How to exude Zen-like calm even around pesky visitors is the best lesson actor Deepika Padukone taught Mirror reader Insiyah Contractor

Anand Holla (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 12, 2012)

 

Landing smack in the middle of a marathon TV interview session was something Insiyah Contractor had not signed up for when she dashed out of her South Mumbai home to meet her favourite star at Bandra’s Mehboob Studio. Once she had braved the rains to get there, for the next two hours, the 20-year-old mass media graduate sat at shouting distance from her idol, driven to despair by the wait. “How does she manage to answer all those stupid, unnecessary questions with such calm? I’m getting impatient just watching her,” Contractor said.

Ten metres away, Deepika Padukone was far from flustered — or she’s a good actor. Even a dozen television interviews later, the actress was upbeat, her smile just as sparkling as she sat in a sheer white tank top and tie-n-dye jeans. During breaks, she got her make-up touched up, checked if her messy fishtail plait was still messy, sent a few text messages and sipped on water from a straw stuck to a mini Bisleri bottle. “A straw so that she doesn’t smudge her lipstick, right?” Contractor smiled.

As the crowd thinned out, Padukone greeted her fan warmly, apologizing for the wait. Buzzing with nervous excitement, Contractor shot off the mandatory ‘I’m-your-die-hard-fan’ line before flipping out a notebook where she had jotted down questions. “If you threw a crazy bachelor party, where would it be?” she asked. “Thanks to my work, I get to travel to the most exotic locations. But what I miss most is home. It’s not just about being unable to spend time with family, but also my buddies. I have very close friends back in Bangalore and I’d love to have that party with them,” said Padukone.

Contractor confessed to often standing before a mirror, playing Padukone from Om Shanti Om. “‘Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat tum kya jaano, Ramesh Babu’, I’d say. I later learnt that the enactment often left my househelp, Ramesh, scandalised,” Contractor told Padukone, as the two giggled like schoolgirls.

On request, Padukone rattles off another famous line, this one from Cocktail. “I’m carrying his bun in my oven,” she said, remembering how the shoot was nothing but fun. “I am trying hard not to sound clichéd, but it really was madness every day on set. With Saif, Diana (Penty) and Homi (Adajania) around, we’d all be troubling each other, cracking jokes and pulling fast ones. Shooting for a movie has never been this much fun despite Veronica being a challenging character to play.”

Padukone’s favourite memory is driving with the cast around Cape Town, in a convertible, listening to a radio channel that played only The Beatles. “It was beautiful!”

Contractor was curious to find out who she’d like to play if she could go back in time and star in a movie. “Kajol from DDLJ.”

“And your favourite Hollywood movie?” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

“And what do you do when you are not shooting?” “Actually, I am never free! When I’m not shooting, I’m preparing for a role, dubbing, holding meetings, endorsing products. Touchwood, I have work, and I am grateful for it,” Padukone said.

With hesitation, Contractor pushed forth a sticky question — How is her equation with Ranbir Kapoor, now that they are co-starring in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani? Flashing a smile, Padukone said, “Why would I be upset if you ask me that? We are mature professionals, good friends and share a good equation. There is no awkwardness between us.”

Contractor looked content with that, but had a final question — How happy is Dippy right now? “I feel stable. I am in the right frame of mind, and driven to work. The day I feel burnt out, I will call it quits. I have set my targets, which I can’t share!” she said, signing an autograph.

Contractor wouldn’t go without a hug and Padukone had a bear hug in store. “She is so pretty and humble. Did you notice she apologized again for keeping us waiting?”

We were glad the wait met a happy end.