Freida Pinto in “Immortals”.

Freida Pinto has been featured in a huge hit, “Rise Of The Planet Of Apes”, which is headed for an awesome $500 million worldwide.
When told that she is one of the most enviable artistes who would be able to reach $1 billion worldwide box office collections in just about three years, she said: “I have not really been following the numbers. I have been concentrating on my performances.”
For Freida, who stars in director Tarsem Singh's “Immortals”, reaching the $1 billion landmark is an excellent possibility -- her films in three years -- “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Miral”, “Planet...” and “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” -- have grossed over $870 million worldwide.
She is not yet a Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock at the height of their popularity, but Freida surely is an A-list artiste wanted by top filmmakers in Europe and US.
Soon the verdict will be out on her work as Phaedra, the oracle who predicts the future but is worried that she cannot change things, in “Immortals”.
Sought by the evil dictator Hyperion as a means to find the bow that would make him even more powerful, she hides in plain sight as a slave in his encampment. She has already captured the heart of the rebel Theseus (Henry Cavill), who is fighting to save fellow Greeks from the annihilating forces of Hyperion. She is conscious of her role in helping to guide him to his destiny and victory over evil.
The film, made for $75 million, was going to be her first big-budget film but “Planet...” ($90 million), hit the screen first.
“I was drawn to the film ('Immortals') for a number of reasons,” she says. “Having worked in three small films, independent by nature, I thought it was time for a game change. Even then, I also knew that I would never abandon smaller and independent films. There were a couple of big films on the horizon but I did not want to rush and regret having acted in a big but bad film.”
When director Tarsem narrated to her the outline for “Immortals”, it took her less than 10 minutes to accept the part.
“Everyone knows that Tarsem is a visual director,” she says, “but it became apparent from his narration that while he handled all the complex technical details, the soul of the film would be intact.”
Tarsem had everything planned in his head, Freida says. “He also told me he did not want any of the gimmicky stuff, the eyes-rolling-out kind of an oracle. He gave my character a very human touch. He told me that I had to have a Zen look on my face. He also said, I don't want to show the expressions on the face but internalise the emotions and show the intensity in the eyes.”
Though he had not seen “Slumdog Millionaire” when she signed her, Tarsem admits that her striking beauty and otherworldly air won him over.
“Phaedra needed to be exotic compared to most of the people in her world,” says Tarsem. “People might expect that because it's a Greek film, she would be Greek, but that's not what I envisioned. When I met Freida I just said, she's it.”
Freida adds: “Thirty or forty years ago it would have been nearly unthinkable to see so many interesting parts for people of different ethnic backgrounds written in Hollywood and in Britain. I don't think I would have succeeded in those times. It surely has to do with the shrinking world; globalisation is bringing people closer. You see a London or Paris or a New York street, and you will easily find people from across the globe, and they seem to belong to the landscape.”
Unless an artiste is able to get under the skin of a particular character, casting agents and directors will not consider them for a variety of ethnic roles, she adds.
Does she have any fears in her acting career?
“I still have the same fears I had right at the start,” she replies. “As 'Slumdog Millionaire' was ready for release, I wondered if that was the end and if I was going to do another film. When I look back, everything still looks surreal. When 'Slumdog Millionaire' won the Oscars and became a big hit worldwide, I wasn't sure I would still be able to get roles.”
At the end of every project, she says, she wonders if she will get another film. “I believe many artistes go through such thoughts and anxiety, even the ones who are very well established. And when I think that I am not the only one who feels that way, that keeps me going.”

Compiled by Correspondent