Rakhi Sawant is
Very honest, very genuine and hardworking.
