Lara Dutta, who was on a self imposed sabbatical from films

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Lara Dutta, who was on a self imposed sabbatical from films, and was enjoying being a mother to her daughter Saira, is back to rock the silver screen with Singh Is Bling. The actor-turned-producer, who has Azhar and Fitoor in the pipeline, also plans to produce two films and give her fans more reasons to rejoice. In a candid conversation, Lara talks about doing her 14th film with Akshay Kumar, adapting to Prabhu Dheva’s style of comedy and if offered the right film, she is ready to share screen with her arch rival Priyanka Chopra. 

Welcome back Lara. Finally, you are back to doing what you are best at. Did you miss being on the sets?

Well it feels great to be back and it doesn’t feel like I have been away for too long. Once you have learnt riding and you are back on the saddle even after years, it comes pretty naturally to you.

After doing 13 films with Akshay Kumar, what was the excitement level of working with him in yet another comedy?

Well to be honest 50 per cent of the reason to come back and do this film is that it had Akshay and it’s his production. The major reason why I am in this film is Akshay Kumar. I did the film for him and because of him. Working with him is like working with family. I feel completely at home while working with him. I know I will be taken care of and I know he understands the fact that I am a mom with a kid to take care of back home. He knows there is a certain way you can work now and only certain hours you can work now. He was very cool and understanding about these things. He is someone I have the best synergy with on screen. It’s a blast working with him. Doing a comedy film with him is another experience altogether.

After more than a decade and 13 films later, how much do you think Akshay has evolved as an actor?

He is definitely a far better performer today than what he used to be during Andaz. He was already a huge star when I did Andaz with him. I have seen him grow over the years as an actor and the way he has reinvented himself time and again. The range that you see in Akshay didn’t exist 13 years ago. He’s constantly learning and growing and that’s really amazing. He doesn’t think ‘now I am a successful superstar so I will bring the same formula to every film and do the same stuff’. He’s trying and learning something new and he is the hardest working actor I have ever known. And I think he looks better now than what he used to look during Andaz.

Now that you won’t be able to dedicate yourself to films as much as you did before becoming a mother, what is it that you look for in roles that would excite you to do them?

In all honestly, for me it’s very liberating to finally play roles like I have in the films that I have chosen this year that are not focused on me being a stereotypical Bollywood heroine wearing glamorous clothes, having blow-dried hair. It’s liberating to play roles that are beyond all that and play characters you can have fun with. I can now stop focusing on how I look like and start focusing on my character and scenes. On the one hand, if I am doing a comedy like Singh Is Bling, on the other, I am also doing Azhar, which is a biopic on Mohammed Azharuddin. Then there is Fitoor; although it’s a smaller part, but I loved playing it because that character didn’t originally exist in the book, The Great Expectations, which the film has been adapted from. I have all my scenes with Aditya Roy Kapur and it’s fantastic to work with the newer lot of actors.

Prabhu Dheva’s kind of comedy is very different from the comic capers you have been part of earlier. How easy or difficult was it to adapt to his style of comedy and humour?

You are right. Prabhu sir’s approach to comedy is very different from the directors I have worked with. It was pretty easy. I have worked with David Dhawan, Anees Bazmee, Priyadarshan, and have done a few films with Govinda too. I think over the years, I have built myself a reputation where directors can think of pushing the envelope a little more and see what I can do. Today, the directors can depend upon me to add a certain value to the film. I never knew I was good in comedy. No Entry for me was a revelation of sorts and I woke up to realize that I can do comedy and I am good at it. Later, with more comedy films, I became better at what I was good at. (Smiles)

You even suffered a leg fracture during the making of the film. Doing comedy with physical pain must have been very difficult.

Actually I broke my foot a few days before the shoot started. I had a fractured foot and I couldn’t put it in the cast because everybody’s dates were already given and we have to leave for a month long schedule in Goa. So I have shot the entire film with my foot heavily bandaged and Akshay used to carry a bucket of ice for me. After every shot, I would immediately immerse my foot in the bucket of ice to numb it. But I shot the entire film with a broken foot and no, it wasn’t difficult at all.

All these years, when you had taken a sabbatical from movies, did offers keep depleting or they were enough offers coming in which you couldn’t take for obvious reasons?

Offers have always been coming in but then your priorities in life change with time. I had Saira soon after my marriage and I couldn’t ask Mahesh as an International Tennis Player to give up his entire Tennis career. I can’t ask him to forget about Grand Slams and sit at home. I wanted to spend enough time with my daughter and wanted to be with her all the time as a mother. I thoroughly enjoyed doing that. I didn’t regret being away from films or not being on sets even once because there wasn’t any film or set that was more important and enticing than spending time with my daughter. We make sure one parent is always there with her all the time. While I was shooting for Azhar at London, Mahesh would babysit Saira. I am very fortunate to have what’s coming my way and I am very clear about what I want to do. I don’t want to do films that take me away from my daughter and family for a couple of months. My family is my priority.

Being a mother, would you be comfortable doing an out-and-out action film?

Yes. I will have to train for it but it wouldn’t be difficult; it will come naturally to me because I have always been a physical person and love to stay fit. I am a little more scared to take risks because now I think if something goes wrong then that will translate down to my kid. I don’t think I would take too many risks because it’s not worth it.

Priyanka Chopra and you started your careers together. Today she has become an international star. How do you feel and how do you see her growth as an actor?

She is simply phenomenal. I always wish her the biggest successes she can possibly have because I know how hard she has worked and how focused she has been all these years for what she wants and she deserves every single bit of the success she has achieved today.

Which actor, from the younger lot, do you like the most?

I like Ranveer Singh. I think he has phenomenal energy. If there are films of younger actors being played in theatres simultaneously then there are higher chances of me watching Ranveer’s film in a theatre. But if you ask me who I would love to work with then I would say all because they all are distinctively talented. Also I think there are better female actors in the industry today than male actors.

Will we ever get to see Priyanka and you working together again in a film?

Insha Allah! Why not? Who knows what destiny has planned and who knows if a filmmaker is already writing a script with both of us in mind. (Laughs)

So if offered a film alongside her, you are ready to work with her? You wouldn’t mind doing a film with her?

Of course not! Why would I? There is no competition between us. I am at a stage in my life where I wouldn’t mind working with any of my contemporaries, whether it’s Priyanka or Kareena or whoever is considered my contemporary. There is nothing more left for me to prove. I never expected to be into films and I never expected to make the kind of money I have made by being as an actor. Sorry but that’s the honest truth. I don’t think I was ever cut-out for Bollywood. I never had the aspirations of becoming a Bollywood actor. But today, I am very confident about what I can bring to the table and what I can add to the film. Today, there is contentment and a lot of excitement to do good work, act with new actors and learn something new from each one of them.