Brazilian kudi,Harleen of Love Aaj Kal (A Delhi Times News Article)

BRAZILIAN KUDI Harleen in Love Aaj Kal is not a Punjabi lass at all, she’s Brazilian babe Giselle Monteiro. DT got talking to the Latina... HARSHADA REGE Times News Network Wondering who Harleen Kaur, the demure Punjabi kudi who has Saif swooning over her in Love Aaj Kal, really is? She’s Brazilian model Giselle Monteiro, 20, who can barely speak Hindi. As to how she landed herself a Bollywood film, Giselle smiles, “I came to Mumbai last year and within 20 days was signed for this film. I was at a photoshoot when someone told me that Imtiaz Ali was looking for a foreigner to play Saif’s girlfriend. It was a small role, but I thought I’d give it a shot, and when I went for the audition, Imtiaz felt I would be perfect as Harleen.” Giselle’s not new to the arclights. She began modelling back home when she was only 17. “My dad told me that if I wanted to carry on studying I’d have to fund myself. Also, I wanted to travel, so I left home and travelled around the world.” From Europe to Hong Kong to Thailand and finally India, Giselle’s now at home in Mumbai. She wasn’t surprised she was asked to play a Punjabi girl. “I’m often asked if I’m an Indian, so coming to India and exploring the market here was always on my mind. Luckily for me, I was playing a shy girl in the film, so I didn’t have too many dialogues,” she laughs. “Right now, all I can say is chai lao and namaste!”And Bollywood’s started taking notice. “I haven’t signed anything yet. I have to start attending language and dance classes. It’s difficult to cope with the jhatkas, but I am getting into the Bollywood groove now,” she says. IMTIAZ SPEAK Says Imtiaz Ali, director of Love Aaj Kal, on why he chose a Brazilian, “I was auditioning girls from all over the country but couldn’t find the right girl to play the 1965 ki gali mein rehne wali ladki,purane zamane ki.” Giselle walked into Imtiaz’s office one day for the part of Saif’s firang girlfriend. “She wasn’t right for Jo, but I realised she was Brazil’s Harleen.”Giselle understood the old-world values of her small town character better than an urban Indian actress would have. “The small-town mentality in every part of the world is similar,” he says. Even when Harleen was seen in the trailers, her identity was a closely guarded secret. When she came to Delhi for the premiere of the film on Thursday last week, Giselle was available for photographs, but forbidden to say a word. At the time, the representative from Saif’s production company who accompanied her refused to tell DT her name, and only said that “she plays Harleen, and she’s very happy. She’ll give interviews later.” She did answer to her name when called by it, which was perhaps a slip at that point! (With inputs from SUBHASH K JHA) Giselle as Harleen LATIN TADKA: Giselle Monteiro. For more pics of Giselle, visit http://photogallery. indiatimes.com