BCR NEWS (Swati Bhat/Mumbai): The opening session of the Jio MAMI Movie Mela with Star, 2019 began with an engaging conversation between actor Deepika Padukone, the newly appointed Chairperson of MAMI, film critic Rajeev Masand and Anupama Chopra, Festival Director, MAMI.
The focus of the chat was five of Deepika’s standout roles that the two leading critics love and are career milestones in her twelve-year illustrious career. When asked to count the number of films she has worked on a modest Deepika said, “I have never really worked towards keeping a count on the number of films I have done, but more about connecting with the work I have done. My acting process begins with the narration. While a great narration may not necessarily translate into a great movie, it helps me visualize the story and the character. It helps bring out the honesty of the script.”
When asked about the how two of her co-stars – Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh – differ in their methods of working, Deepika was quick to respond. “Ranbir doesn’t really have a process; he is very spontaneous. I have never really seen him ‘prepare’ for his role as such. He’s like me in that respect. Our approach is 50% rehearsed and 50% spontaneous. Ranveer, on the other hand, really gets into the process. He changes everything for the role – right from the car he drives, to the clothes and the perfume he wears. He’s a different person every six months, which is probably one of the reasons why our relationship has lasted so long; I never get bored.” she joked, leaving the audience in splits.
Speaking about her upcoming movie Chhapaak, in which she plays an acid attack survivor, Deepika said that the character stayed with her for quite a while even after the film was completed. It’s something, she said, that all actors experience. “The characters you play don’t just go away at the snap of the finger. They linger in your mind; they get pushed to the back as you start playing a new character; but they never entirely go away. Chhapaak was also a very physically draining movie; it would take at least three hours to put on the make-up every day and an hour to take it off. Even emotionally, it’s one of my most challenging roles yet and I’m looking forward to bringing it to audiences,” she signed off.
