Cover Story
What is your role in Haseena ?
I play a grey shaded character in Haseena! I am actually playing a grey shaded character for the first time in my career in Haseena as Haseena Parkar, the dreaded sister of the underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim. It was a big challenge for me to play Haseena Parkar.
How did you prepare for your part in the film Haseena?
Though I wore the prosthetic to gain weight, everything went to one area. (Laughs). I am now trying to gain weight in my arms. When prosthetics becomes a part of your character, you feel strange without it. It takes a little time for you to get used to it. It is amazing to play reel life sister to your real life brother. Though I was nervous when I was told that I had to play my own brother’s sister in Haseena, I told myself that I should be the way I am at home. Though my brother Siddhanth used to bully me when I was a kid, nowadays he is a good friend of mine.
“Every Friday can just change you in this film industry. My life changed with Aashiqui 2 overnight. You get to learn a lot from your failures which success does not teach you.”
To what extent have you deglamourised yourself in Haseena?
I have gone 100% de-glam in the film. Despite sport no-makeup and wearing simple clothes, I was told by Apoorva that I should managed to look deadly. I was told to completely get into my character. I shot for the film in Pune. I spent canning all my portions, which include a court sequence at Deccan College and a theatre in the vicinity that were cordoned off for the shoot. The college was converted into a court for the shoot. When I was informed that the shoot is happening in Pune, I was very excited to travel by road as I have fond memories of the city. As a child, I remember I used to often travel to the city by road to visit my late maternal grandparents who lived there.
As Shraddha Kapoor, what is your secret desire?
I want to play a comedy role, like my father Shakti Kapoor. I wish someone comes forward to make a comedy film called Crime Maaster Gogo and his daughter Gogi with my dad and I where I can show my prowess as a comedienne.
OK. How challenging was it for you to play Ria in your last release Half Girl Friend?
It was fun acting out the part of Ria but very challenging to play the game of basketball, especially because while in school, I used to be called to play the game only as a substitute. Now after I underwent a coaching in the game for three weeks from NBA coaches, I can at least say that I am decent at basketball. I am a righty but used to play the leftie forward. I was good at football, high and long jump. I also have amazing memories of playing football in my building. Basketball was only a part of the film but the film did not revolve around basketball but for the film on Saina Nehwal, I need to learn badminton a lot.
Is it true that Saina had suggested Deepika Padukone for the part?
Saina is quite happy with my choice for the role. I hope I do not end up disappointing Saina. The biopic is very special to me though I was very scared when the offer to play Saina came to me because it needed a massive effort since there are a lot of expectations from me. With every film I want to do memorable work. Saina has promised to coach me too before I start shooting for the film. I have to devote a lot of time to prepare for my part in the biopic of Saina. I am really very scared as well as excited, because Saina is a current youth icon, a real legend figure. I have got to speak exactly like her and have the body language like Saina. While playing a fictional character, you have to rely a lot on your imagination.
“I just laugh at rumors about myself, though earlier I used to get upset at them, especially when my father was dragged into gossip unnecessarily.”
Half Girl Friend was your third film with Mobhit Suri as the director. You had earlier acted under his direction in Aashiqui 2 as well as Half Girl Friend. What brief did Mohit Suri give you when you started playing Ria in Half Girl Friend?
Mohit told me to just read the script and connect with it and not read Chetan Bhagat’s book especially since he had made some changes in the book. It was a big challenge for me to work with Mohit Suri for the third time after Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain. I am a little tomboyish and not girlie and I have a different side to me which Mohit has seen. I have a laughter when I crack up which is not at all feminine. I had to get the high society Delhi girl’s characteristics and observe how they use their hands while talking animatedly. I and my friends have experienced the feeling of holding back our liking for a particular boy because we want to focus on our career. In the pursuit of your career, kuch rishte adhe adhure reh jaate hain and you just cannot help it.
What difference is there between the Shraddha Kapoor of yore who had given consecutive flops to Shraddha Kapoor of today who is synonymous with hit films?
Every Friday can just change you in this film industry. My life changed with Aashiqui 2 overnight. It is strange to say this but I feel very grateful that I started off with flop after flop. You get to learn a lot from your failures which success do not teach you. You learn only when something is not going right. It was a tough time for me but I learnt a lot.
How do you react to rumors linking you with Farhan Akhtar?
I just laugh at rumors about myself, though earlier I used to get upset at them, especially when my father was dragged into gossip unnecessarily. These days, I am a very disconnected person as far as the film industry is concerned and am so much into my own bubble, though I do indulge in social media. I am on all the three media- Instagram, Twitter and Face Book.
What is your take on Kailash Kher’s quote that a an actress like Sonakshi Sinha should not sing at a Bieber concert in India as it will send a wrong signal that India does not have singers?
Music is an integral part of Hindi Cinema. I get a different high when I sing, though I regret that I was very small when my maternal grandfather Pandarinath Kolhapure used to teach me. Whether a singer or actress or lyricist or for that matter a media person, we are all interconnected as part of an interactive medium. We have a large responsibility to help and encourage each other to grow. No one has the right to say that if you are an actress, you should not sing. Instead of condemning and pulling down anyone, we should support people who want to show off their prowess. It is time we learnt to celebrate excellence in human beings, instead of cribbing about others Isn’t it?
