With just her third film, Anushka Sharma has graduated to being the senior most of the lot. While in
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, she worked with Shah Rukh Khan and Aditya Chopra, in
Badmaash Company she paired up with Shahid Kapoor though the director was a newcomer (Parmeet Sethi). Now in
Band Baaja Baaraat, not just her director is a first timer (Maneesh Sharma) but also her co-star (Ranveer Singh), hence making her the most experienced of all. However, Anushka Sharma takes the compliment lightly as she catches up with Joginder Tuteja for this exclusive interview.
Being a senior member of the film must have given you some sort of ego boost, right?
Arrey nahi, not at all (smiles). I didn't want to be on the sets and behave that 'yaar mujhe dekho, main toh kitni achchi hoon, mujhse sab maloom hai, I am Ms. Know-all'. Nothing of that sort happened and I never got such a feeling. Maneesh is a very good friend of mine and we go a long way back to
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi where he as an Assistant Director. I had just moved to Mumbai then and he was one of the first few friends that I had. With him, I could have never got an attitude of throwing around any weight.
And how about Ranveer? After all you hardly knew him.
Ranveer is a very polished actor and a good professional. I never felt that I was working with a newcomer. There could have been some raw edges but then it wasn't something that I had to care about. For that there is a director. Yes, I am the most known face in the film but apart from that the most important fact is that this is a Yash Raj film. That holds prominence over anything else.
 Ranveer is a very polished actor and a good professional  |
Well, if promos are any indication, seems like they are continuing their tradition of bringing fun films with Band Baaja Baaraat.
I am glad that people are thinking this way. Yes, there is fun, entertainment, superb music and some great chemistry between two characters. I don't have any doubts that it would have a crackling effect on audience.
The film looks so much fun with all the marriages and all around. You recollect any such fun that you yourself had during the film's making?
Since all of us are pretty much the same age, it worked for us. There were no ego issues or any apprehensions between us. None of us thought that because you are a hero or a heroine, you can't say something to me or I can't comment on something. There was some rocking energy that we brought in, something that reflected on the scenes as well. Every day was memorable for me. Secondly and very importantly, the fun element came in because we shot in Delhi. I still remember how we used to go to some roadside eating joints and hog like hungry homeless people.
The film has a backdrop of wedding planners. It could well be the USP, right, since one hasn't seen many films where the characters are shown as wedding planners.
Yes, there is this backdrop about wedding planners but eventually, the story is about these two people, their friendship and how they come of age. What really excited me was the relationship between these two characters, the way they spoke, the language they used, the way they cut into each other's lines. It was all very real, endearing and captivating. I have never heard such a script or characterisation.
| The thing about Adi is that when he is not a director of a film, he doesn't get into the creative side while the film is being shot |
Well, with Aditya Chopra around, I am sure there must have been a further comforting factor. How much was he involved in the making of the film, especially since the entire team behind Band Baaja Baaraat was new?
He was as involved in
Band Baaja Baaraat as in
Badmaash Company. And if I have to extend this further then perhaps as much as in a
Lafangey Parindey or a
Chak De India. See, the thing about Adi is that when he is not a director of a film, he doesn't get into the creative side while the film is being shot. Yes, he is thoroughly involved in casting but once the film is on sets, he never even steps in. He is a very good producer that way and gave that comfort feel to Maneesh to totally lead the show.
How about your own comfort level with your co-star Ranveer? Did it take long for you to become comfortable in each other's company?
Yes, it took time for me. That's mainly because of the kind of actor that Ranveer is. He is a method actor who would do quite a few rehearsals before giving a take. He is somebody who, if required to do some panting on screen, will actually run for a while and then do that. On the other hand I am more spontaneous as I just come to the sets, understand the world where I am required to belong to, listen to the director and do as instructed in front of the camera. Due to this distinct approach that both of us carry, there was a difference in the way we did a scene together.
Did that lead to any friction between the two of you?
No, I did not feel any friction as such but then honestly, I couldn't understand the way Ranveer was acting. For one full week, I was just surprised by him. I was trying to find out who he is. I was maintaining a distance from him and was just being cordial without getting into 'hey buddy, what's up' talk. There was a bit of struggle to find a common ground. Having said that, it was nothing to do with the fact that he was a newcomer. I would have definitely felt the same with another actor as well who came with a style similar to that of Ranveer. I guess eventually it is this dissimilarity in the way we approached our scenes that a great chemistry was created.
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