It’s hard to break; Some more bitter than others. But keeping it cool, especially when you’re working together on a project, might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Imtiaz Ali entered.
It seems that the popular Bollywood filmmaker has been briefed on working with ex-couples. And more often than not, he wins the hearts of the audience with his sizzling on-screen chemistry. For example: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone of Tamasha from Jab We Met.
While Ranbir and Deepika’s 2015 offering is etched in our minds almost seven years later, it was Dev and Tara’s palpable charm on the big screen that made the film even more memorable. Imtiaz’s brilliant storytelling and direction added the much-needed oomph to the project.
The filmmaker has worked with Deepika and Ranbir together in various projects. But did you know? When Bollywood stars started their careers, many bet on the rockstar actor to succeed while others had reservations about Deepika making a lasting impression on critics.
“Fifteen years after Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone’s debut, both have evolved as artists. Ranbir was always considered a good actor. People in the industry expected him to be good and he consistently delivered on his promises. Deepika was the opposite. Imtiaz wrote for the Indian Express.
“As an actress, people didn’t think she was good. I remember very well that my liking for her, even love, as late as today, was doubted. She was considered pretty and beautiful. But was not a good actor. She has changed it over the years,” he commented. “Ranbir’s journey was more difficult because when one thinks you are great, it is easy to be disappointed at a certain point in one’s career, but Ranbir has lived up to the expectations. And he has surprised everyone who thought so. He was going to be a good actor.”
Working with Ranbir Kapoor
Talking about meeting Ranbir, the filmmaker shared, “I saw Ranbir when he was a child and I was young. Years later, we met and did Rockstar, followed by Tamasha”.
She added, “Before Rockstar, Ranbir and I spent a lot of time together. We intentionally broke the ice between us, shared our dirty secrets and our vulnerabilities, and we opened up to each other. Confessed everything. Doing it then. That’s how we gained each other’s trust. I had to watch his back, as he had mine.”
Imtiaz added, “If I was the most knowledgeable person on the set, he was the second most knowledgeable person about the film. He is like an assistant director. We bonded over the fact that we were the most knowledgeable about the film. There were flagships, small details like the costumes of other characters for the whole spirit of the film.”
Working with Deepika Padukone
Talking about his Tamasha leading lady, Imtiaz shared, “Deepika and I were messaging each other and decided to meet at a coffee shop. I hadn’t seen her before or Saw her movies. Coincidentally her car was in front of me and when. She got off at the Marriott Hotel, when she turned around I thought, ‘It must be a girl’ because she had that look in her eyes.”
He added, “When Deepika was making love to me today, she was very young, but she looked older than her age. She even tried to act like she was older. And then One day something happened, I suddenly saw it for this young man and the ice broke.”
The director added, “He started joking around, and we chilled out. Before that it was a bit of a formal relationship. After that, we started sharing secrets, talking about weaknesses and me. Realized that she was too open.”
