Deepika Padukone is ‘chilled-out’, Katrina Kaif is ‘A+ student’ who has to be told ‘bas kar meri maa’: Vaibhavi Merchant

She said that Deepika isn’t ‘laidback’ on set, but she’s very ‘easy’ to work with. “It was the first time that I was working with her, so I was also discovering her process,” she said. “I know Katrina’s process, I’ve done so much work with Katrina. She’s all about that energy, being together, coming alive… She will want everybody to be there, she will want my assistants to be there, my costume people, she’ll call everybody; hair, makeup, costume.”

Describing Katrina as an ‘A+ student,” Vaibhavi continued, “She’ll show everyone how she’s done. She’s like an A+ student. If she ever gets an A-, she’ll feel terrible. She works to the point where you have to tell her, ‘Bas kar abhi Katrina, hogaya ab. I can’t see you dance any more. Bas karle meri maa, ghar jaa aur humein bhi jaane de (Stop, Katrina, go home and let us go home as well).”

Deepika, on the other hand, came with her own close confidantes, Vaibhavi said. “Deepika had a very chilled-out, silent, calm (approach). She and her costume designer Shaleena (Nathani), she has her own set of people who do her hair, makeup, yeh woh. She’s silently doing her bit. I was very amused to work with her. I was pleasantly surprised that her process is of ease. It’s very similar to Salman.”

Vaibhavi won a National Film Award for her breakout song “Dhol Baaje,” from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil Chuke Sanam. She also choreographed the hit number “Kajra Re,” from the film Bunty Aur Babli, and has been working with stalwarts and stars for nearly three decades.