C H I T C HAT
Deepika Padukone talks
about xXx, Bajirao
Mastani and winning the
Filmfare Award
D
eepika Padukone is on cloud nine these days after
winning the Black Lady for her oh- so- real performance in Piku. She confides that initially people
were wary why she’d chosen such an offbeat film. “They
thought Shoojit Sircar, Irrfan Khan and myself formed
a weird combination,” she laughs. “But I had faith in
the content of the film and in the honesty of our intention. And everything else followed. If, as artistes, there’s
earnestness in you, the audience senses it because it
comes through in your performance.” The same is true
for Bajirao Mastani, where she trusted her instincts as
much as she trusted her director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
She went with the spirit of the real-life warrior princess
and breathed life into her character as Mastani. “Mastani
had so many facets. She had a strong willpower; she
was determined and focused. And at the same time, she
was vulnerable, romantic and beautiful. It was a challenge to blend all these traits and bring her alive on film.”
She adds, “When I read about Mastani, I realised that
there’s a Mastani in every woman. In some she is more
pronounced. Even everyday situations call upon us to
be confident and confrontational.” She swayed the audience with her porcelain beauty in the film – her poise
and elegance adding to her character. She gives credit
to director Bhansali, costume designer Anju Modi and
her hair and make-up team for presenting her so beautifully. “My look for the Deewani Mastani song was inspired by that one pictorial reference we had — a painting and not a real image. We kept it minimal. I remember
when the trailer was first aired Karan Johar called up
to say, ‘My God! What have you done? There’s hardly
any make-up or jewellery, yet you’re looking so regal’.”
The actor in her blossomed under SLB’s firm tutelage,
whom she describes as a tough director. “Shooting a
song with Sanjay sir is like shooting a whole film. When
I was shooting for the classical song Mohe rang do lal,
I almost gave it up that day. I withdrew into a shell. I felt
I couldn’t do it anymore. This film was physically and
mentally challenging.”
She continues, “But I discovered that whenever you
fear you can’t do something, there emerges the strength
to do it. The force is within you. You just have to tap it
18 | BOOM