The Bollywood actor and model chats with City Times about celebrating her birthday in Dubai, Sushant Singh Rajput and post-pandemic fashion
The beauty who has close links with Dubai having spent part of her childhood here, is now in the city to celebrate her birthday on September 3.
The actor has a deep connection with Dubai having lived here during her childhood.
Gizele reveals that she has technically been living in Dubai for the last two years and that was the reason she decided to set up shop here.
On post-Covid fashion
Being a model and having walked on the ramp for international shows, Gizele is familiar with the fashion scene. She's a regular at fashion weeks in London, Paris and Milan, and is well versed with trends. "The fashion industry has to move from survival to revival post the pandemic," she explains.
Bigg Boss is among the toughest reality shows on Indian TV, it tests your physical and mental endurance and Gizele has lived in the house. While the audience is in the dark as to the future of the show due to the pandemic, Gizele is confident the show will go on. "The pandemic will not affect the show in any way because people follow the show from the comforts of their homes. The only change I see is the delay in the starting dates. Bigg Boss was originally slated to kick off in September but now it's been moved to October."
On Sushant Singh Rajput & Rhea
Like many other Bollywood fans and celebrities, Gizele too was shocked by the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. "Not just Bollywood, I think fans all over the world are in grief over Sushant's death. I froze when I heard about Sushant's death, it was unbelievable. I used to hang around at his place, for parties. He never came across as a person who would take his own life because he was very proud of his achievements. He's struggled a lot and has achieved a lot and I think, once you reach that stage you don't give up. You may give up during your struggling days, but not when you're successful. I recollect when we used to chill out at his home, he used to show us his workout videos and tell us about the importance of being healthy. He was a teetotaller and used to be very concerned about his health and workout. He was a very intelligent person. It was very shocking to hear about the incident."
On mental health
Discussion over mental health picked up steam ever since the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, proving that even stars are vulnerable to the pressures of life, but Gizele has found a way to keep negativity away.
On detaching from issues
It's not easy being in the limelight, fans are curious to know everything that happens in a star's life and with it comes criticism, which is part and parcel of the job. So how does Gizele detach herself from the goings-on in the industry?
"It's difficult to detach from what's happening around you. If you happen to be an empathetic person who feels for others, then it's natural to feel bad about wrongdoings. I've been practising Brahma Kumari meditation ever since I was a kid because my mother was into it. It has made me a peaceful and relaxed person. I know what to take seriously and what not to. I know how to maintain the balance in my life. It's unlikely for me to get upset over little things. But having said that, the pandemic has surely affected me - people have lost their lives and jobs. But it has also taught me the importance of maintaining one's health, keeping oneself grounded and how the love of close ones matter."
On returning to movies
While starting a new business kept Gizele busy, now that it's up and running, she has plans to get back to movies.
"I had planned to shoot for a web series in April but it got delayed due to the pandemic. I'm also working on a couple of music videos. I had been busy with my business, so I didn't get time to work on movies. Honestly, I was not getting good offers after my last movie, so I decided to take a break. I didn't want to work in a movie just for the sake of it. I prefer to choose quality over quantity. Now that my company is up and running, I will get back to movies. People have been asking me when I'm going to appear on-screen next, it makes me feel special and loved. I'm blessed to be doing so many things at this stage and I thank God for it. This birthday is special for me and I'm looking forward to celebrating it in Dubai."