Deepika Padukone

Wouldn’t you feel hostile if a strikingly tall lady perches herself up on three-inch heels, dwarfing the world around, including you, further? Normally you would, but if her face exuded complete innocence, as Deepika Padukone’s did on Saturday midnight when she walked out of her vanity van, you would be inclined to forgive.

The model-turned-actress was on the sets of Pogo Amazing Kids Awards in Mumbai where she was to give away the trophy to the Amazing Entertainer of the Year. She came in a blood-red dress cropped at shapely knees and with a neckline dipping just a little to reveal the hint of cleavage that would make the cut on a children’s channel.

Once she was through with her stage duty, she readily agreed to an interview request from t2, despite the late hour.

A stunning debut opposite the biggest star of the industry, followed by a call-up from a coveted banner like Yash Raj, and now her third film, Chandni Chowk to China with a producer no less than Hollywood’s Warner Bros, which will be releasing on January 16 — she would have to call herself blessed. “I agree that I am fortunate par main mehnat bhi karti hoon,” she replies in a voice that is soft but not lacking conviction. She points out that Nikhil Advani (the director of Kal Ho Naa Ho) had signed her for Chandni Chowk to China before her first film was released. “Farah (Khan, the director of Om Shanti Om) and Nikhil believed in me. That gives me added confidence.”

After watching the trailer of the movie at the awards programme, all talk naturally veers towards her next release that promises to dazzle the audience with technical brilliance. “Nikhil Advani has taken Indian cinema to the level of Hollywood. This film will show that we are capable of making films of international standards. At the same time, we are Indians and we are making an Indian film with Hindi as the medium. So it will be true to our sensibilities,” Deepika clarifies.

The one-line story doing the rounds is that of how Akshay Kumar, the film’s hero, turns from a simple cook to a martial arts exponent. Will he be making a return as an action hero, after a spate of comedy? “The film,” Deepika insists, “will be an interesting blend of both. I’d call it an action-comedy. Akki is terrific in both kinds of acting.”

As one muses about the cocktail, Deepika adds a teaser. “There is great drama at the end. No, I don’t need to raise curiosity levels but the film is made in such a way that there will be talk about that sequence,” her lips part in a partial smile.

With the focus on Akshay and his action, where is she in the film? “Well, I am fortunate to do a double role again (after OSO). One is a simple Indian girl called Sukhi, and the other is a complex Chinese girl. I had to work a lot for the Chinese character. Both (Chinese martial arts expert and actor) Gordon Liu and Akshay are fantastic fighters. I had to match up to them.”

Viewers who revelled in watching Priyanka Chopra take on men in Don or Drona may now look forward to another action queen. “I fight many people in the movie. There is one sequence with Akki. I had to make that believable.” That meant six-eight hours of practice daily for six months. “That’s what it took me to reach Akshay’s level. Or somewhere there,” she adds, as a quick afterthought. Her training took place in Mumbai under the supervision of experts from Hong Kong sent by Dee Dee, the action director of the Kill Bill films.

If the action left her sweating it out, getting in character threatened to be no less a trial, physically. There would be no getting past the slit-eyed look if she had to play Chinese. But Deepika refused to do what Sridevi had done for a comic sequence in Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. “They wanted to put tapes on (the eyelids), but I did not agree. Doctors advised me against it. It’s not good for your eyes to have tapes on for 10-12 hours a day. Thankfully, Mallika Bhatt, who does my make-up, came up with a slanted style of putting the eyeliner which would give me a Chinese look.”

With her minders pointedly looking at the watch, it is pack-up time. One last question. “Your last visit to Calcutta was a hush-hush affair…” The face immediately clouds, expecting an intrusion into her private life that has provided fodder to gossip columns. The visit mentioned was made during the launch of Bachna Ae Haseeno in Calcutta, when she came just to spend time with boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor and remained in her hotel room. But she relaxes on hearing the rest of the question — when can Calcutta expect a public appearance? “Calcutta is one of my favourite cities. I have been there so many times during my modelling days. I especially love the food there. I will be back soon to have machher jhol,” she breaks into a smile.

Sudeshna Banerjee

Will Deepika be Bollywood’s heroine no. 1? Tell t2@abpmail.com