While watching Lust Stories with her mother, Bhumi Pednekar kept stealing glances to gauge her reaction. In the anthology of four short films, directed by Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee, Bhumi plays a domestic help in a sexual relationship with her employer (Neil Bhoopalam). Directed by Akhtar, the short explores love and lust through the lens of class divide. t2 caught up with the young actress in the office of Yash Raj Films recently to talk about Lust Stories and her plans for her birthday (July 18) next month. 
   
Congratulations on all the praises coming your way for Lust Stories.

Thank you so much. I feel it’s one of my best performances till date. I’m getting goosebumps, and I’m very embarrassed. I was surprised when I saw it because I had shot this film over a year ago, towards the end of January. I shot it between Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan when I had a six-day window. I wrapped up the last song for Toilet and the next day I was shooting for Lust Stories and the morning after I finished Lust Stories, I was in Delhi for Shubh Mangal. I didn’t really have the time to understand what I’d done or what had happened — all of last year was so crazy that when I watched the film, I was pleasantly surprised and proud of what I was seeing. 

What kind of reactions did you get?

It’s been amazing; mainly because of the kind of maturity our audiences have shown. The kind of love I’ve got on social media has been crazy. I’ve had my aunts, people in my family, and my mom’s friends watching the film and loving it. I’m specifically speaking of people in that age group because I thought if there’s anyone who might get uncomfortable, it could be them.

In India, sex has always been a taboo but I think it is changing now. I remember even when we were promoting Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, one of the main conversations we were having with people was that sex is as normal as breathing; it’s a human need, it’s healthy, it’s important and it’s beautiful.

This film had many firsts for you — first short film, female director, first foray into the digital platform…

… Also, first intimate scene! Visually, I had never seen myself do something as intense as I did in Zoya’s film. The beauty of Zoya is that she does everything so artistically; this visual could have gotten vulgar so easily.

When I read the script, I knew what I was getting into, because she had explained it to me. And as an actor there’s no difference between me chopping vegetables in the kitchen, mopping the floor and being in bed with a man. Emotionally, it all feels the same. She did give me a lot of confidence though, and I knew she’d shoot it artistically and it wasn’t going to be cheap. It’s in the film to evoke an emotion, and it’s important to the film, and that’s why I was okay with it. 

You’re still very new in the industry. A film of so many firsts… does ticking off these boxes give you a high?

Yeah, I get damn excited. As I’m finishing my films and with whatever experience I’ve gained in the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve come to realise that I’m not somebody who can do regular stuff. I love challenging myself, getting out of the box and pushing boundaries.

I think my first film, Dum Laga ke Haisha, really spoilt me. Even with Lust Stories, a lot of people told me it’s not a traditional route for a mainstream actor to take. But it didn’t matter because I got a chance to collaborate with a director I love; I read the story and script and told myself it’s a challenge. It’s exactly what keeps me going. 

How’s your next film Sonchiriya coming along?

We’re done shooting the film. I don’t know when it releases, but it should be soon. It’s been one of the most crazy, beautiful, thrilling experiences of my life. Again, I’m doing something I’ve never done before. It’s a really special film, and I don’t want to talk too much about it. 

And you have a birthday coming up?

I do, I do. And I don’t know what I’m going to be doing. The ideal plan is to be working out, and to be healthy this birthday. But the chances of that happening look low because I’m probably going to end up throwing a party and getting drunk with my friends. I only drink on my birthday but I’m going to try and change that, let’s see.