Single for first time in 17 years: Bips

It’s official. Bipasha Basu has moved on from her relationship of nine years with John Abraham and is enjoying the change. Bipasha refuses to commit to how long that status quo will remain. Serena Menon finds out more.

It’s official. Bipasha Basu has successfully moved on from her relationship of nine years with actor John Abraham and is enjoying the change.

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Shutting off all rumours over the new man in her life, she says, “I’ve been in relationships since I was 15. Though I’ve only dated three men in that time,” she admits, adding, “I’m now single for the first time in 17 years.”

But Bipasha, who was dating Dino Morea before John, refuses to commit to how long that status quo will remain.

“I don’t plan. It all depends on whether I find a suitable guy,” she says.

The actor was recently linked to Dum Maaro Dum co-star Rana Daggubatti and Josh Hartnett, who plays her on-screen lover in Singularity.

She admits she didn’t think of settling down even when she was with a man, and has no intention to do so now.

“While I was in a relationship, it was great. Some day, I will settle down with a husband and kids. But I’m not interested right now,” says Bipasha, who is currently shooting for Players in Russia in sub zero temperatures with Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Neil Nitin Mukesh on the Abbas-Mustan remake of The Italian Job (2003).

Bipasha reveals that when she made her film debut in 2001, she had thought of retiring from acting in five years. Today, almost a decade later, she has just finished filming her first Hollywood venture, Roland Joffe’s Singularity, with Josh Hartnett and Abhay Deol among others. She doesn’t know whether her career will change after its release, but she doesn’t want to leave Bollywood.

“If it does well, it will get me a lot of respect from markets that don’t know me. But Bollywood is where I’m going to be. At the same time, Singularity is mammoth,” says Bipasha, who credits filmmaker-friend Heeraz Marfatia, also a creative consultant on the film, with introducing her to Roland informally about a year ago and giving her the big Hollywood break.

“He just told me to meet Roland and when I did, who knew I would land Tulaja Naik’s role? My character drives the entire film. And it’s a love story between Josh and I.”

Singularity is split into two eras, and the period parts have been shot in Australia and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Over the next few weeks, Josh will film the present day portions.

Bipasha plays a Maratha warrior in the film. Having had her fill of action with Players and Singularity, the actor, plans to announce her next.

“It will be a romantic-comedy,” she says.