"Blessed” is a word Bhumi Pednekar uses a lot. And it’s not surprising. Exactly a year ago, Bhumi played the part of an overweight newlywed draped in staid saris and trying to earn the affections of her husband (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) in her debut film Dum Laga Ke Haisha. The sleeper hit was praised across the board and a year later, Bhumi has picked up multiple debutant awards.

t2 met the 26-year-old actress days before she flew off to Shimla to start shooting her sophomore film Manmarziyan. Bhumi is sitting in an alcove in the Yash Raj Films atrium and dressed in a simple white tee and skinny jeans, looks nothing like her Dum Laga Ke’s Sandhya. In one year, she’s shed the 30kg that she had piled on for her debut. Over skinny mocha frappuccinos (YRF has some of the best coffee in B’wood studio  land), Bhumi talks about watching herself on the big screen, her first fan experience and wonders what if..... 

Congratulations on all the awards...
Thank you. I always wanted to be an actress. I didn’t know what kind of films I would do, but I would always imagine myself at these award shows... and giving awards! So I am really living my dream. I only trusted my instincts when I got Dum Laga Ke Haisha. There was no way for me to know the fate of the film, but I did think that it would have some impact. These awards have given me the confidence in myself. 

So what did you imagine the award shows would be like and did they match up?
Honestly, it was much better than what I had imagined it to be like. When I was growing up, in the times before social media, award shows were our only connect with the stars. It’s pretty much what you see on TV.... Everyone was so nice to me and I had a lot of fun dressing up, walking the red carpet and doing interviews. When I dreamt of being an actor, apart from the joy of pursuing my craft, I wanted it all — the clothes and the fame. I never thought that a film like Dum Laga Ke Haisha would win as much as we did. 

Where are all your trophies kept?
(Laughs) Right now, in my room. My mum was sweet enough to empty out a whole shelf right in front of my bed. So they are the first and last things I see every day. 

Is there a memory from this award season that stands out?
All of us debutants... Sooraj (Pancholi), Athiya (Shetty)... would sit together. I have found great friends in them. 
[‘Sorry can we switch places? I keep getting distracted by everyone walking in.’ (Bhumi’s worked at YRF for almost six years — first as an assistant casting agent and now, of course, as an actor — and she clearly knows everyone. Even as we chat, she’s waved out to or got up to hug a number of people. So we quickly switch places and continue.)]

But I have to tell you that I have had the most fun with my team. Every time we won for direction, cinematography or music, everyone would cheer the loudest. The feeling of seeing someone from your team win is something else. I have never felt that rush before.

How would you describe the last one year?
I have gone through major life changes, be it my physicality or my profession. My life flipped 180 degrees in the last year. And it’s all come out of nowhere. I never auditioned or clicked a portfolio. I had no expectations from this film because I didn’t think people would want to see an overweight actor. 

Do you still clearly remember the Friday (February 27) when Dum Laga Ke Haisha released?
(Laughs) It’s forever etched in my memory. There was a screening for the critics and the media and I remember being so nervous. I kept waiting for people to call and tell me the reactions and no one was calling. After that I started going to different theatres to watch the audience reaction. Even now I really enjoy watching the film wherever it’s screened because I never get bored of the film. I laugh every single time! I have lost count of how many times I have seen the film in the theatre.

So you like watching yourself on screen?
Nooooooo! I cringe every single time. As actors, we know where you have given it your 100 per cent and where you’ve cheated. There are so many scenes I wish I could redo. But I guess actors are never satisfied. But there are scenes where I impress myself… (laughs) especially now, because I can’t connect with Sandhya anymore. 

Do you remember your first fan interaction?
Oh ya! I had goosebumps. We had gone to PVR in Juhu to see reactions and after the film ended, we went out to address the audience. The entire hall wanted to click pictures with me! I had never experienced anything like that before. And I couldn’t move. My body started reacting in strange ways.... my knees couldn’t support me! (Laughs) It was an out-of-body experience. 

Talking about your body, it must have been tough to lose all that weight in one year!
It was... as was gaining the weight for the film. Any physical transformation starts with how you train your brain. All the hard work that I had to put in physically didn’t seem like a big deal because I was mentally prepared for it. Also, I did it in such a way that I was happy doing it. I ate a lot and did all the things that I enjoy doing. So apart from going to the gym, I would play badminton, swim and dance. I was just eating a healthier version of everything. I never went to a dietician... my mom just figured out what would be best for my body and we went with that. 

The film started a conversation about body image. What is your take on it?
I have a two-part answer to this. As Bhumi the actor, I had put on weight for a film and when I was done with the film, I lost the weight. It’s as simple as that. As a foodie, I loved that period of putting on weight because I was eating pizza and Dal Makhani, but my stamina was down and my knees and ankles would hurt. So I would wait to lose the weight. As an actor, I don’t want to limit myself because of my body. Unfortunately in our films, almost no films are written for overweight characters. If I am asked to gain weight again, I will but it would have to be an exceptional film because it takes a toll on your body. 

Coming to Bhumi the girl… this is the smallest that I have ever been in my life! Growing up, weight wasn’t a subject that was ever discussed in my house. No one ever said, ‘Oh, you are looking fat’ or ‘how much weight have you lost?’ So I have always been very comfortable in my skin. When I think of myself, I don’t see a particular body type. That’s just not how I am trained to think about myself or anyone. When I look at myself in a mirror, I think ‘Wow! You are stunning’. Health has nothing to do with your weight. My mantra is to be healthy regardless of my body type. 

You are in the middle of shooting your next film Manmarziyan. How is it going?
Good. The film has Ayushmann and Vicky Kaushal (of Masaan). It’s nothing like Dum Laga Ke.... It’s classic romance that’s very relevant in today’s times and that’s what clicked for me. My character is someone who is born and brought up in Punjab… she is probably someone who hasn’t even stepped out of Punjab. It should be fun to play. I am very nervous about shooting this film. I keep thinking was Dum Laga Ke... a fluke? What if I really can’t act?! (Laughs)

Karishma Upadhyay