Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 24, 2019)

After making a mark as a model, Pooja Hegde went on to make her debut in the Tamil film industry in 2012. A couple of films in Tamil and Telugu later, she made her foray into Hindi films with Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro (2016). And now, she is all geared up for her second Bollywood outing with Housefull 4. In a chat with BT, the actress talks about the reincarnation comedy, the #MeToo Movement that impacted the film’s shoot last year, and why slapstick comedies will never go out of fashion. Excerpts:

With an ensemble cast featuring Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Riteish Deshmukh, Kriti Sanon and Kriti Kharbanda, did it ever cross your mind that you might not have enough screen time in Housefull 4?
This film is a reincarnation comedy, and the trailer has already given you a glimpse of the massive confusion that is in store. The franchise has always had an ensemble cast and criss-crossing plot lines. It never crossed my mind that I might have lesser screen time than my co-stars because right at the narration stage, we knew what we were getting into. I was driven to play a new character and try a genre I’ve not really tried before. Also, I was getting a chance to work with the masters of comedy — Akshay, Riteish and Farhad (Samji, who came on board as director). I learnt a lot from them by merely observing. Working with an ensemble cast is always a learning experience. You learn to work in tandem and deliver punches, which are well-timed.

What was the atmosphere like on the set?
It was crazy! It actually felt like masti karne ke beech mein hum shot de rahe hain. Akshay sir is like a child; he can’t sit calmly in one place. Riteish and he are always up to something. We played games like ludo, and dog and the bone on the set of this film. The greatest confusion was caused by the name Kriti. We had two Kritis (Kriti Sanon and Kriti Kharbanda) on the set. Eventually, people started addressing them as Sanon and Kharbanda. I was shooting for three films down South alongside Housefull 4, so I was perpetually hopping locations. It became a joke on the set, ‘Pooja absent hai? Pata karo kaunse desh mein shoot kar rahi hai…’ Akshay sir would often joke, ‘Kitnaa note chhap rahi hai yeh ladki!’

The original director of Housefull 4 (Sajid Khan) was changed halfway through the shoot when his name cropped up in a #MeToo case. Writer Farhad Samji then took charge. How did that pan out on the set?
It was a difficult phase for the film, but the production house never let the heat get to us. Farhad had written the film and he knew the space very well. It was only natural for him to take over from Sajid Khan. We all knew what was going on, but the situation was handled smoothly.

What’s your take on the #MeToo Movement today, given that your film was one of the first to get affected?
It’s just great that the movement has begun. As an actress and as a woman, I feel that this movement should not be taken lightly. It has brought about a huge change in the industry and it was necessary. I understand that it’s not easy to speak out about what you’ve suffered, but more power to the women who have done so.

Moving on, comedy is not an easy genre to handle. With slapstick humour, it can be even more difficult. Did you have to prepare yourself before shooting?
In films like Housefull 4, there is no scope for prep; in fact, it’s about not prepping at all. It’s better to go with the flow and discuss scenes, which we did every day. We would all rehearse our scenes, but sometimes, the dialogues would change at the last minute for the better. This film taught me to be receptive and more spontaneous. It also taught me the art of being OTT where it’s required. In a film like this, if you don’t go over the top, you don’t deliver the goods.

Given how challenging it is to make people laugh, why did you choose comedy for your second outing in Bollywood?
I chose this film because it’s quite different from what I did in my Bollywood debut. Mohenjo Daro was a serious drama with a specific look. After that, I needed some comic relief, too. Making people laugh is a big deal and it feels great when you crack it.

There was a time when the number of slapstick comedies releasing every year was quite high. That has changed in the last five years,making Housefull 4 among the few sole survivors in the genre. Your thoughts?
We say that the audience is changing, but there is always a parallel audience for films like Housefull 4. My father loves films that make him laugh, and where he doesn’t have to think a lot. On the other hand, my mother’s taste is quite different. So, there is always an audience for all kinds of cinema. In fact, one of the reasons to work in Housefull 4 was my father. I want him to love one of my comedies as much as he loves other people’s comedies.