Shahrukh and I are a cliché

In year 2010, she did three films – My Name Is Khan, We Are Family and Toonpur Ka Superrhero. However, she is most remembered for her Shahrukh Khan starrer My Name Is Khan which was directed by Karan Johar. Five years down the line, Kajol is reuniting with her steady on-screen partner and it is pretty much expected that the legacy that started with Baazigar will be carried forward by Dilwale as well. Considering the fact that the man at the helm of affairs is Rohit Shetty, who has given numerous hits with hubby Ajay Devgn, it is pretty much the case of ‘all in the family’ for Kajol.

Kajol

It must have been fun to move on from playing a serious character in My Name Is Khan to something far breezier in Dilwale?

Dilwale is going to be quite an awesome film. It is releasing at the right time as it is a film about family and this is the festive season. The film appeals to every genre and would reach out to all the audience, whether you are a two-year-old or an eighty-year-old. It doesn’t matter. It is releasing as a typical film which has all the making of a masala affair. Honestly, I really liked my character in the film. The script is so fabulous as well. I am comfortable working with Rohit and of course I am very-very comfortable with Shahrukh. Moreover, he is also producing the film, so the combination of everything helped in my decision making.

READ: DILWALE IS NOT A NICHE FILM, IT IS ‘IN YOUR FACE’ CINEMA

In a way, you are also returning into familiar territory with Dilwale, isn’t it?

(Laughs) Actually it is a little unfamiliar territory because I haven’t done songs and dances for a while now. It is interesting though to get back into the groove. It is a lot of fun. As far as my role in the film is concerned, I really liked it. Everything put together on screen really made me say that I had to do this. I think the film has turned out to be even better than how we had imagined.

It is quite apparent that Shahrukh Khan and Varun Dhawan have a strong brotherly bond in the film. Is it the same between Kriti Sanon and you as well?

Yes, Kriti is playing my younger sister in the film. She is really sweet and fun to work with. We had some great working time together and it translates well on screen. We could see that during the dubbing of the film.

The film has Rohit and you coming together. Considering the fact that he is pretty much a part of your family, this was long awaited. With Ajay and he having worked together for more than 10 years, wasn’t there ever a temptation of making a film with the three of you together?

The kind of films that Rohit has done earlier have either featured a lot of people or they have been out and out action affairs. I don’t think Rohit would ever come to me with a script which doesn’t have a good role or something stupendous for me. He was clear right from the beginning that he would approach me only if he would have something really meaty for me.

With Shah Rukh Khan in Dilwale

Guess for Dilwale in particular, the mandate was clear that it would have songs, dance, action and a lot of cars as well!

Well yes, there are definitely some clichés in the film; no two ways about it. I figure that clichés put around in the nicest way will always work. Now look at it, even Shahrukh and me are a cliché (laughs)!

Of course, with Shahrukh and you returning, there is good curiosity. However, do you ever look back and question yourself whether the manner in which your ‘jodi’ appears on screen is incidental or designed?

I don’t think that we can sit down and analyze something like that. I don’t think both of us understand it either. We just go ahead and work together while trying to do our best. May be we are familiar with each other. May be we can subconsciously predict what each of us will do next. We cannot say what is there. The fact is that well, it is just there.

READ: THE 20-YEAR LONG ROMANCE WITH DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE

No wonder, Rohit must have come out impressed with what he saw of you in front of the camera.

(Smiles) Rohit said – ‘I cannot tell you how to go about certain scenes. I will write and shoot it in the nicest way but beyond that you need to take it forward’. So we would deliver a shot and he would just say ‘okay’. So I thought, perhaps we are indeed doing something good together. But then every time Shahrukh and I came together, he would say ok.

What happened next?

I had to ask him ‘I hope aisa nahi hai that you have just become very comfortable with us. Warna jis tarah se you are just saying okay to everything, kahin na kahin toh kuch gadbad ho rahi hai‘ (laughs). It was good fun. On a serious note though, Rohit is a fan. He has seen us together. He sees us the way you see us. For him to have us together was wonderful.