Sara Loren on bad acting, racy scenes and Murder 3

Sultry Sara Loren, formerly known as Mona Lizza, is a beautiful and resilient woman. But despite the gifts that nature has bestowed, Kajraare — her first stint in Bollywood alongside Himesh Reshamiya in 2010 — was a mega flop. Luckily for Sara, Lady Luck smiled upon her and she was approached for Murder 3, one of the most popular franchises in Bollywood.

In the recently released trailer of the film, Sara sizzles on screen as she is romanced by Randeep Hoda (last seen with Bebo in Heroine). While her latest offering might showcase her on a global platform, acting remains her weakest link.

“I know I am a bad actor, but I am learning how to act better with every film,” Sara tells The Express Tribune in an interview. She is on set shooting for a local film. While preparing for a scene where she is dressed as a bride, Sara continues to talk despite the make-up artist’s persistent attempts to apply lipstick.


“I don’t mind if Kajraare was a failure,” she admits, adding: “At least it was a step in the right direction.”

“Amitabh Bachchan is my all time favourite actor and with the number of flops that he had to face before becoming a mega star, I am very satisfied with what I am doing,” she says with confidence.

It must be noted that Sara is the first female Pakistani actor to feature in a well-known Bollywood franchise. Mahesh Bhatt’s Nazar starring Meera was a flop, while Veena Malik seems to have resorted to raunchy item songs and C-grade movies like the remake of Dirty Picture and Gali Gali Mae Chor Hai for attention. Sara must be feeling the pressure of being given such an opportunity.


“I hope and pray that I am able to deliver what is expected of me, because this is Mahesh Bhatt’s son Vishesh’s debut film and they both trust me,” she says. “In India, it’s the artist that matters, not his or her nationality. As long as you know your work, it pays off and is recognised,” she says, sounding overwhelmed.

Her role in the film will undoubtedly raise more than a few eyebrows at home; with love-making scenes and bathtub moments included in the trailer, there is no doubt that the movie will get a restricted audience viewing stamp from the censor board. Keeping in mind the ‘bold’ scenes in Murder  and Murder 2, one can safely predict that the third installment will not move far from the ongoing theme in terms of sensuality.

Sara jumps to defend herself, saying, “To make a career in Bollywood, you need to play all sorts of roles. With Vishesh, it’s a different role and if Sanjay Leela Bhansali or Manti Ratnam were to offer me something, then it would be entirely different too. They are catering to an industry worth 1 billion people, not just 160 million.”

In a serious tone, she continues: “It’s 2013! People shouldn’t get personal about my professional work. My work demands what I am doing in the film.”

Jumping to the subject of her wardrobe in the film, Sara says: “Given a choice, I would always wear shalwar kameez. But my dear, it’s not always my choice,” she says with a smile. “If my fans don’t like what I have done in the film, then they should just go and update their status on Facebook,” she said in an I-don’t-care tone.

Murder 3 is set for an international Valentine’s Day release. With Randeep Hooda and Aditi Rao Hyderi in the cast there, will be some serious competition. If Aditi is the better actor, Sara beats her by a mile as far as physical appearance is concerned. While Murder 3 is a Vishesh Films debut, the Bhatt camp has been adventurous enough to have signed a three film contract with Sara, displaying its generosity towards and faith in Pakistani actors.