‘I’m contented and secure’

Lara Dutta awaits her first Yash Raj film Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, which releases shortly. She chats with Vickey Lalwani about the film and her career.

Excited about Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (JBJ)?

Abhishek Bachchan and Lara Dutta in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

Certainly. And I remember how it came to me. I was in Bangalore and I got a call from director Shaad Ali’s office. Big films tend to come to me when I am not in town. Andaz fell into my lap in exactly the same way. Those who loved the madness of Bunty aur Babli will definitely enjoy JBJ.

What’s your role in the film?

Adi (Aditya Chopra) was clear that I should look different from all my films so far. Aki Narula designed my look. I play a Pakistani-French girl. So I had to speak Hindi with a French accent. That’s difficult and it took a lot of trial and error.

How was it working with Amitabh Bachchan?

I didn’t get much chance to work him in Ek Ajnabee and on foreign locales in JBJ either, but when we returned, we did a 21-day schedule in Yash Raj Studios. He looks like Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean in JBJ. He is unarguably the most professional and dedicated actor on the sets.

We heard, a man wouldn’t allow your flight to take off from Muscat recently?

Gosh! How did you know this? Don’t even remind me of that. It was scary to begin with. They called out my name to come out from the aircraft just when the doors were about to close for the take off. They said that a man was obstructing the aircraft and he wanted to talk to me. Actually, he was a crewmember of some airlines and hence had access right up to the tarmac. Top of all, he was staying in the same hotel as I was. So I guess he knew my departure plans.

You came out and spoke to him?

I had to. They put the stairs back, but thankfully, didn’t allow him to come up. So, I was speaking from the top and he was standing below.

What’s next after JBJ?

David Dhawan’s Partner. I play a gutsy girl who locks horns with people but ironically is subjected to being a damsel in distress. It’s nice to be paired opposite Salman and work with him for the first time. He is a wonderful human being.

How satisfied are you in your career? You feel you could have done more films?

I am not satisfied at all. I’ll never be satisfied. But yes, I am much more contented and secure. Today, I know the kind of work I want to do and the people I want to work with. I have realised that I am a good comic actress. Both, Bhagam Bhag and Partner, taught me a lot in the comic genre. And I am getting to read scripts, which have roles like Sridevi and Juhi Chawla did. And that’s great; there aren’t too many actresses who can carry off that genre. — TWF

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