T-Fare: First, congratulations on the super success of RACE and the recent successful fashion show you were a part of. Are you surprised by the tremendous appreciation you received for your first film?MONISHA: Frankly, I am not surprised at all. If you go back and read my previous interview with you guys, I had even predicted that this would happen! Like I had told you, I chose to make my debut in a big multi-starrer where I would be the underdog. When you work with big actresses, there is bound to be healthy competition. After so many movies together like Devdas, KANK, LCMD, GMM and Silsila, the audience was tired of seeing Malini and Natasha all the time. They needed a change and I knew that I could be the fresh new face they were craving. So, I worked very hard on my body and the rest is history! Before RACE released, you guys had hyped up Malini’s new look and her rivalry with Natasha. You gave so much coverage to them and just a 3 question interview for me! You even asked me why I accepted RACE as my debut since I’d have nothing to do in the film with 2 big actresses. But I think even you’d agree that today when people look back at the success of RACE, my name stands out of the crowd. In fact it is the exposure from RACE that landed me my first big assignment as ramp model during New York Fashion Week in September this year. Yet, I don’t hold any grudges against T-Fare. As I had told you, the audience decides my fate and not the press. Today if you guys are coming to interview me, I know that it’s because my audience has demanded it and not because your producer is my family!
T-Fare: You claim to be a determined and strong young woman but isn’t it true that your marriage is falling apart? There are rumors that you and your husband don’t even live together and you’re going through a bitter divorce?
MONISHA: I am absolutely a strong, successful and determined young woman. Every relationship goes through its own trials and tribulations. Is there any marriage that does not have it’s share of troubles? Absolutely not, and mine is no exception. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to comment on details of our divorce at this time as this is a complicated legal matter.
T-Fare: We understand that you may not be able to discuss the legal aspect of your alleged divorce. However, could you take us back to a year ago when you first married Saagar and became part of the Malhotra family?
MONISHA: When you are married at the age of 19, you always think you're prepared for everything, and you think you have the knowledge of what's coming ahead. But although I was somewhat frightened at the prospect of marriage at the time, I felt I had the support of my husband-to-be. I think like any marriage, especially when you come from a family of strong marriages, you'd want to try even harder to make it work. You don't want to fall back into a pattern that you've seen happen in other marriages. So, I desperately wanted it to work, I desperately loved my husband and I wanted to share everything together, and I thought that we were a very good team.
T-Fare: How aware were you of the significance of what had happened to you when you married into the Malhotra family? After all, marrying Saagar would make you the new queen of the first family of Trollywood and center of all the gossips.
MONISHA: I was never overwhelmed, and am not overwhelmed by the responsibilities that this role creates. It was a challenge, it is a challenge. As for becoming like a queen, it was never on my mind when I married my husband. I married him because I loved him and that’s all that mattered. The most overwhelming aspect was the media attention, because my husband and I, we are very private people. We were told when we got engaged that the media would go crazy over it; and so when we got married we tried to keep it a family affair but they somehow got hold of our intimate wedding pictures. After the marriage we thought it would get better but it didn't; and then it started to focus very much on me. I seemed to be on the front of gossip tabloids every single day, which is an isolating experience. I was portrayed to be a career driven ambitious and evil woman which I am not at all. Without knowing the facts, the media blamed me for everything that happened to our marriage. This is simply not the truth!
T-Fare: Did your in-laws give any thought to the role that you might have as the new Malhotra bahu?
MONISHA: No one sat me down with a piece of paper and said: `This is what is expected of you.' But there again, I'm lucky enough in the fact that I have found my role, and I'm very conscious of it, and I love being in a big joint family. In spite of what you might have heard, I am very emotional person and have always placed my relationships ahead of career and money.
T-Fare: What effect did the paparazzi have on your marriage?
MONISHA: It made it very difficult, because basically we were a married couple being chased around and spied and had to be cautious of everything we did or wore because it could end up on the front cover of the gossip site. It was exhausting to say the least.
T-Fare: According to recent articles published on the gossip site, you and your husband had very different outlooks, very different interests. Would you agree with that?MONISHA: No. I think we had a great deal of common interest - we both liked people, both liked our life in San Francisco, both loved children, volunteered in the cancer field and of course Trollywood. And I was willing to be the wife he wanted me to be. But I was portrayed in the media at that time, if I remember rightly, as someone who was stupid, greedy or manipulative – only because of my age.
T-Fare: Around early July this year, shortly after the passing of your brother in-law, a gossip site reported that your husband had renewed his relationship with his ex lover. Were you aware of that?
MONISHA: I didn't need a gossip site to to tell me the status of my relationship. A woman’s instinct is a very good one so yes I was aware of it, but I wasn't in a position to do anything about it.
T-Fare: What effect did that have on you?
MONISHA: Pretty devastating. A feeling of being no good at anything and of being useless in every direction of your life. It was already difficult, but it became increasingly difficult. It took me months to realize that there were three of us in our relationship and that it was just not going to work out this way. But like I said, I wasn’t in a position to do anything about it. I’m not the one who brought the third person into our marriage. So I waited for him to make a decision.
T-Fare: By September of this year, he made a decision and you agreed to live separately. What were your feelings at the time?
MONISHA: Deep, deep, profound sadness. Because we had struggled to keep it going, but obviously we'd both run out of steam. My beloved brother in-law Rajiv was a big believer in our marriage and completely against the other woman. He fought hard to make sure that she would not come anywhere close to our family. So, as long as he was alive, our marriage was well. But the day I found out about his passing, I knew that my husband's fondness for the other woman would make trouble for our marriage again. As expected, less than a month later, my husband asked for the separation and I supported it. What other choice do I have?
T-Fare: Once the separation happened, what happened?
Monisha: People's agendas changed overnight. I was now separated wife of Saagar Malhotra and I was the victim. This hadn't happened before. And for a change, they started attacking the other woman and stopped attacking me!
T-Fare: Do you hold any grudges?
MONISHA: Absolutely not. I know everyone in the Malhotra family dislikes her and many people have written to me expressing disgust at what she’s done. But I am telling you what I told them – I hold no grudges. A marriage is supposed to be between two people and it’s solely these two people who are required to be committed and be faithful to each other. She was not, is not and will never be responsible for my marriage so why should I hold a grudge against her? No doubt I would personally never go after a married man because I do think it’s unethical and not cool. However, I don’t hold her responsible for the failure of my marriage. If it was not her, it could have been anyone else. Plenty of women are willing to steal other people's husbands - not just her. If anyone, I am disappointed in the trust I had placed in my husband. I feel let down by him and no one else. Again, I have absolutely nothing against the other woman and wish her well.
T-Fare: I know you cannot discuss the divorce but can you give us some idea of what the future holds for you?
MONISHA: To my fans and well wishers out there, I want to tell you – don’t worry about me! Like I said before, I am a strong woman and will be just fine. And to anyone out there who tries to come between me and my husband I say to you - be prepared for the fight of your life! I am not a quitter and will do everything in my power to save my marriage. People have always drawn comparisons between our family and the Bachchan family. Remember that even the Bachchan family dealt with Rekha for 6 long years of their marriage. But in the end the other woman is always left high and dry with nothing but endless waiting and heart ache. I am sure anyone who chooses to come between us will meet the same fate.
T-Fare: Finally, on a lighter note, tell us about your expectations for Fashion?
MONISHA: I am working with the biggest director in the business and am so pleased with the way my role shaped up in Fashion. I am really looking forward to the release as I am hopeful that it’s going to be my second blockbuster in a row. I am sure both Malini and Natasha have worked harder this time so the competition is a bit scary. But things are so different for me today compared to RACE. I now have my own loyal fan following and my audience knows what to expect from me. I am confident that my hard work will pay off and my fans and critics alike will reward me for my efforts. Most importantly, I am hoping that the exposure from FASHION will bring me a few modeling offers. There is a real demand for attractive transexual women in the fashion world and I hope to be the first to crossover into the modeling world and open up doors for other young trans gender women in this field. Finally, I'd like to thank my well wishers for their unconditional love and for standing with me during the most difficult time of my entire life.
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