Shilpi Sampad (MID-DAY; December 8, 2016)

For a Punjabi kudi with acting experience in Kannada films, how difficult could learning a new language be? Ask Kriti Kharbanda, Emraan Hashmi’s heroine from Raaz Reboot, who plays a Gujarati girl in her second film, Ashwini Dhir’s Atithii Iin London.

Faced with the challenge of perfecting the nuances of the language, Kriti turned to co-star Paresh Rawal, a Gujarati, for some quick lessons. The film’s team, including Tanvi Azmi and Kartik Aaryan, is currently shooting in London, where it is set.

A unit hand informs, “Kriti had to pick up a typical Gujarati accent for an authentic touch. So, she would spend time with Pareshji before and after shoot, and he was more than happy to help her perfect the lingo.”

Kriti says, “During the extensive shoot schedule in London, Paresh sir helped me to get Gujarati diction right. I used to sit with him during breaks and he would recite my lines in Gujarati to help me learn how to speak the words right. I can’t thank him enough for that.”