Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 17, 2020)

Though a star in the Punjabi movie and music industries, Jassie Gill had to start from scratch in Bollywood. However, he chose not to settle for insignificant roles and wait for something worthwhile. The actor, who will be seen as Kangana Ranaut’s husband in Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s Panga, spoke to BT about his journey so far and what lies ahead. Excerpts:

Kangana Ranaut, Neena Gupta, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Richa Chadha and real-life kabaddi players… on most days, the set of Panga must have been brimming with women...
(Laughs!) It’s true, there were a lot of women on this set, even in the technical teams. I’m a shy person and I take time to open up with people, but the team didn’t make me feel uncomfortable, awkward or like an outsider. It was smooth and I have Ashwiny ma’am to thank for that. She was clear about what she wanted me to do in every scene. As for working around so many women, I’ve grown up amidst strong women. I have three sisters — a doctor, an engineer and an accounts specialist. My father never questioned their choice of profession or education, just as he didn’t question mine. So, I have never differentiated between people, especially on the basis of gender. Even in the film, we have scenes where my character (Prashant) is doing household chores to support his wife Jaya’s (Kangana) dreams. I play a man who doesn’t bring his ego into his marriage, and we’ve shown it in a relatable manner.

Ours is known to be a patriarchal society, especially when it comes to the manwoman dynamics within the families. However, times are changing gradually and it’s reflecting in our films, too...
Yes, there is a change. The social set-up was different when I was a kid. Those days, men were bread-earners and the women worked all day to manage the house and kids, without a break, holidays, or outings. My mother spent her youth like that; she and the other women in the house would barely get an hour’s rest in the day. No one thought that these women, too, could have aspirations. Whenever I would hear my mother sing while doing her chores, I used to wonder itnaa accha gaati hain. I think I’ve inherited that talent from her. At one time, most people thought, ab shaadi ho gayi hai ladki ki toh woh ghar sambhalegi. That thought process is changing. I witnessed it when it came to my sisters. It also helps if the husband understands his wife’s aspirations. Panga is the story of thousands of women like my mother, who thought shaadi aur bacche hone ke baad woh sapne nahi dekh sakti. While playing a supportive husband to Kangana’s character, I channelised the husband I am to my wife because I’ve always pushed her to chase her dreams.

Panga delves into the compromises a woman makes to return to her passion, in this case, kabaddi — a sport she has previously played. Both men and women face similar situations in their lives. Has anything like that ever happened to you?
Oh, mere saath toh shuru se yahi ho raha hai. I borrowed money from my father to start my career as a singer. Woh paise kharaab ho gaye aur banda bhi nikal gaya haath se. At that time, I thought this is still a risk worth taking, but not with my father’s hard-earned money. Around that time, I got a chance to visit Australia, where I worked at a car-wash station and earned some money, which I invested in my career. Aur aaj bhi wahi paise ghuma raha hoon. You have to find ways to go back to what you love doing, you have to make that effort on your own.

Kangana is one of the best talents we have, and like Ashwiny told BT in one of her interviews, she strives for perfection in every scene. So, were you nervous to work with someone as talented and prolific as her?
Mujhe bada dara ke bheja tha set pe lekin jaisa suna tha waisa kuch hua nahin. My first shot with Kangana is where she’s working in the kitchen and my son and I are playing a video game. We did it with ease. When I go on a set, I am usually very nervous, but once I’m in the get-up, I’m at ease. I don’t let a name or someone’s stature affect me, and it was the same here. As an actor, you have to observe people. Kangana is a sincere artiste, who inspires you to do better. She is quiet, prepared for her take, and knows if she has given a good shot or not. She studies the details of a scene finely, which is an art.

Panga is your second film as a Bollywood actor (after Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, 2018), and there is another film that will soon be announced. After spending about two years in B-Town, have you started feeling like an industry insider?
I didn’t have much to do in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, and so, I am not sure how much of my talent I could display in it. I have a lot of expectations from Panga because it’s given me a role that I have never played before. I got a chance to display my range as an actor. Initially, people don’t take singers too seriously when they become actors. With Panga, I hope people start taking me seriously as an actor. The greatest challenge when you enter a new industry is to prove your worth, earn your place and tell people, ‘Ji, main bhi hoon.’ I’m from the Punjabi film and music industry where I have a name. In Bollywood, I started from scratch. That is the biggest challenge for an artiste. People expect you to compromise and settle for smaller roles. I didn’t, and luckily for me, that approach helped me find good work. It’s not easy to find your feet in a new industry.

Many believe that in the film industry, networking and hobnobbing with the right people is important. Now that you are seriously pursuing a career in Bollywood, are you also planning to shift base?
Main toh hafte mein kai baar do teen chakkar bhi lagata hoon Mumbai ke, but I love the atmosphere in Punjab. It’s not that I don’t like Mumbai, but I feel at ease on my home turf. Having said that, I don’t know what the future holds and if I will really shift base. As for networking, I meet many people, but I don’t ever go to parties, seeking work. Attending bashes can’t get you work. Bettering your craft and making an effort to prove your worth with every role, can help your career.

Singer-actor Jassie Gill, who plays Kangana Ranaut’s husband in her upcoming sports drama, is married with a one-year-old daughter
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2020)

Jassie Gill is on his way to fulfilling another dream. He is outside a recording studio, waiting to sing a Shankar Mahadevan composition for his upcoming release, Panga. The lyrics are by Javed Akhtar and the actor-singer is excited to add it to his repertoire of peppy, fun numbers that shot him to stardom in Punjab. “It is completely in my zone,” he exults.

Jassie used to watch reality TV shows and imagine what it would be like to be a famous singer. In college, he opted for music because it meant less studying and practising what he already loved. “I started winning at youth festivals and realised I was good at it. Then, I visited my sister in Australia on a tourist visa and after four days, knew I couldn’t spend three months sightseeing. So, I repeatedly pestered my jiju (brother-in-law) until he got me a job at a car wash. With that money I cut an album upon my return. I believe it’s the same money circulating since, multiplying many times over,” he smiles.

To increase the reach of his music, he started making videos to convey the meaning of the lyrics. And through them he learnt to face the camera and emote. “I have have worked with Gurdas Maan ji, Jimmy (Sheirgill) ji and now Kangana (Ranaut) ji and learnt from everyone to make up for my lack of experience,” Jassie says earnestly.

He plays Prashant, a supportive husband to Kangana’s Jaya, in the Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s directorial. At 31, Jassie is himself married, having met his wife in the first year of college, and has a one-year-old daughter he dotes on. “My mother had told me I’d be working in Bollywood one day and after the birth of my daughter, I signed my first Hindi film (Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi),” he shares.

His wife and daughter are settled in Canada and he keeps visiting them or they come over from time to time. “Even if they were here, I wouldn’t be able to stay with them all the time because of my work commitments, so, it’s better this way. My daughter recognises me on TV now and likes music, so I’m relieved,” he laughs. But why are there no pictures of him with his wife on his internet feed though there are videos of him dancing with his toddler? “I’ve learnt my lesson the hard way and now keep my personal life private. I can’t go out whenever I want anymore. I don’t want my wife’s life to be as restricted as mine, so you won’t see her accompanying me to events and shows,” he reasons.

Did he channel his real-life husband-self for the film? “You can say so. I am quite hands-on, in that I can cook and look after the house,” Jassie admits, adding that it comes from growing up around strong women. “My father was a farmer and my mother a housewife, but they educated my three elder sisters despite everyone advising them to marry them off. My eldest sister is a doctor, the second has done her MBA and the third is an engineer. My strength comes from seeing them.”

The actor believes Panga could be a turning point for him in the industry. There’s another film, Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai, in the pipeline, but Jassie doesn’t want to abandon his first love. “I’m collaborating on many music videos and will keep doing Punjabi films whenever my schedule allows. The industry has its limitations in terms of budget, but we have amazing content and soon, Punjabi films will be as famous as Punjabi music,” he promises.

After a string of box office failures, Sonakshi Sinha hopes year ahead will be a game-changer with four promising projects under her belt
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 31, 2019)

Her last few films may have been box office turkeys, but Sonakshi Sinha is optimistic that 2019 will change things around for her. Shotgun Jr has impressive projects to boot - having wrapped up the post-Partition drama Kalank, the actor is currently shooting in Amritsar for Mrighdeep Lamba's yet untitled comedy. She will then resume her shoot for Mission Mangal that reportedly sees her as one of the ISRO scientists behind the Mars Orbiter Mission.

In cherry-picking her projects, the actor says she has made a conscious effort to be part of stories that belong to diverse worlds. "What made me opt for these films is that [they gave me a chance to] narrate different stories and play characters that are so far apart from each other. The headspace of each character is individualistic, and every director's narrative is different, which makes the entire process riveting," says Sinha.

In her nine-year long career, she has seamlessly graduated from masala films to content-driven cinema. Point out how her last few offerings haven't spun their magic and she is assured that, given the evolving taste of the audience, she will shine. "We are in a great phase in terms of the content that is being churned out, and the audience is wonderfully accepting of it. Be it Dabangg (2010), Lootera (2013), Akira (2016), Noor (2017) or Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (2018) - each of my roles has different shades and textures. The promising times ahead will only aid my effort to diversify my offerings as an artiste."

What excites her the most about the year ahead is teaming up with Salman Khan for Dabangg 3. The cop franchise is set to roll in April. "It feels like I am back home because that's where I started my career. My life changed completely after that film, it's how I found my calling. Dabangg will always be the most special to me."

Deepali Singh (DNA; December 1, 2018)

Jassie Gill sounds out of breath when we speak to him over the phone. He is working out at a gym as nights are spent shooting for his next film, Panga, in Bhopal. The Punjabi actor-singer made his Bollywood debut opposite Sonakshi Sinha in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi earlier this year and believes he couldn’t have asked for anything more, even if the film didn’t do that well. The actor, who turned 30 recently, wishes to see his work improve in the future. He says, “Every birthday, I look back at what I’ve achieved in the previous year and try and better myself. People know me as a Punjabi actor and singer, I hope they can accept me as a Bollywood actor now.” He is paired opposite Kangana Ranaut in the Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari directorial, which is about kabaddi. The pop singer believes that viewers will get to see a different side to him in the movie. “When women see him, I believe they will want a husband like him,” Jassie says. So, is he expecting a lot of proposals from girls post the film? “Let’s see!” he laughs. Over to him...

Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ) received a mixed response from the audience and critics alike. Were you disappointed? 
That was my first Bollywood experience and I didn’t sign it thinking it would be a blockbuster. I just wanted to work honestly and hoped that people would see the effort that I had put in. I think I managed to do that because I got a lot of appreciation. There are many factors that contribute to a film’s success. It’s not one man’s job.

You got Panga even before your Hindi debut...
I was in Canada when my team got a message from casting director Mukesh Chhabra’s office asking me if I could send an audition for a role opposite Kangana. Maine aise hi phone pe baithe baithe banake bhej diya. The shoot for HPBJ was still left, but I got a message that they had selected me for Panga. The announcement was made just two days before HPBJ released. It was a huge moment for me as it meant the industry had shown its trust in me.

How’s the experience of shooting with Kangana?
It’s really good. We have been shooting for the past 10-12 days in Bhopal. People will get to see a different side to me in this movie. It’s a film based on kabaddi and I think every family will relate to it because it will make you appreciate the sacrifices your parents make for you. I have shot a lot of scenes with Kangana. We work out in the gym together and she has heard and liked my music as well. It’s fun shooting with her.

Is there any insecurity on your part, since Kangana is a big star?
Not at all. I have been working in the Punjabi film and music industries for the past six years now and I have never thought about competition. I just do my work and feel happy when people appreciate it. Like I said earlier, a film belongs to all those people who are associated with it. And tomorrow if it’s a hit, then all of us will be happy.

Your single with Neha Kakkar, Nikle Currant, has received more than 149 million views on YouTube. Were you expecting this kind of response?
I have known Neha for the past four-and-a-half years and we had been planning to release a single for a long time. Finally, we managed to put together this song, but had to face a lot of hurdles before it released. The shoot got delayed because of the weather. Jo cheez jab honi hoti hai, tabhi hoti hai. The track released recently and the last time I checked, it was the fourth most-viewed video worldwide and is on Billboard’s world music charts, so I’m really happy.

As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2018)

In 2009-2010, when in college, I had gone with my mom to visit my sister in Australia on a tourist visa. I was there for three months and instead of just sitting at home twiddling my thumbs, I decided to take up a job and enlisted my brother-in-law’s help. At the time, I was also planning my debut music album which I would start work on once I got back to India.

I ended up getting a job as a car washer. I got paid $60 per day and went to work even on Sunday. In those 90-odd days, I missed work just once when heavy rains made it impossible to commute. I slogged from 8 am to 6 pm, reporting to a supervisor at the garage. Since I was bent double all day, I suffered acute backache and body pain. But at that age all that mattered was that I was earning my own money. In the little time I had to myself, I was dreaming of the future and how the money would help me build my career.

I saved every dollar and returned to India with Rs 3.50 lakh. Today, singers launch themselves with singles but back then, you had to come out with an album with at least eight songs with videos to promote the songs. I wanted to use this money to pay for video shoots for my album. Unfortunately, I was cheated out of some of the money and even the work didn’t get done. I was disheartened and refused to turn to my family for financial help. To my good luck, I had started getting offers to perform at live shows and the money I got from them helped me make up for the shortfall and the album finally got done.

Batchmate came out in 2011 and was an instant hit. The following year, I released “Vigrey Sharabi”, and the sequel to Batchmate which was a bigger hit. One of the songs in it, “Lancer”, bagged me my debut Punjabi film. In the video, I played a poor guy in love with a rich girl who comes to college in a Lancer. I was approached for a film titled Mr & Mrs 420 in which I played a similar character. I had no idea how films worked. My director, Ksshitij Chaudhary, helped me learn the ropes. Once I took eight hours to shoot a small scene because I kept forgetting my lines. But slowly, I gained confidence and thankfully there was no repeat of that incident. I still get nightmares wondering what had gone wrong that day.

Batchmate was followed by the hit song “Classmate” which featured in the film Daddy Cool Munde Fool and another single, “Pyar Mera” in 2013. The musical journey continues. Meanwhile, on screen, Mr & Mrs 420 lead to Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar, Munde Ton Bachke Rahin and a few more films including the Mr and Mrs 420 sequel.

This year I made my Bollywood debut with Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Diana Penty and Jimmy Sheirgill. Even before the film released, I had signed my second Hindi film, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s Panga with Kangana Ranaut. Usually people wait for the first film to release before offering you another, so getting another big film was a huge deal for me.

Deepali Singh (DNA; August 31, 2018)

Up close, you realise that Jimmy Sheirgill has refused to age. “You don’t meet me in real life so often, so you think yeh toh buddha ho gaya hai!” laughs the 47-year-old. He is referring to the characters that he has played in Mukkabaaz (2017) and the recently-released Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3. “The makers tell me, ‘Moochein rakh lo, salt and pepper hair rakh lo, khatarnaak dikho.’ I do all that because the characters are so interesting, you can’t say no to such roles,” he explains, flashing that winsome smile, which charmed audiences in movies such as Maachis (1996) and Mohabbatein (2000).

Jimmy’s glad though that in his latest outing, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ), he is looking close to how he appears off screen. More than that, he is glad that viewers are loving his character, Bagga, in the comic caper. The dependable actor, who has garnered appreciation for his roles in films such as Haasil (2003), Yahaan (2005) and franchises such as Munna Bhai, Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster as well as Tanu Weds Manu, spoke to us about breaking the mould consistently. Excerpts...

What was it about HPBJ that prompted you to reprise your character Bagga?
I’m playing the same character that I did in Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016), so there was not much of an option for me (smiles). In fact, when I did that film, I had not even met Mudassar Aziz. Producer Aanand L Rai told me, ‘There is this director who has an interesting character to offer you.’ That’s how I ended up meeting Mudassar. I like to read scripts first and then listen to the narration to understand the filmmaker’s point of view. He took me through the script and later on, told me that he was narrating comic scenes to me, but I had no expression on my face. I told him that’s the way I am. My mind is too much into the story to laugh. There has to be something really mad in the story to make me smile. I said I’ll do it. I got a nice vibe from him.

Length se toh mujhe kabhi farak padha nahi. If my heart says ‘Do it’, I do it. And I’m glad I said yes because today, he happens to be such a close friend of mine. When he narrated the idea of the second part, I laughed so much! I thought this is the kind of comedy people rarely come up with. There was no buffoonery. The situations and lines left me in splits.

The highlight seems to be the camaraderie between you and Piyush Mishra...
It’s basically the situation and the moment there is a little bit of realism in it, people love it. Like the India-Pak banter in the first was written very well. It’s the same here. The nok jhonk between us was loved by people and we had a great time shooting for it. And when you’re having fun as actors, it translates on screen. For me, these kind of films are a pleasant change from the serious roles I keep doing.

You somehow make the bad guys seem relatable...
Aisa kuch nahi hai. I try to feel a different way for the character that I’m portraying, which is that this guy has to be human, someone who I have seen somewhere in my life. That’s how I prepare myself. The moment you believe in something, whether good or bad, it becomes relatable. When people saw me as this really evil guy in Mukkabaaz, they saw shades of someone they have met. Bahut gaaliyaan padi thi mujhe uske liye because he was such an evil man. I thought, ‘Chalo pehli baar gaaliyan mil rahi hain.’ I took that as a compliment (smiles).

You were part of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 as well. What do you think went wrong with it?
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster has its own mysterious, evil world which people enjoy watching. And anyone who comes inside their territory, gets trapped in it. In the third part, we came out of it. But again, it’s a story and director Tigmanshu Dhulia is going to come back because the plot keeps moving ahead. It’s a world he is familiar with.

Whether it’s a good or a bad film, you always seem to come out unscathed in the reviews...
In Bang Bang (2014), I was there in just the opening sequence. I did that film for a friend, director Siddharth Anand. I tend to move easily into any space. I can act in an Anurag Kashyap, Tigmanshu film as easily as a Siddharth Anand’s. I have become accustomed to it. Bang Bang was one of the movies where I got possibly the best reactions and reviews and I was amazed, because it was just one scene! What happens with reviews is that some people have an agenda or a problem, and the actor is unaware about it. In my list, aise log kam hain aur kam hi rahein toh achcha hai (laughs).

You look good and you nearly always deliver solid performances. Many people feel you have not got your due in Bollywood. Your comment…
I take it as a huge compliment. Because they are not saying that he doesn’t deserve to be here or why has this actor been forced into a film.

The word, ‘underrated’ is often used for you...
I never planned my career in a particular way. So, I feel good when people say that there is a space that I have created for myself where filmmakers don’t visualise anyone else. It was a conscious attempt. Kyunki kitne pedon ke aage peeche naach loge? Ped bhi khatam ho jayenge, filmein bhi khatam ho jayengi. You will just have three-four years left to work that way. So, you have to keep doing various things as an actor to make yourself feel alive. If I did a Mukkabaaz, I did a Yahaan, A Wednesday and a Munna Bhai MBBS, too. I keep breaking the mould each time.

You’re a superstar in Punjab...
I do one film in a year there. When I started in 2005 (Yaaran Naal Baharaan), there was no industry. As soon as I saw the reaction to the film — 2,000 people in a hall of 1,200 capacity — I thought this industry could be tapped. So, I decided I will do a film there every year. It was not just about going and shooting there. I would take off for two months, almost knocking on doors, to show that Punjabi films are not bad. My idea was that the box office should be noticed by trade pundits. What started in 2004 finally happened in 2009. That’s the reason they respect me there.

You have also produced Punjabi films earlier. Do you plan to back some movies now?
No, as of now, I’m just focusing on acting. You need to dedicate time and energy for production. I can’t be producing if I’m running from one set to another.

Quite a few Bollywood actors have turned producers. Would you like to back a Hindi film in the future?
If I find an apt movie, whether I’m acting in it or not, I will. But I need to take out time for it.

What’s next?
I will be doing a Punjabi film. Then there is some interesting stuff in the digital space that I will finalise soon.

And lastly, will there ever be a movie where Jimmy Sheirgill walks off with the girl?
Mera funda clear hai. When directors say, 'Sir, ladki le lo ya punchlines aur dialogues', toh main punchlines le leta hoon! (Laughs) Real life mein ladki honi chahiye, bas! That’s enough for me (smiles)

Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi turns out to be a fun-filled entertainer and is a worthy sequel to the first part. The film has some loose ends – a couple of sequences don’t make the viewers go LOL as intended. The film gets slightly stretched in the second half and the climax should have had more dhamaka. But on the positive side, the dialogues are hilarious and some of the scenes are sure to bring the house down. The film is very well directed and one doesn’t get confused despite so many characters and two of the leads having the same name. Jimmy Sheirgill as expected takes the cake. He’s highly endearing as the guy who never gets the girl and it’s great how smartly he’s playing on this bit. Piyush Mishra also contributes a lot to the fun. Sonakshi Sinha delivers a brilliant performance. She was ideal for this part and dominates certain sequences single handedly. Jassie Gill is a surprise. Honestly, from the trailers, he didn’t seem that exciting but in the film he has killed it. Jason Tham and Denzil Smith are too good and are sure to be talked about. Ali Fazal and Diana Penty also have an important part and they do well. If you have loved the first part and if you strive for some timepass fun, there’s no way you can miss Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

HAPPY OR GENIUS – WHO WILL STRIKE GOLD AT THE BOX OFFICE THIS FRIDAY?

Now that the big Independence Day clash is done, it’s time for a spate of small and medium budget films to release. In fact the next biggie directly is after 2 ½ months – the Diwali dhamaka Thugs Of Hindostan. Tomorrow sees the release of two movies and the first one has a high chance of scoring. My analysis:

HAPPY PHIRR BHAG JAYEGI: It is the sequel of the 2016 sleeper hit Happy Bhag Jayegi and takes the story forward from where the first part ended. Only Abhay Deol is missing from the original cast. The rest of them – Diana Penty, Ali Fazal, Jimmy Sheirgill and Piyush Mishra – have been retained. In addition, Sonakshi Sinha and Punjabi actor Jassie Gill joins the madness. This time, the story unfolds in China instead of Pakistan. However, Diana, the ‘Happy’ in Happy Bhag Jayegi, has a supporting role and it’s Sonakshi who plays the lead. But thankfully, the makers haven’t spread stories of catfights between the two or that Diana was upset with Sonakshi taking over. In fact, Diana and Sonakshi have been giving joint interviews and their camaraderie has been lovely. The trailer looks interesting and the buzz is there, but it’s limited. Happy Bhag Jayegi opened at Rs. 2.29 crore and went on to collect Rs. 28.19 crore. Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi can surely open in the Rs. 3 crore range. The lifetime surely can be expected to go above Rs. 40 crore mark if the response is positive.

GENIUS: It is directed by Gadar director Anil Sharma and stars his son Utkarsh in his debut role. Utkarsh played the role of Sunny Deol’s son in Gadar and had impressed viewers then. Genius also marks the debut of Ishita Chauhan and also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mithun Chakraborty. The trailer however is laughable. Utkarsh doesn’t seem right for the role and the music hasn’t worked at all. The buzz for the film is extremely low and it won’t be surprising if the film has an opening of less than Rs. 1 crore. However, the massy action and patriotism bit of the film can help get an opening of around Rs. 1.25-1.50 crore at the max. In the long run, it’ll be difficult for the film to survive.

WHICH FILM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; August 23, 2018)

After starting his career with lead roles in big budget films, Jimmy Sheirgill has created a happy space for himself doing character and supporting roles. Be it A Wednesday, Special 26, or the Tanu Weds Manu and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster franchises, the actor has essayed many diverse and interesting characters in an industry where it is easy to get lost doing insignificant roles. Jimmy, who played Bagga in Happy Bhag Jayegi (HBJ), is now geared up for the release of its sequel, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ), which will see him reprising the role. In an interview with BT, he tells us how he is happy to pick and choose films, his equation with filmmakers Tigmanshu Dhulia and Aanand L Rai, and why he loves doing light-hearted, funny films. Excerpts:

You are all set to play Bagga once again,in HPBJ. It’s interesting to note that most of the characters you have essayed — be it in Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, HBJ or the Tanu Weds Manu franchise — end up losing the girl they love. Do you have an affinity for such characters?
I am playing Bagga again, but the situation will be different. While HBJ was set in Pakistan, this time around, I am pursuing the girl in China, and it will take the fun and humour to another level. I enjoy doing light-hearted roles, though I started off with intense roles. Also, I do what is offered to me. When I am offered roles where I don’t get the girl, the makers ask me, ‘Ladki chahiye ke dialogues?’ and I choose the latter (laughs!). Jokes apart, I am not in a position to ask them why I don’t get the girl in the end. Having said that, I have done a few films like that, too.

You have been a part of most of Aanand L Rai and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s films. While you are undoubtedly a talented actor, it’s jokingly said that they consider you their lucky charm...
If Aanand L Rai and Tigmanshu Dhulia considered me their lucky charm, I would be part of all their films. I did Aanand’s first film Strangers in 2007, and we have been friends since then. However, there is no truth to the rumour that he keeps repeating me in his films. If that was the case, I would have been part of the upcoming Shah Rukh Khan film, Zero, too. Aanand’s production house is home for me. More than a good director, he is also a great human being and when you click with someone, it is easier to work with them. Similarly, I have not been part of Tigmanshu’s Paan Singh Tomar or Raag Desh. They call me when there is a role that suits me.

For a long time, you have been termed as an underrated actor. However, over the past two decades, you have always had a steady string of releases. Do you still feel that you are underrated?
There’s nothing wrong in being called an ‘underrated’ actor. I take it as a compliment. As long as they don’t call me someone who is desperate for roles and will do any trivial role for money, it should be okay. Having said that, sometimes you do films out of friendship, too. I had to keep working because I can’t afford to not do so, it’s my rozi roti. Also, I am a workaholic and if I don’t work, I will go mad. But, I am happy that over the years, filmmakers have given me roles that stood out. I did not have to force anyone to give me roles. And, I don’t care if I am offered lead roles or supporting characters. At the end of the day, what matters is how the audience remembers your character or dialogues when they step out of the cinema hall. If I am remembered for a supporting role, it will be worth it.

Were you unhappy that your recent release Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3 did not work?
It is sad that the film did not work, because we had worked so hard on it. It feels bad when someone says, ‘We liked your work, but not the film.’ I think there was a world that revolved around the Saheb and Biwi, which was created in the first two films. There was a certain madness in the earlier films, and an evil factor, too. All that was missing in the third film, but for me, it was a great experience.

You have also carved a niche for yourself in Punjabi films…
I am happy that it is a flourishing industry now. I do one film a year in Punjab.

Along with films, there was buzz that you were being considered to host the TV show, Savdhaan India. But apparently, they found you too expensive…
All those were just talks. They came to meet me, expressed their interest and then suddenly, they disappeared. Now, we are actors and we have allotted dates to various projects, so we can’t start shooting for something suddenly. The rumours of me being expensive are false. Talks did not reach that stage. I would love to do a TV show if there is a correct time and approach from the makers.

Nepotism is a common topic of discussion in Bollywood these days. As an outsider who has made it on his own in Bollywood, what are your views on the subject?
It is a great phase for Bollywood right now. There are new writers, who are scripting a variety of roles. On one hand, you have a Varun Dhawan doing a commercial film and on the other, he does a film like October. The same goes for Alia Bhatt. As for nepotism, I have always maintained my stand. If I have a son who wants to enter films, I will invest all my energies to see that he gets a decent launch. Now, whether he becomes a successful actor or not will depend on him. What is wrong in promoting your son who is keen to work in films? Problem is, people always feel that the grass is greener on the other side.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; August 21, 2018)

Flaunting an envious, toned bod, Sonakshi Sinha is in the best shape of her life. But it’s not just the weight loss that has lent Sona her newfound sense of calm and confidence. It’s her winning attitude that makes her a cut above the rest. Honest, humorous and happy — the actress tells us what keeps her going, how she deals with naysayers and all you need to know about her forthcoming film, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ).

You have undergone a startling physical transformation. Unfortunately, your weight has been a talking point over the years, but you have silenced your naysayers with a bang. What triggered the change?
It has to happen from within. I woke up one day and decided to utilise my time in the best way possible, which was to work on myself. I tried a new form of workout (Pilates). Earlier, I used to eat anything and assume that it’s okay to do that since I was exercising, but it doesn’t work like that. You have to strike a balance between your meals and workout. I have only been able to achieve that in the past six months and the result is visible.

Obviously, compliments from others who meet me and tell me how great I look also help, but those things are temporary. It’s about how you feel about yourself. What you see in the mirror is what matters. I am feeling better and that is what keeps me going. Also, I will be very honest with you. My shoot (for HPBJ) got delayed and I had two months to myself and had nothing else to do. So, I went to the gym, started working out and it’s as simple as that.

You had once said that when you were not ‘thin enough’, various designers were not keen on dressing you. Has that changed now?
You put it very politely (laughs!). There are people who have said that, ‘We cannot style Sonakshi because she is too big’ or ‘I can’t give her my gowns, because she won’t look good in them’. It’s not nice to say these things. It stays with you. Now, these same people constantly call my stylist and request her if they can style me. They send clothes, too, but you tend to always remember these things. Too bad! If you didn’t like me as a potato, you can’t have me as a fry!

You have always been an athletic person. Today, you have an extremely toned body. Did you always aspire to achieve this level of physical fitness?
Yes, I have always been an athletic person, but I never had an athletic body to go with it. I have played every sport in school. I still love to play sports. Finally, my body is matching my athletic personality and I am happy about it.

Your workout video with Katrina Kaif was a gruelling watch. It looked like one heavy duty workout session. Do people like her inspire you a lot?
My trainer (Namrata Purohit) is extremely motivating. Katrina is hard-core when it comes to workouts and her trainer is on the next level (laughs!). One day, I told her I am really tired and she was like, ‘I am taking you to the gym’, because she figured I might not end up going. I went with Katrina and it was fun. She does a lot of functional training and I have to say, she is definitely one of the fittest actors we have in the industry today.

Akira (2016), Noor (2017) and now Happy… Today, you’re getting an opportunity to showcase your range as an actor in different genres. Also, the interesting thing is that these are movies where the women characters lead the way...
Every actor just needs that opportunity to show their range and what they are capable of. A lot of amazing roles are now being written for women and it gives us an opportunity to showcase our talent and portray a different side of our personality on screen. I feel we should do away with this term called ‘women-centric’ cinema. We don’t call other films ‘hero-centric’. A film is a film, whether the protagonist is a man or a woman. All of us, at the end of the day, are trying to achieve equality, so we need to stop differentiating.

Do you feel lucky to belong to a generation who gets offered diverse roles, as opposed to a time when opportunities for actresses were more conventional?
I feel very lucky, but don’t get me wrong. I love to be on both sides. I got the confidence to do these kind of movies because of the films I have done in the past. Whatever I know, I have learnt on the job. The kind of reach and audience I got initially was because of those big blockbusters. They gave me the confidence to shoulder a film on my own.

Do you seek your father’s opinion when it comes to approving scripts and movies?
Sometimes, I do, but the final call is always mine. If I need some advice, I always turn to my family, since they have so much experience in the movies. I am not the one to sit and strategise. I have always been instinctive when it comes to choosing my films. If I like it on paper, I will do it, if I don’t like it, I won’t do it. If I have to agree to a project, I do it instantly. I don’t dwell over it or have several discussions with people.

Did you have any apprehensions about taking over a franchise, which had another actress, Diana Penty, in the lead?
HPBJ is about these two girls who are called Harpreet Kaur, and thus Happys. Strangely, they both end up in China and that’s where the confusion and comedy of errors unfolds. When they came to me with the script, I couldn’t stop laughing. Because of my Punjabi traits, Happy’s character came naturally to me and I felt at home. I didn’t have to fill anyone’s shoes because these are two different characters. We have the same name and that’s the only commonality. As people, we are completely different. For me, it was about how to carry the story forward. Jassie Gill and I are new entrants to the franchise and I treated it like a completely new film. Also, it helps being a funny person in real life. I am a positive person, who doesn’t take life seriously, and I have a knack of seeing the lighter side of any situation. Also, I have been blessed with my dad’s sense of humour, so all of this really helped.

On social media, you don’t hold back from voicing your opinions and are not diplomatic. Do you think the industry appreciates someone who is safer with his/her words?
If I feel strongly about something, I talk about it. I don’t really care who thinks what. That’s who I am as a person. What you see is what you get. When you get into this profession, a lot of things change anyway, so it’s important to stay true to yourself, which is what I have done right from the beginning. I don’t intend to change that and if anybody has a problem with it, it’s their problem.

Jassie Gill on those who opened gates of B’wood for him and playing Khushi to Sonakshi Sinha’s Happy in his acting debut
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRORR; August 20, 2018) 

Jassie Gill, who makes his Hindi acting debut opposite Sonakshi Sinha in Mudassar Aziz’s Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, landed the part because of his single “Nakhre”. According to the Punjabi actor-singer, that’s where the director first spotted him and noted that he was looking for someone with a similar personality. “They took a screen test and told me I was cast opposite Sonakshi. I was surprised but grabbed the opportunity,” Jassie recalls.

In the sequel to Aanand L Rai’s 2016 romcom, which was fronted by Diana Penty, Ali Fazal and Abhay Deol, Jassie plays Khushi to Sona’s titular Happy. “My character is a Punjabi boy who works in China. Happy runs away to the country where I meet her, and a lot of confusion follows,” he informs, insisting that making his debut with a sequel to a hit film puts no pressure on him. “Pressure is more on the director, who has a successful film to live up to. If Mudassar sir is confident about me, I feel blessed and lucky. I gave the role my 100 per cent.”

Talking about the filming experience, Jassie reveals that it involved a bit of “cheat shooting,” as the film’s team couldn’t shoot in China, where parts of the story are set, due to unfavourable weather conditions. “We shot in Malaysia and Thailand instead. We had just 15-20 days to prep so I tried learning some Mandarin thinking it would help with my character,” the actor-singer shares.

Shooting in the two locations threw up a pleasant surprise for him, too. “There are a lot of Punjabis in Malaysia and Thailand who would drop in on the sets. It made me realise the reach of Punjabi music,” he points out. According to Jassie, the credit for that as well as for opening the gates of Bollywood to his kind goes to actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, who made quite an impression with his own Bollywood debut, Udta Punjab, last year, after delivering a slew of hit performances in Punjabi music and films. “I am proud of Diljit paaji, people are noticing Punjabi artistes now, be it Guru Randhawa or me. Honey Singh paaji deserves credit too,” he says earnestly.

Among the cast members of his Hindi debut, Jassie found common ground with Jimmy Sheirgill for curious reasons. “Jimmy paaji and I have met in the past, but we hadn’t worked together till now. Our surnames are similar, ‘Sheirgill’ and ‘Gill’. He is like an older brother now who helped me at every step. I was nervous about working with Sonakshi and Diana but everyone was so supportive, I didn’t realise when the shoot ended,” the debutant concludes.

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; August 19, 2018)

Model-turned-actress Diana Penty, who debuted in Cocktail (2012) as the girl next door, waited for the right role for almost two years, to avoid getting stereotyped. That’s when Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016) came her way. The film was a success at the box office, and now the second instalment in the franchise, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, is up for release. In a candid chat with BT, Diana talks about how even though the industry is perceived to be nepotistic, there is still place for outsiders, why she felt directionless after doing her first film and how she was body shamed while growing up. Excerpts…

You were the leading lady in Happy Bhag Jayegi. In the second instalment, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, Sonakshi Sinha is headlining the cast. Is your role that of a parallel lead?
I have no qualms in saying that this is Sonakshi Sinha’s film. My character, along with the others, helps in taking the story forward. When I read the script, I liked the fact that it revolved around the idea of mistaken identity.

You delivered a hit with the first film in the franchise, so why isn’t Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi revolving around your character?
The first part did well enough for the makers to consider making a second film and converting it into a franchise. That makes me feel proud and satisfied. This film is bigger and better. I would like to see it that way.

You’ve worked with Deepika Padukone in Cocktail and now, with Sonakshi Sinha. Deepika has risen to the top, despite being an outsider and Sonakshi, who comes from a film background, is also successful in her own right. Have you seen a difference between them that perhaps stayed with you?
I don’t think of it as a big deal when an actor’s child gets an opportunity easier than somebody else. What they do with that opportunity is what matters at the end of the day. Having said that, there is place in the industry for people who don’t come from a film background as well. Deepika, Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra are successful actresses and they have made it on their own.

There was a four-year gap between the release of Cocktail and Happy Bhag Jayegi. What transpired in those four years?
Cocktail was the best thing that happened to me. It brought me into the world of films, which I didn’t know at that time I would enjoy a lot. Movies happened accidentally. Overall, I had a great time working in Cocktail and figured that this, perhaps, is something that I could do long term as well. My role in the film also led to me being slotted as an actor. After Cocktail, filmmakers couldn’t see me as anything else, but as the goody-two-shoes girl next door. I wanted to break out of that perception and that’s why, it took a while for me to do Happy Bhag Jayegi. Also, Bollywood was alien to me and I didn’t know how it worked. I was directionless and didn’t know what my next step should be. I wasn’t sure whose advice I should take into consideration because everybody was advising me! Yet, I didn’t have that one person who could mentor or guide me in Bollywood. I had to figure it out along the way. When I was offered Happy Bhag Jayegi, no one expected me to play the role of this loud, vivacious and no-holds-barred Punjabi girl. In fact, I didn’t see myself like that (laughs). I am very soft-spoken and for the film, I had to learn to talk loudly. It took a while for me to get into the skin of the character and I engaged in workshops to pull that off. Nonetheless, it was liberating.

Before Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016), director Mudassar Aziz’s film Dulha Mil Gaya (2010) wasn’t successful at the box office. Did you have any apprehensions about working with him because of that?
Everything in this industry is unpredictable and transient. That’s why you can’t judge somebody based on their success and failures. Everybody deserves a second chance. Sometimes, talent remains untapped. When Mudassar narrated the script to me, he seemed like a confident director. In fact, he told me not to watch his first film (laughs). The dialogues of Happy... were written by him and the film’s humour was in the writing. I have always gone with my gut and at that time, it felt right. Most of us associate comedy in Bollywood films with adult humour. This film broke away from that.

You started you career in showbiz as a model. Were you advised by people to join Bollywood because of your good looks?
Everybody told me that I should become a model because I was tall and skinny. But, it had the opposite effect on me, because being called skinny scarred me. I was a skinny girl, so people would come up to my mother and ask her if I was well-fed at home. It is so insensitive. You don’t go around telling somebody who is overweight that they are fat, likewise, being constantly commented upon for being skinny is also body shaming.

Reza Noorani (BOMBAY TIMES; August 18, 2018)

With his 2016 film Happy Bhag Jayegi (HBJ) hitting it big, director Mudassar Aziz found a budding franchise in the offing. Now, he is ready to see his feisty Happy runaway from nuptials, once again. Not one to depend on crass humour or formulaic scripts for box-office numbers, Mudassar believes in finding humour in ordinary life situations. In a chat with Bombay Times, the filmmaker opens up on his personal life, making cross-border comedies and why he based his upcoming film, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ), in China...

While HBJ had Diana Penty’s character running away from home, in your upcoming film HPBJ Sonakshi Sinha, who plays the titular character, will be seen fleeing. Why are you hell-bent on having Happy run away?
(Laughs!) Very rarely does it happen that the audience, members of the media and people within the trade love a film so much. That love translated into box office numbers, and I didn’t want to shut my eyes to the fact that HBJ enjoyed success and warranted a sequel. The kind of love the film received gave us enough reason to want to tickle the viewers’ funny bone once again. It was the greed of wanting to feel the same again, that made us make HPBJ. So yes, we are going to see Happy run away, again.

The film is a breakaway from usual comedy franchises, which often depend on crass humour to crack people up. Here you’re making a new kind of franchise that depends purely on story...
Well, the humour in the film stems from my way of thinking. I want to be able to watch my films with children and elder members of the family. I can’t comment on the kind of films that others make, because filmmaking is a difficult craft. But, my film weighs on my conscience and I want it to be a certain way. I love it when people tell me about a line or a scene they liked in HBJ. Look, humour is all around us. I feel we become lazy when we write a particular type of film, where lowbrow comedy becomes the primary aim.

What is it that makes a film franchise worthy?
After watching the ending scene of HBJ, many people asked me if I had planned a sequel. But, this film has no connection to the end of the first film. The two connect somewhere down the middle and the audience will enjoy when they find that connection. If you ask me, I don’t consider myself a director who makes franchises. I think films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and HPBJ are not franchises, these are pure sequels. It’s not that just because the first film worked, we decided to replace Diana with Sonakshi and make another film. We wanted to put someone else in Happy’s place and needed another actress for it. We are giving a new twist to the story of these characters. So, I don’t think it is a franchise. I think that if a director makes a film, which is loved by the audience, it encourages him or her to make a sequel. And if I get the same love for HPBJ, I would love to end the whole thing as a trilogy.

Your films have largely examined the ideas of marriage. What do you feel about marriage as a concept?
I am a huge believer in the institution of marriage, but unfortunately, mine failed. I got divorced about three-and-a-half years ago. Toh, meri toh chali nahi, but I feel that those people whose marriages last, last forever. I also feel that the institution of marriage is incredible, because two people are expected to live with each other and spend their lives together, but there’s no guarantee that they will have similar likes or they’ll agree upon each other’s choices. At times, these factors are great breeding grounds for comedy and drama. Having said that, I am nobody to comment on marriage. The current generation is intelligent enough to know whether to marry or not, or when to separate.

While HBJ was set in Pakistan, HPBJ is based in China. Are you fascinated by cross-border stories?
We need to poke fun at the cross-border, cultural differences around us because that is how we’ll get a good breeding ground for cinema. We still talk on the lines of, ‘Pakistan murdabaad, Hindustan zindabaad’. Or we talk about China opening fire on the border and our army firing back. Why don’t we ever get a chance to laugh at each other? For me, it makes for a great comedy when you have an example like Shoaib Malik from Pakistan marrying Sania Mirza from India and both of them living in Dubai. Imagine both of them sitting in a room and watching an India-Pakistan cricket match! They must be going hammer and tongs at each other. I find cross-cultural differences amazing. I know that there are border situations and we have political stress with both China and Pakistan, but there are qualified people to make political comments and take political decisions. Does that mean that Indians, Pakistanis and Chinese can’t have a little fun with each other? I don’t think so. That’s why I based the first film in Pakistan and the second one in China. God knows where the third instalment will be set in...

Anil Sharma on reuniting with the Deols and launching son Utkarsh in his next directorial
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 17, 2018) 

In a recent interview to Mirror (August 15), Dharmendra had revealed that Anil Sharma has found an interesting subject for the sequel of their 2007 sports drama Apne. The filmmaker confirms this, saying Apne 2 with the veteran actor and his sons, Sunny and Bobby, is on track, with Dharmendra having liked the script.

“I will concentrate on it fully after the release of (son Utkarsh’s acting debut) Genius. Everyone tells me to make Gadar 2 and Apne 2 but making sequels of highly appreciated films is challenging. I haven’t cracked the story of Gadar 2 yet but Apne 2 is on,” Anil informs, happy about the revival of sports dramas in Bollywood. “Apne was the first-of-its-kind at the time and many discouraged me from making a film on boxing. I’m happy that times have changed now.”

In the run-up to his son’s big day, the filmmaker harks back to when he’d discovered Utkarsh’s inclination towards filmmaking. “He acted in Gadar as a child and would contribute to my script but I wanted him to get an engineering degree first, as cinema is a fickle profession,” he reasons.

But, seeing his dogged pursuit of the medium, Anil sent his son to the US to learn filmmaking. “On his last day of college, I watched the short film that he had directed and I knew he was ready to be launched,” the filmmaker recounts, adding that he had a similar conflict with his parents, who’d wanted him to become a doctor.

He goes on to reveal that he hadn’t started writing Genius with Utkarsh in mind. “My protagonist grows from a teenager to becoming a RAW agent and I had a few names in mind. Later, I wondered how to justify the age span with a 30-something actor, everyone is not Aamir Khan, who can pass off as a student in 3 Idiots, so then I decided on a new face. By the time I was ready with the script, I knew it had to be Utkarsh,” he says.

He’s all praise for the film’s other leads, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mithun Chakraborty. “There is no hero or a villain in my film, only two geniuses, one played by Utkarsh, the other super genius by Nawaz, and the story revolves around their conflict. Nawaz being a great actor himself has only enhanced Utkarsh’s performance. Mithun da only wanted to know the story to make sure that I was giving Utkarsh the best launch. He is like family,” adds Anil.

He isn’t too worried about Genius clashing with the Sonakshi Sinha and Jassie Gill-starrer Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. “The audience has always given us a lot of love and I’m sure they will do so this time as well. Competition has always been around, Gadar clashed with Aamir’s Lagaan on June 15, 2001, while my first film, Shradhanjali, was released alongside seven other films on November 6, 1981. I wish everyone does well,” he says.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 14, 2018)

The last time, we met Sonakshi Sinha, she mentioned that she was keen to try her hand at comedy. She said, “I think that’s one space I’ll be good at and I haven’t done much of it.” Now, with her upcoming film Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ), it seems her wish has come true. She tells After Hrs about defying the perceptions about her, relying on her instincts while choosing movies and why she is in a ‘happy’ space right now. Excerpts...

HPBJ comes with an expectation of matching up to the original. Does it make you nervous?
People don’t know what to look forward to in this film because of the confusion that’s created between Diana Penty’s and my characters. I don’t think they were expecting a different Happy. Having said that, the best part about the first instalment was the chemistry between all the characters. The recall value is there, so viewers are curious to see how the story is taken forward.

Your last few films have been quite intense. Is this a therapeutic break from that?
It’s lovely because I missed the singing and dancing. We started the shoot with the song Swag Saha Nahi Jaaye, so I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m enjoying myself’. I had a blast and from there on, it was a joyride because off set Mudassar Aziz, Jimmy Sheirgill, Ali Fazal and Diana are so funny.

You’ve been a part of several action comedies, but this will be the first full-fledged comedy in which you play the protagonist. Do you feel filmmakers had failed to tap that side of you till now?
No, I don’t think so. In the films that I’ve done — whether it’s Rowdy Rathore or Son Of Sardaar — the female lead required a certain comic timing and sense of humour. The makers knew I could be extremely funny, which is why they cast me. But yes, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ) is my first full-fledged comedy where I play the title role.

Do you feel that people haven’t seen your funnier side yet?
I guess everybody has a certain perception of actors especially based on what they see. They check out our interviews, films, shows and a lot of people’s outlook is formed on the basis of that. Also, the general perception about actors is that all of us must be la-di-da (hoity toity). Until and unless you actually meet a person, you can’t form an honest opinion about him or her. Many people are surprised when they meet me. They don’t expect me to be funny (smiles).

Are we witnessing an evolution in the kind of comedies that are being made right now?
Absolutely. There are slapstick, emotional, situational as well as dark comedies and we are tapping into all of it right now. It’s great because of the kind of films that are being made and the roles that are being written for women.

When you do a multi-heroine film, do you get bothered about screen time? Many actors are paranoid about it...
I guess, to each his own. Honestly, I’m someone who does everything from my heart. If you ask me for a 100 per cent, I’ll give you 110 per cent. Whether it’s a 10-minute or a three-hour role, I’ll put in the same amount of effort. I’m an instinctive person. I don’t look at the smaller picture, I always look at the larger scheme of things. If it’s a film that I would like to watch on screen, then I’d happily do it.

When a few of your films didn’t work as expected, did you notice any change in your industry equations?
Actually, it does happen in the industry, but I’m someone who doesn’t like to be connected to anyone beyond a point. So, whether they had that perception or not, it never bothered me. I’m not an extremely social person who is constantly looking for approval from others. I’m my own person who likes her private space. I’ve always been like that, regardless of having big hits or not. But yes, everyone has to go through this; the biggest of our stars have struggled, too. I remember having this conversation with Akshay (Kumar) where I told him that my last two movies didn’t work. He turned around and said, ‘You’re talking about two films, I had a phase where 11 of my movies hadn’t worked back- to-back.’ But he’s still Akshay Kumar.

Despite the flops, you continue to get big offers. Does that make you more confident and secure?
Of course! I appreciate it so much and that’s where the point gets verified. The audience’s connect with you isn’t based on a hit or flop. They connect with you because of who you are on screen, how much you’ve entertained them and once they are invested in you, they remain loyal. Honestly, there are a lot of reasons for which I shouldn’t have clicked as an actress, in terms of what was written about me — be it my weight, or my small roles in big-hero films. But did it ever affect me? No, because the audience connected with me and they would never let me go.

Don't Worry. Be Happy. That’s Aanand L Rai’s mantra and the reason why the producer director, in his decade-long trek through wonderland, has fearlessly broken with convention, experimented with taboo subjects and made the kind of films he believes in rather than what he believes will work. Tracing his journey through his adventures…
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 13, 2018) 


HAPPY PHIRR BHAG JAYEGI (2018)
Mudassar spent a lot of time on Happy Bhag Jayegi but somewhere along the way, I felt that he had not relished the film as much as he should have. So, I urged him to enter the ‘Happy’ space again and flush it out of his system completely since he already had a plot to take forward. I’d like to believe that this time it was a truly happy experience for him. Last time, since he was returning from a seven-year sabbatical, Mudassar had perhaps been on the back foot, this time he played on the front foot.


HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI (2016)
Mudassar Aziz came to me with this ‘Happy’ fi lm when I had just started prepping up for Tanu Weds Manu Returns. I’m a director first and told him that while I would have loved to involve myself with his baby, for the moment, my first love was myself and my film. I offered to speak to studios and line up a good producer for him. But Mudassar was adamant he wanted to make the film with me and insisted on waiting. It was his trust in me that led to my producing Happy Bhag Jayegi for him. The film brought about the realisation that I can become a good support for my directors.

SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN (2017)
Coming from the middle-class world myself, I knew we had grown and it was time to shed the tag of ‘conservative’. The idea behind taking an ‘adult’ subject and turning it into a family entertainer was to bring what had, for all these years, only been spoken in whispers behind the close doors of the bedroom, into the living room. Being the father of a teenage daughter, I also wanted to bridge this generation gap. Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (see featured image) brought together two generations in a way that they could talk to each other as friends.


MANMARZIYAAN (2018)
During Mukkabaaz I met a director who was raw and yet so neat. The Anurag Kashyap you will meet in Manmarziyaan is more polished, milder but bolder. This two-film journey was all about getting associated with one of the most brilliant directors of the country. Mujhe apne andar kuch change lana tha, maybe he felt the same way. Working with him has made me a more gutsy filmmaker, while I think he’s more controlled today, perhaps a little happier too.

ZERO (2018)
We have finished shooting the film but I have yet to meet Shah Rukh Khan, the biggest actor in the country. Khan saab has met me like a friend and a brother, a philosopher and a guide, a senior colleague and a student, but ab tak unhone uss superstar se milne ka mauka nahin diya. I look forward to meeting him some day.


NIL BATTEY SANNATA (2016)
I was 40, high on the success of Tanu Weds Manu and its sequel and didn’t want to play safe. I wanted to do something out-of-the-box, something daringly different, and through its overwhelming acceptance make the Hindi film industry believe that our audience is far more evolved than we give it credit. The film was about a maid who wants her daughter to become an IAS officer. Her argument was that if a doctor’s son becomes a doctor and an engineer’s son an engineer, toh bai ki beti kya karegi? I’m grateful that a teacher’s son got this opportunity to make films and told myself if that can happen to me, then why can’t a maid’s dream come true? Nil Battey Sannata remains one of our most important films and if it inspires even one maid to educate her child, I would say it was the most successful film of the decade. More recently, my associate Rahul Shanklya came to me with an idea and I told him to just go ahead and make it on a minimal budget. Meri Nimmo (right) was the purest cinema, a small film with a big heart.


NEWTON (2017)
For me, it was an important step to be associated with a film like Newton because while being an issue-based story, it was, to my mind, also a commercial film. As an audience, I believe the divide between the two cinemas is decreasing and viewers are looking for an intelligent film that’s also engaging. Newton, for me, was that film.


RAANJHANAA (2013)
After the box-office success of Tanu Weds Manu, everyone expected me to quickly come up with a sequel, but I didn’t wish to get typecast as a maker of romcoms. I wanted to challenge myself as a director with a tragedy and Raanjhanaa happened. It was a gamble making a film set in Varanasi with a South superstar, but I was confident that Dhanush was the right casting choice and that this was the best way to play my innings. Just before Tanu Weds Manu, I had lost my Dad and that transformed me as a person. I wanted my films to reflect this change that was happening within me. Raanjhanaa helped me grow not only as a director but as a person too. The fearlessness I carried forward from Tanu Weds Manu was now tempered with a new-found maturity.


TANU WEDS MANU (2011)
I had made two films before this, Strangers (2007) and Thodi Life Thoda Magic (2008), and they had not worked because I had been trying hard to prove that I was a director who knew his job. I realised later that you don’t have to impress people, you just have to tell a story. And that’s what I set out to do with Tanu Weds Manu. It was the best time for me because I was scraping the bottom of the barrel and had nothing to lose. I could behave like the biggest director because no one was looking at me. It took me three years to finish the film but I was sure from here I could only go up. It paid off.

TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS (2015)
In the four years that it took me to return to the franchise, I had grown as a director. But the best part was that I was not focussed on only my own growth but that of my actors as well. Queen had happened to Kangana (Ranaut) in the interim while Maddy (R Madhavan), after some wrong choices in Bollywood, had found the right path in Tamil cinema. Even my writer, Himanshu Sharma, had had his share of ups and downs and grown, as had my audience who were ready for a new cinema. They understood that Datto was not a gimmick but was for real and accepted her as warmly as they had embraced Tanu. Even the story took off exactly four years after the first film had ended with Tanu wedding Manu.

Rinky Kumar (DNA; August 13, 2018)

Diana Penty managed to impress critics and audiences alike with her portrayal of a gregarious, fun-loving Punjabi kudi in Happy Bhag Jayegi (HBJ, 2016). Now, she is back in its sequel Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (HPBJ), handing over the mantle to Sonakshi Sinha. After staying away from the arclights for almost four years following her debut film Cocktail, it seems the leggy beauty is making up for lost time with a spate of releases such as Lucknow Central (2017) and Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran, which opened in cinemas this May. In a freewheeling chat, the model-turned-actress tells us why being a part of HPBJ is like homecoming for her and how she is no longer nervous while facing the camera. Excerpts…

How does it feel to return as Happy?
It’s a proud feeling that part one did so well that it prompted the makers to consider a sequel. It’s always great to go back to the ‘Happy’ family because we had such a blast working on the first film. It was a total laugh riot. And of course, my association with producer Aanand L Rai and director Mudassar Aziz has been amazing. This outing, too, has almost all members of the old cast including new additions like Sonakshi and Jassie Gill, so it was fun working with them.

Were you apprehensive about passing on the baton to Sonakshi as you were the protagonist in the first part?
To be honest, when I heard the story I understood how our characters come together. It was essential to take the plot forward. And why not make the film bigger and happier? This time, there are two Happys, so it’s double trouble. It just adds to the script and the audience’s curiosity. I was integral to the first part, so I wouldn’t want to hold the makers back. I would want the second part to be even better. The earlier movie was about my character, while this one is Sonakshi’s story, which I help to take forward. Wherever Happy goes, trouble follows. So, in the sequel as well, I have caused some trouble and Sonakshi has to bear the brunt of it (smiles).

Within a year, you have had three releases. Have you changed your strategy or do you feel you need to make up for lost time?
My strategy was always the same, which was to do good films. It was just that initially, I didn’t know which route to take and what kind of subjects I should do. It took me a while to figure out what my next step should be. After Cocktail, people had automatically categorised me as the shy, quiet, girl-next-door because of the character, Mira, that I played in it. I wanted to do something different in my later films. That is why I thought I should wait till I find a good script. That’s when HBJ came about. I realised this was the perfect way to make people sit up and take notice of me.

Go on…
Along the way, I have learnt a lot about what I like to do and what I don’t. As I didn’t have any guidance or mentor, I was trying to figure out things on my own, which took a little longer than it should have. Now, that I’ve managed to do that, things have become easier. I don’t want to break the momentum. I genuinely don’t want any more long gaps between my films. Today, my focus is to try and do as many movies as I can. Also, for some reason, people have presumed that I don’t want to do commercial cinema, which is not true at all. All the movies that I have done to date are mainstream. In fact, Happy Bhag Jayegi (HBJ) was even more commercial than Cocktail as it was set in a small town.

So, what is your criteria while signing a film?
For me, it’s just the story that matters. It’s the heart and soul of every film. I’m happy to experiment with characters and genres. I want to do diverse kinds of cinema, which is what I have consciously tried to do along the way. In Parmanu, I had a slight action role, Lucknow Central was a drama, HBJ was an out-and-out comedy while Cocktail was a rom-com. I have tried to do something different each time because it’s more exciting that way.

Are you keen to explore any particular kind of genre?
I would love to do a thriller and explore the action zone more. It’s challenging and that’s what I like about it. I would also like to do another comedy because I have realised how much I enjoy it. And who doesn’t like to watch a light-hearted fun film at the end of a long day?

When you look back, how do you think you have grown as an actress?
Each film that I do, I take something away from it, which helps me grow as an actor. Now, I’m definitely more at ease in front of the camera. I remember in my first two films that wasn’t the case at all. Each time I faced the camera, I would get nervous. My approach towards acting, too, has changed a bit. It helps to work with diverse filmmakers because you get a different perspective as an actor. I have learnt something from all my directors. They have given me tips that have helped me carry a scene forward or enact a character better.

Right now, it’s a great time for cinema as a lot of off-beat subjects are being made. How do you perceive this scenario as an actress as well as a viewer?
Today, movies have become more relevant in terms of the subjects that are being addressed. The audience is beginning to accept this new kind of cinema. They are not going for typical movies that they were used to watching earlier. It gives us so much more to do as actors. We get to play diverse characters and explore more opportunities.

Are you keen to explore the digital space?
The web is truly the way forward. A couple of years from now, everyone will be going down that route. It seems to be quite the trend in the West already, but here, we are just beginning to discover it. And there is such high-quality work on it. So, I would love to act in a web series.

Sonakshi Sinha on her ‘happy’ space, sharing the screen with dad, working on her music and looking the best she ever has
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 10, 2018)

Sonakshi Sinha, who takes over from Diana Penty to take the Happy Bhaag Jayegi franchise forward with Happy Phirr Bhaag Jayegi, believes that happiness is a state of mind and one needs to look for it in the smallest of things. “That’s the only way to stay happy,” she says.

The 31-year-old actress plays a Punjabi kudi in the film and insists that it was a cakewalk because even though dad Shatrughan is Bihari and mom Poonam Sindhi, she has very Punjabi traits and a playlist of only Punjabi songs. “I walk, dance and speak like a Punjabi so it was the most natural thing for me to play a character like Happy. Also, I’m not very glamorous in real life, I only look glamorous for my profession and even on screen, I mostly play simple girls whom the aam aadmi can identify with, which is the idea,” she adds.


Recalling her first meeting with the romcom’s producer, Aanand L Rai, she describes him as a “sweet and simple man” with whom she immediately connected on a spiritual level. “We spoke for an hour-and-a-half about food, the films we want to make and only five minutes about this film,” she recalls, showing no signs of pressure coming into a successful series, pointing out that people loved the first film and the original characters who are in this film as well. “That makes the job easier and the response has been positive so far,” she says. Ask her what this Happy is running away from and she says, “The paparazzi, sometimes.”

After eight years, Sonakshi will finally be sharing the screen with her dad in Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se in a song and raving about the experience she admits that working with him had been on her wish list for a long time but surprisingly has not happened in a full-fledged film. “For now, I am honoured to be sharing the screen with three legends Dharam ji (Dharmendra), Rekha ji and dad,” she avers, adding she has grown up with Esha and Ahana Deol. “I played many Holis in their house with Hema ji and Dharam uncle. Even today when we meet, Dharam uncle wonders if I’m going to complain about them. Esha and my brothers (Luv and Kush) would gang up and bully me. But now we can laugh about it. They are amazing family friends.”


Interestingly, Luv’s second film, J P Dutta’s Paltan opens a week after hers. “I’m happy because this is the kind of film he always wanted to do and I can’t wait to watch his film,” says Sonakshi whose upcoming projects include Karan Johar’s period drama Kalank, in which she is paired with Aditya Roy Kapur, and the Arbaaz Khan-produced Dabangg 3, opposite Salman Khan. She suddenly clams up, pointing out that it’s too early to speak about them. “The Kalank shoot is still on and Dabangg 3 hasn’t even started yet,” she demurs, saying the latter is homeground because she started her career with the Khans and is here today because of them. “Doing a Dabangg with Salman or going with him on a Da-Bangg concert is like homecoming for me.”

The actress has just returned from a tour with him that also had Jacqueline Fernandez, Katrina Kaif and Daisy Shah and says that it’s a myth that girls can’t have fun. “In this age of social media, we are in touch all the time and during the tour, we all worked out and ate together,” she reveals.

Sonakshi is looking her fittest and she confides that earlier she would cheat on her diet, but over the last six months she has been consistent with her workouts and careful about what she eats. The effort has clearly paid off. “I’ve surprised myself with my own commitment. It’s been tough but rewarding. The compliments are coming in,” she says.

In her upcoming film, she has sung a new version of “Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo” with co-star Jassi Gill and goes on to reveal that she’s recorded a couple of other songs. After the release of Happy Phirr Bhaag Jayegi, she plans to shoot the music videos and release them. “I want singing to be an extension of what I’m already doing. I also paint when I have the time. The last few months have been super busy and I haven’t painted anything new, but I have a collection of over 30 paintings and I definitely want to exhibit those, hopefully soon,” she says