What got you interested in Gabbar is Back?
My main criterion has always been my character. Gabbar is Back is a remake of the Tamil film Ramana, which was directed my (AR) Murugadoss sir. I really liked the film. My character is modified in the Hindi version. She is very upbeat and lots of fun. I haven’t played a character like her here in Hindi, so Gabbar appealed to me.
There is always a danger of being relegated to the background when you work with a superstar like Akshay Kumar. Was that a worry?
This is a danger that women face in every walk of life and not just in India. Women across the world are pushing for gender equality. Having said that, I am happy with the part I have in the film.
Was working with Akshay everything that you had thought it would be?
It was much better than what I had imagined it to be. Everyone knows about how professional he is. Through his career, no one has had a bad thing to say about him. I think that’s because he is a very positive person. He treats everyone as an integral member of the team. He has no airs and is very down to earth. And it’s not that fake down-to-earth that some people put on to impress others.
Akshay starts his day a lot earlier than the rest of Bollywood…
Which is not a problem for anyone who has worked in the south. I am used to starting a regular work day at 7-8am.
You performed with your father Kamal Haasan at an awards show last week...
Yes, and it was wonderful. Everyone knows that he is a very good dancer. I am also very passionate about dance and I think I get that from him. He is the one who would show me steps and I’d practise and perfect them. So, dancing with him is very normal for me. But obviously we had never “performed” for people before. So that was different.
Have you spoken about working together in a film?
Of course! More than us, I think, people around us talk about it more. We are keen to do a film together, but nothing has really come our way. It would have to be a really, really good story that interests both of us.
Considering both of you do multi-lingual films, do you have any preferences in what language?
Not really. Language is no bar.
Do you turn to either of your parents for advice about movies and showbiz?
Not really. They (dad Kamal Haasan and mom Sarika) are available whenever I need their advice. I am my own person and I like making my own decisions. Though if I had to, it’s more likely that I’d ask my dad.
You got stuck in a legal tangle in the south where a production house filed a cheating case against you. Is that sorted now?
Yes. The court has dismissed that case. I am so glad. It was all so unnecessary. I hope this doesn’t happen to any actress.
You haven’t had a smooth ride in Bollywood…
Ya, but is there a template for what a career should look like? I see myself as an actress in Indian cinema. I work in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. I am the child of multi-cultural parents and refuse to pick one language over the other. As long as I can, I am going to be working in all three languages. So if you look at my career as a whole, it’s been more than fine.
And this year promises to be a busy one for you...
Absolutely. I have a total of seven releases. In Hindi, after Gabbar, I have Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Yaara (with Irrfan Khan and Vidyut Jammwal), alongside Rocky Handsome and Welcome Back (both with John Abraham). In the south, there is Puli in Tamil with Vijay, an untitled film with Ajith Kumar and another film with Mahesh Babu.
