The Arrival Of Esha Gupta: Horror Movies, Bungee Lines And Roadside Lavatories

You could sit down to make a list of cover girls who’d make men go weak in the knees – and you’d find the usual actresses looking for a makeover, the starlets trying to make it big, the supermodels on the apple and mineral water diet and then there are the ones who do item songs but turn coy at the mention of a magazine shoot. Miss Esha Gupta is none of them (thankfully). Her IMDB profile has five odd movies against her name, none of which were staggeringly successful. In fact, if you were to do a count, you’d discover that she’s been on three covers for every movie that she has been in. But as you can probably tell, she’s been saving the best for the magazine you hold in your hands. Tell her that and she laughs, “Can’t believe you actually counted!” We want to tell her we didn’t, but what the hell.

So, this is your first FHM cover ever. What do you think?

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I was really very very excited to do this. You guys are not ‘look at me, I’m wearing a bikini’ or trashy, that’s what I have always loved about you.

With that little piece of narcissism behind us, we delve into other more pressing matters – like rumours. There is some buzz about her and a particular Mr Roshan. “There is nothing like that. I have been in a very loving and caring relationship for a while now,” she explains. It’s another matter that she did make the newspaper print an apology – “even if it was just two lines, I still got the point across.” A couple of minutes later we are talking to her about weird fans while she indulges in the single biggest waste of time since the Americans sat twiddling their thumbs in World War II – for some strange reason, she is getting her hair done. A completely unnecessary exercise since the tousled hair tied up in an untidy bun is as hot as hot gets. She’s managed to get herself a fan with a foot fetish. “So, he tweets to me and says he wants to touch my feet, then one day he says he wants to kiss my feet…it’s sweet.”

How is it sweet?…isn’t it weird?

Fine it’s a little weird, but I’m still not blocking him.

What else? Do you also get letters in blood?

Hahah. Nope. Probably because they don’t know where to send them. No one has my address or phone number. Plus I can handle most things…I am an Air Force girl!

So, you’ve been tweeting quite a bit about Football. Is it a fleeting love or are you actually into it?

I am absolutely into Football! I love Arsenal. I am a die-hard fan. You can ask me whatever you want about them.

Up for a quiz?

Maybe later.

So then are you also into ISL?

I am a fan girl for Pune FC – so ISL. It’s giving new and upcoming football players a lot of exposure which is exactly what we need right now. If you asked me about IPL, I’d probably not even know what season will be played now.

So you don’t watch cricket at all?

I do, but Cricket for me is India-Pakistan! If you ask me what sport I’d like to play though, I’d say volleyball. Plus I was an athlete growing up.

You playing volleyball on a beach will be quite the sight…

Heheh. I know what you are picturing, but I don’t play volleyball anymore, the most I do is swimming. My building has a pool so, that’s god sent.

Is it just splashing about in the kiddie pool or hardcore laps?

Hardcore laps of course. Unless I am in Goa, then I want to chill on the beach, get a tan.

Chilling on a beach & getting a tan does sound like a great idea, especially considering it’s beginning to get chilly up North.

It does, doesn’t it? But I am also a roadtrip kind of a girl. I have done Leh-Ladakh, Harsil too where not too many people go. It’s this beautiful place near Gangotri you must visit!

So, you’re cool with all things roadtrip – including the peeing out in the open?

Whoa. That’s cool! Hahah. No. That’s the one part I can’t handle. I’m a country girl, just not sure if I am an India Country Girl!

All these roadtrips sound kind of fun, can we come too?

Hahah. Sure, if you don’t mind my father driving all the time. He still does that, even at 72. He also still thinks I am his son.

He is about to get a smashing reminder that you are not in the next couple of days…

Hahah. When the cover hits the stands? Yeah. But see they are pretty cool like that. My parents have seen all my movies, plus the first time I wore a bikini was when I was 5. So it’s all good now.

In the interest of self improvement…do you think Indian men stare too much?

Yeah they do. I think what no one gets is if I am showing skin, it’s because I want to show it, change your mentality if you have a problem. If you want women to wear a sari all the time, why don’t you wear only dhoti kurta? I don’t get why people don’t understand that sexy doesn’t mean that women want sex. I am quite a feminist like that, not a man hating bra-burning one, but a feminist nevertheless.

What about item songs – what does the feminist in you have to say about those?

I think there is nothing wrong with them. Why look at them wrong – look at Sin City, look at the portrayal of Jessica Alba – what’s wrong with it?

So are you comfortable with being a sex symbol?

No. I don’t like the tag. I am not selling condoms. I look good, I dance well and I have a great body – that’s what an item song is all about, for me. That’s why Katrina Kaif is doing one or Deepika too. Though, them doing it will sell a movie more than Esha Gupta doing it.

So to change tracks, what sort of person are you when you are not shooting – dancing on top of tables by the end of the night?

I am the complete opposite of the high heeled, make up wearing person I am on the shoot. I want to eat home food and chill with my friends or do my pilates, you should try it too – it’s good for the gut (winks).

So who makes the food at home, are you going to invite us over for a meal?

I might, but I’m warning you it’s going to be all vegetarian! I learnt this really kick ass Lemon Coriander Veggies from my mum you could try.

Vegetarian!! But aren’t you a proper Punjabi?

I am, just apart from the non veg. But there’s always Rajma Chawal to fall back on.

What about drinking? Can you at least keep a drink down?

I can keep two drinks down. After that it’s all downhill. Take me out and two drinks of anything and I am throwing up – whether it’s two shots, two glasses of wine or anything else!

And what about music, what is the sort of music we would be listening to on a roadtrip?

I’m really into Deep House these days so, it’ll probably be Above and Beyond on a loop.

When do we see you again?

Set up a shoot. I do more covers than movies anyway (laughs).

Esha’s scary favs

• Prometheus: Technically it’s a sci-fi, but the idea of how alien life exists is quite scary.
• The Conjuring: A true story which anyone can experience. Exactly the sort of horror movie I love.
• Psycho: It’s the great American thriller. Plus it’ll scare the crap out of most people.
• Silence of the Lambs: Anthony Hopkins does not blink in the movie at all! That’s damn scary.
• The Shining: This one is all about the fear of loneliness and how it can make you lose your mind.

Adventure bucket list

• Deep sea diving: I love it. I think everyone should get a license. Water might seem like the scariest thing, but it isn’t.
• Sky diving: I am going down to Australia specially for it. Will send you a picture.
• Bungee: Even though it’s fun, I am scared something would snap and no splats are pretty.
• Skiing: I love it, but I need to get down to learning it. Last time I tried I kept falling – A LOT.

Photography by Ishaan Nair; styling Sanjana Batra; hair & make-up Marianna; production Madmoth; location Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport.

From the November 2014 issue of FHM India.