Tabu’s filmography is peppered with biggies like Haider, Life of Pi, The Namesake and Chandni Bar that have cemented her credentials as the queen of art-house cinema. But for years now, the actress has been hankering to be a part of a laugh-out-loud comedy. Her wish came true when Rohit Shetty decided to make the fourth instalment of the mega franchise Golmaal, called Golmaal Again.

t2 met the statuesque actress in a banquet hall at the Sun ’n’ Sand hotel in Mumbai’s Juhu days before the film’s release this Friday. With a cuppa joe in hand, Tabu sat down to chat about why shooting Golmaal Again was everything she had hoped it would be.  

You’ve been having a release almost every year!

(Laughs) See, after all the accusations, ‘Where do you disappear, why don’t you do more films, why do you always say no and refuse so many films, why, why,why?’... I almost started feeling guilty for not working! Now I feel like I’m only working to keep people quiet. Though my average is still quite bad!

This is your first comedy in almost a decade?

Yes, after Hera Pheri (2000). And I’ve wanted to do one forever, haven’t I always told you that? It came at such an appropriate time — I’ve been ready, prepared for it and actually looking forward to it. And it all happened quite nicely.

You’ve done your fair share of comedies in the past, like Biwi No. 1 and Saajan Chale Sasural. Do you think the reason filmmakers stopped approaching you for comedies is your image? Maybe they thought you were a serious actress or that you won’t be interested...

No. I don’t think that people would think I wouldn’t be interested. I think that being branded as a serious actress suited some kind of films better. I think the requirement for me in that space was more. Also, it’s a completely safe bet for them to cast me in such roles. Anyway, how many out-and-out comedies actually get made and I don’t think people approach female actors too much for the genre.

Is it true that you didn’t even read the script for Golmaal Again before signing it?

They sent me the script, but the thing is, I knew that Rohit wouldn’t come to me with something inconsequential. Every opportunity I’d get, I would tell Rohit that I wanted to be a part of Golmaal and I knew he wouldn’t let me down when it comes to the role. 

Was it as much fun as you thought it would be?

It was actually more fun than I thought it would be! I know everyone involved in the film. So I knew it would be great fun. There is a comfort zone with Ajay (Devgn) and Rohit, who I’ve known forever. Tusshar (Kapoor) and I have been friends for almost 15 years but this is the first time we’re working together. I got to spend so much time with him and Lakshu (Tusshar’s son Laksshya).

It’s so comforting to be around people like Johny bhai (Johny Lever), Sanjay Mishra and Farhad-Sajid (the film’s writers) who I’ve known for such a long time. There was never a dull moment on the set. I had missed being in that kind of an atmosphere. 

When did you first work with Rohit?

I’ve known Rohit since he was working with Kuku Kohli on Haqeeqat (starring Tabu and Ajay Devgn). We’ve never been regularly in touch or anything, but there’s some comfort in working with people who’ve had a shared history. And we’d meet socially and I always pestered him to make me a part of Golmaal. I used to jokingly tell him to give me a cameo — put me opposite Tusshar and make me his deaf and mute girlfriend! 

Ajay and you did Drishyam last…

And we’ve never done a comedy together before. What also makes this different from my past roles with Ajay is that I’m not really opposite Ajay in the film. Nobody is really opposite anyone in Golmaal, it’s not about a single character, you don’t even feel like individuals — it’s the whole madness of everybody together. In every shot, the minimum number of actors that were on screen was eight. And that number went up to 22 in the climax — so, there were 21 men and I was the only woman.

You’ve been shooting Sriram Raghavan’s next with Ayushmann Khurrana. There’s been some buzz that you and Ayushmann aren’t happy with the direction the film’s taken.

Absolutely not! We are midway through the film. We are on a break right now and I will get back to shooting Sriram’s film after Diwali. 

Karishma Upadhyay