Kareena Kapoor is all set for the release of her latest starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which stars Salman Khan, a film that promises to set all box office collections records on fire. Satish Sundaresan of Bollywood Hungama met up Kareena Kapoor and came back totally mesmerised by her extremely down-to-earth nature. Here are 10 questions from the interview:
1. Kareena, to start with, the release of Bajrangi Bhaijaan is just around the corner, what is the feeling now?
It’s a lovely feeling. I feel really honoured. It is the first time when Salman Khan has turned a producer and he has cast me in his film. I think it is an absolute delight. I know Salman Khan from his Nischay days with Bhappi Soni and my sister Karisma Kapoor. Salman and I have worked together in Bodyguard and that people have loved us together. That way I am sure that people will really love us in Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
2. You play a Brahmin girl named Rasika. Can you tell us something more about her? Was there any special preparation that you did for the role?
There was no ‘preparation’ as such for the role, but we definitely worked a lot on the look, because I play a school teacher from Chandni Chowk.
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3. The very first time a person hears the name ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, it does take a moment for such a unique name to get registered. What about you? What was your immediate reaction when you heard the title?
All that I can tell you right now is that, this is the perfect title for the film, as Salman Khan plays a ‘Bajrangi’ ka bhakt, and he is ‘bhaijaan’ anyways. But, when you see the film, you will understand the real reason as to why the film is called as Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
4. What made you say yes to Bajrangi Bhaijaan? Was it Salman Khan, the script, your role in the film or the film’s director Kabir Khan?
I think that the dynamics of the film sometimes come together. It is not necessary that you need to have an earth shattering role. This is a commercial potboiler which has a trim and proper direction. It is not just a mere film with lots of action and comedy in it. Bajrangi Bhaijaan has a story, relevant direction, the sense of milieu of the atmosphere for the audience. Needless to say that, Salman is definitely a bonus, but I have never worked with Kabir Khan before. To work with a new director is what I want now.
5. This is the first time that you are working with Kabir Khan. How did you find him as a director? Have you seen his earlier films (Kabul Express, New York and Ek Tha Tiger)?
I have seen his work in Kabul Express and New York. Kabir is such a kind of filmmaker who will make big budget blockbusters, which have a meaning to them. As a human being he is lovely and as a director he is even better. He is technically so sound and he knows his craft so well that he knows where to place the camera for best results in the film, which makes his film open up into a great landscape. In simple words, he is a travelogue director. The way he travels through his films is simply wonderful.
6. Considering it’s a ‘Salman Khan’ film, there are oodles of expectations from the film’s music.
My favourite song is the ‘Selfie’ song, because it is commercial and massy and also it has Salman Khan in it. Music of the film goes with the theme of the film. It is nothing like there are songs which have people dancing in places like America or London. The songs have not been thrust into the film. When there is no requirement of a song, there won’t be any song.
7. How different is Rasika from all the other characters that you have played so far?
Rasika is a very simple and down to earth girl, who helps Salman in the journey that he takes on. She is more like the emotional crux in the film.
8. Buzz is that the film is about you and Salman playing a Brahmin girl and a Muslim guy respectively. How do you react when people go on to claim this to be your real life’s story!
Honestly, Salman is NOT playing a Muslim guy. He is playing a hanuman ka bhakt. I play a Brahmin girl from a Brahmin family. Why he goes to Pakistan and all the other details follows a journey. People are only jumping the gun and writing their own script about a ‘Brahmin girl and a Muslim guy’.
9. What are the locations where Bajrangi Bhaijaan has been filmed?
We have shot in Karjat, Kashmir, Delhi, up in the peaks of Gulmarg, Somnar, Amritsar and other places. Like every Kabir Khan film, this film too will take you through a lovely journey. It is an emotional story totally.
10. You have said that this will be Salman’s career’s best film and that it will have Salman in a completely different light altogether. What makes you say that?
We all know that Salman Khan is amazingly outstanding in whatever he does. Even in the last couple of films in terms of his looks, performance, his dance etc… he is fabulous. In Bajrangi Bhaijaan, you will not see Salman Khan for whatever he is known for. He is doing something that is more emotional after a very long time.
By Satish Sundaresan