‘Insecurity is a good thing’

“Deepika has a great emotional quality that will always stand her in good stead. I can see that she has a great journey ahead as an actress. I have seen her as a child-woman having the principles and values of the middle-class and yet never forgetting that she is also a film’s heroine and stepping up to match the demands of being a diva. She is making changes in her appearance,looking the part. Yet she retains the innocence of the middle-class South Indian girl she came in as.”

Fortunately,the young star’s perception of herself is not at odds with the industry’s opinion of her. Admittedly,she is hungry for better roles,is extremely ambitious and will not cow down from speaking her mind or holding on to values dear to her. A diva in the making indeed.

Aarakshan is very different from your earlier work,so what made you take up a film centred around a socially-relevant issue?

Aarakshan is a very relevant and informative film. Every section of society will be able to relate to it in some way or the other because reservation exists,be it in school and colleges or in jobs. College-going kids will be able to relate to it because we are not talking only about reservation in society but about how the education system has become corrupt. Because of aarakshan,people believe that coaching classes and tuitions are a must and today your child can’t pass an examination without them. I remember when I was in the 10th standard everybody made it such a big deal. As it is,you spend 8 am to 3 pm in school preparing for board exams and then you spend extra time and money on tuitions. If you went to some particular people for extra classes,especially in Physics and Mathematics,you were guaranteed fabulous marks. I didn’t enroll but I still passed my exams with decent marks but all my friends went for coaching classes.

So what character do you play in the film?

I play Saif’s love interest. Saif plays Deepak Kumar,who belongs to the underprivileged class in the film and eventually that creates a conflict between my father,played by Mr Bachchan,and Saif’s character,which pulls me in opposite directions.

What was it like to work with a renowned director like Prakash Jha whose films engage in serious subjects like kidnapping,political intrigues etc?

Apart from the political or social issue,Prakashji knows how to sum up a film with the right amount of music,drama,romance and lighter moments. I felt that Raajneeti was a complete film. The subject was so heavy but there was drama and lighter moments too. There’s something in the way he makes his films—it keeps you engaged for two hours.

I had met him while he was making Raajneeti but it was not specifically for any project. After Raajneeti released,I got a call from him saying that he’d be making his next and that he would like to meet me. So I met him at his office and he gave me a full narration. But for me it was like a lesson in Indian history,the Mandal Commission,how the reservation started and how in the last 60 years it has made society very complex. Apart from the script he was telling me about government policies,citing particular incidents and I completely understood because I have been to school and college and you see the SC /ST category on the forms you fill, so I definitely felt the need to be a part of the project.

Is there any particular way in which you work on a film like this?

I am very comfortable with Hindi,but since in his films it is pure Hindi as opposed to Hinglish (mix of Hindi and English),I asked him to give my dialogues before because there were certain words that we don’t use everyday. So I wanted to learn the new words and their meanings. I don’t like dialogues to come in the way of my performance. You should know them so well that you can concentrate on your performance and breeze through a scene. In fact you should be able to convey the mood through your emoting and expressions and not necessarily through dialogues.

You have worked with Big B in Aarakshan and Rajinikanth in Rana—how was it sharing screen space with stalwarts?

One’s career is definitely incomplete especially for someone of my generation— if you don’t work with an Amitabh Bachchan or a Rajinikanth. It’s an overhwelming feeling. It is exactly the way I felt when I was working with Shah Rukh. Both belong to a different generation but it is amazing to work with people like them because I have seen them in movies since the time I was growing up. They are superstars and I was in complete awe whether it was interacting with Amitji or Rajini-sir. The kind of aura and the buzz they have by their sheer presence is amazing. I have done a whole day of interviews with Amitji and people’s tone completely changes in front of him. They forget their questions,start fumbling etc. I guess that’s the power he has.

How was it working in a big-budget Tamil film like Rana? Are you fluent in Tamil or with your lines be dubbed?

Rana is in Tamil,Telugu and Hindi. We will shoot the film in Tamil and it will be dubbed in Hindi and Telugu. I have only shot one song so I haven’t come to the dialogue part of it yet. What has happened is unfortunate,since Rajini-sir was really unwell,I don’t have the heart to speak about the film. I have been in touch with his daughter Soundarya even while they were in Singapore and now they have come back,so we connect. Right now,we just talk of his health because it does not seem the correct time to discuss anything else.

Considering you hail from Bengaluru,how fluent are you with the South Indian languages,namely Kannada,Malayalam,Tamil and Telugu?

I am familiar with Kannada as I am from Karnataka. I have done a song in a Telugu film for a director called Jayant because it was a very sweet romantic film with two newcomers. I felt that if my being a part of their film was going to help then I would be more than happy to do that. The film has not released yet. I understand Tamil because a lot of Tamilians work in Karnataka and like Hindi or Marathi,if people are speaking it around you,one gets familiar with it.

So what’s next?

I have almost finished Desi Boyz for which just two or three days of shoot remains. It will release in November. It’s set in the recession years with two buddies sharing an apartment and how the things they do to make their girlfriends happy. I would say that it’s a romantic comedy though there is more comedy than romance. Rohit Dhawan has brought in all the right ingredients to make an out-and-out commercial film,which is both refreshing and fun.

Four years,12 films later,do you feel more confident as an actor?

I still feel very new. I still feel that I have a lot left to achieve. There are a few films that I may say I have carried on my shoulders eg: Lafangey Parindey but it’s nice that my being a part of the film adds more value than when I started three years ago. I like the fact that I still enjoy what I am doing,I don’t feel overworked or tired because if you do,then you are not doing something right. I am really hungry and I have a lot more films to do,a lot more people to work with.

Does Aarakshan mark a phase of choosing tougher,more challenging films?

I think that happened to me right from the start wherein I took a chance like Karthik Calling Karthik or Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. Their fates at the box-office is a different matter but I have gone through that phase of being offered different kinds of roles and my being willing to experiment. I think I now need to become a little more choosy about the films I take on.

Which would you say have been your favourite films so far?

The most special films would definitely be Om Shanti Om and Love Aaj Kal because they stood out at a time when the line between conventional and unconventional is completely blurred. Most awaited films have not done as well and the unexpected entries have. OSO had all the ingredients that would make a hit film but maybe Love Aaj Kal did not. People could have thought it to be too forward despite the Punjabi old-fashioned track.

What’s Cocktail,your third film with Saif about? Also,Saif and you seem to work well as an on-screen couple.Comment.

My character in Homi Adajania’s film goes through a complete transition. Saif is a very informative co-star. If he’s sitting here,he will adjust himself four times,then he will say something,then his mind will wander. I don’t know what it is but he’s very entertaining and it’s nice because now I know him better than I did during Love Aaj Kal. And obviously when you repeat two or three films with the same co-star you become familiar with his pattern of performance,the way he functions on the set etc. But it’s been nice. I definitely feel he is one of the finest actors we have.

Several actresses are now turning producers -would you follow that trend?

Not right now. I am so new myself to the whole business of filmmaking. I am just about beginning to figure out the craft,films I enjoy doing and things that I should avoid,so I don’t think I am ready yet to put a project together. Of course,there is no ideal situation but maybe a couple of years later…

Despite the ups and downs in your personal life,you have maintained a professional discipline…Comment.

Tough times or not I have always been committed and disciplined and I credit that to being a sportsperson. If you have been a sportsperson in your life,somewhere punctuality,discipline and dedication come in naturally. Maybe a little more than others. And if people think that of me that’s great because these are things that people remember you for. When I finish a film,I don’t want my producers to ever feel like,“Phew! Thank God!”

Imtiaz told me something that I will always remember. When we were shooting for Love Aaj Kal,I had to leave to shoot a song of Bachna Ae Haseenon. I was absent from the set for about five days and when I came back,Imtiaz said,“You have the ability to be missed.”

It really meant a lot if people enjoy my presence — and I am not a loud,attention-seeking sort of person,giggling and laughing. I keep to myself and even in that space if people feel that something is missing,it’s a huge compliment. I want producers to remember me not just because I was a part of the film but also the way I made it easy for them beyond just the film.

Was it difficult to get accustomed to the way the film industry functions?

Did I find it difficult to get used to the functioning of the industry? No. But it has taken me a while to understand why things work a certain way. I am extremely ambitious and since childhood I have been extremely focussed about what I want,so even if it was difficult,I didn’t realise it at all.

Are you politically correct?

I am often asked this question but then if things I say are blown out of proportion then I can’t possibly be politically correct. Either people are contradicting themselves or I am being inconsistent. I don’t think I plan my interviews. I guess it’s the way I have been brought up. My dad has always taught me to be humble and dignified,so maybe it comes from that.

Do speculations and comparisons bother you?

The constant speculation about any aspect–– professional or personal –– can be a little stressful but I am not complaining because I understand that that’s the way it is.

I have not had any obvious comparisons but at the same time I have always believed in the larger picture. What is important is to be able to sustain and be here in the long run. There will be a few hits and a few misses. But Shah Rukh,Aamir and Salman are superstars today because no matter who has come in,they remain. They have huge hits and a few flops but they have been rock-solid. Yes,a guy’s shelf-life is much longer,that’s why for an actress it is more difficult because in a shorter span you have to achieve a lot. Everyone has a different career-graph. Comparisons are inevitable. You can’t help that but I think what I want is to be rock-solid and to be up there irrespective of who comes and goes.

Who are your favourite actors/actresses from the younger lot?

From the new lot I really like Ranveer. I watched Band Baaja Baraat and there is something about him that I really liked. He has tremendous screen presence and a certain amount of energy and confidence that I really like. The actresses are all good and talented. Having said that,it is a very competitive business.

Are actresses more insecure around each other?

I don’t know. I am sure we all make each other insecure at some level because it is a very competitive industry. There is a short shelf-life,there are x number of projects,and x number of top heroines and everyone is vying for the same projects so of course,it is competitive. I believe insecurity is a good thing.

Would you now be working with new directors?

I have already worked with newcomers Danish,Rohit and even Love Aaj Kal was Dino’s and Saif’s first home production. Not many people know this but I had signed Love Aaj Kal even before Jab We Met or Om Shanti Om had released. Imtiaz was also signed before Jab We Met so we haven’t gone by each other’s success. Having said that,it’s also important to work with people who have some credibility because at the end of the day,you want your film to do well. I have heard so many stories of people who have worked for months and their films never saw the light of the day. Fortunately,I have never been in that situation and I never want to be.

Which genre do you enjoy the most?

I can confidently say I enjoy doing a rom-com though,I feel that a good action film is still missing from my kitty.

People often speak of you being extremely poised so does that come in the way of being a good actor,which needs you to be uninhibited?

Cocktail will change the perception of me as being too poised,though poise in personal life is a good thing.

You have featured on the covers of all fashion magazines worth talking of,so how important is it for an actress to be a fashion icon?

Fashion should come naturally as it defines your personality. I don’t think it should ever look forced. I give comfort a lot of importance but it is important to be well turned-out at all times because your fans look up to you and are used to seeing you in a glamorous way.

priyanka.sinha@expressindia.com