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'It went from me being scared and intimidated by him to me being very aggressive and passionate.'
"The story is the hero of my film," Janhvi Kapoor tells Subhash K Jha, referring to her new film, Ulajh.
"I think Director Sudhanshu Saria is the hero of my film. I think all the actors and technicians and all of our combined effort... I don't think there's a single hero to this film at all. I know a lot of female and mainstream leads have apprehensions about this.
"They wanted to change a certain aspect of the script because of the moral ambiguity of the female protagonist and the way she is presented in this film. But I found that part exciting. I liked how Sudhanshu Saria wasn't trying to make her a likable character. She is a flawed character and her decisions are going to cause a lot of debate.
"I guess in the start, I was a bit nervous. But when I saw the film, that's what I like about it the most," she adds.
"I don't think I've ever been this invested in any film. The credit goes to Sudhanshu Saria and everyone at Junglee Pictures for empowering me so much.
"That really goes with the grain of what this film and my character is about. Woh kehte na ek insaan ka jo maqsad milta hai. I think it's about how my character Suhana Bhatia thought she was doing something for the right reasons and then the discoveries she makes.
"For the first time, I'm playing a protagonist that's not a bechari, who's not helpless, who takes things in her own hands."
About her preparation, Janhvi reveals, "A lot of the prep was keeping in mind that her job involves her being in the room with a lot of powerful men. That is the way of the world, unfortunately, especially in the world of politics. And how every action or reaction of hers has national and diplomatic implications, and how she needs to leave every conversation, deal and negotiation in a way where, you know, she gets her way.
"It's a win for her and the country without really ruffling any feathers, hurting anyone's ego and still being diplomatic. You can never get hysterical in her line of work. You need to keep perception in mind. You need to keep history in mind when you're going into these negotiations, and you need to get your way. So much of it is mind games, playing your cards right.
"A lot of my exercises involved fun things like, I would sit in a room with my fellow actors and everyone would be given an agenda. I'd be given an exercise to get him to admit to doing something, like suppose Roshan Mathew was playing a foreign ambassador and he had an asset that I want but he wants to make a deal with, say, China instead. How will I get my way on behalf of India? So, we'd do our little research in whatever time we were given and we'd carry out these exercises, which were a lot of fun."
About her co-stars Roshan Mathew and Gulshan Devaiah, Janhvi says, "Roshan was my partner-in-crime, my partner-in-anxiety, my partner-in-overthinking, and he still is. Although we didn't spend too many days together, he feels like someone I can confide in, someone whose judgment I trust, someone whose work I admire.
"I really hope I get to work with him again because I enjoyed his energy and have a lot of respect for his work ethic. And I guess I have a soft corner for anyone who is a South Indian. I know he's from Kerala and that's very different from where I come from but still, there was a sense of familiarity.
"Gulshan, like he said in every interview he's done, that we didn't get the time to really hit it off. I think once you watch the film, you will realise why that might have been the energy on set even when we were shooting. But I have so much respect for him as an actor and what he brings to the table. His skill set is so envious."
She is all praise for her director.
"I think it started as an equation where I felt like I had to impress Sudhanshu and I was almost scared of him. But as our relationship developed and he empowered me with so much... I think that was his tactic to get me into the skin of Suhana. He took it to such an extent that I felt like I had so much of a voice.
"I think he regretted it later because I became quite volatile and aggressive with my opinions with him. So it went from me being scared and intimidated by him to me being very aggressive and passionate about my thoughts and creative opinions," she says.
Janhvi is excited about her forthcoming films.
"There's Devara, which is releasing soon, then there's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, for which I'm having a blast shooting. I will start RC16 soon. I'm dying to work with Buchi Babu sir (Sana, Director) as well as Ram Charan sir. I think there's a lot of history there, you know, with our parents. That's something I'm waiting to renew."
