Vidya Balan is arguably one of the finest actresses that Bollywood has seen. Besides she has been choosing her roles very wisely. Her last few films may not have done well at the box office but as an actress Vidya remains a favourite of many. She will now be seen in a different avatar in Suresh Triveni’s debut venture Tumhari Sulu opposite Manav Kaul.
Manav on the other hand has been a theatre actor who is known for his intense grey shades in films such as Kai Po Che, Wazir, Haider and Jolly LLB. This is the first time that Manav is all set to play a hero. While he is calm and subdued she is mischievous and playful. Together they have created a complete new world in Tumhari Sulu.
“Everyone was surprised when they saw me in the trailer of Tumhari Sulu after my negative characters in Kai Po Che and Wazir. I want to do different roles, and director Suresh Triveni and producer Atul Kasbekar thought I would fit here perfectly. I was sitting at an ice cream parlour when Suresh called to say I was chosen for the role. I immediately ordered another tub of ice cream to celebrate,” laughs Manav.
Vidya smiles, “I have done serious roles in the last couple of years and here I was offered a role where I could laugh my heart out. Sulu is very supportive and never hesitates to try anything new. She never wins but she doesn’t give up.”
Vidya plays a middle-class homemaker who is a radio jockey by night. She had earlier charmed the audiences with her heartwarming “Good morning Mumbai” in Lage Raho Munnabhai. But both the roles are poles apart. While in that the RJ handled a morning show and woke up everyone with her chirpy voice, as Sulu she adds that sensuous touch with her throaty “Hello”.
Vidya says that not much went into research for the role. “In 2006, I didn’t know how radio worked at all. I observed a lot of radio jockeys on how they use their console, how they produce their shows, what is the MSG level, how it translates, etc. I had done a lot of research then and it helped in this film,” she adds.
Talking about his character, Manav says, “I play Ashok, Sulu’s husband, in the film. He has been working for the same company for 12 years and loves his family, especially his wife, immensely. Sulu is spontaneous and does a lot of crazy things. But for him it is entertainment, and he supports her. It’s a lovely positive character.”
The film also stars Neha Dhupia in a pivotal role and Vidya says that she and Neha had a wonderful time on the sets. “Neha and me were like two gundas on the sets. We had a lot of fun. These girls—be it Priyanka Chopra or Neha Dhupia—they never take a break, they work too hard. I wonder how they manage to do that,” she wonders.
From the girls we move on to the man in her life in the film. Talking about Manav, Vidya says, “He is an excellent actor. I had seen his work earlier and when I saw his auditions I was hoping they would choose him to play Ashok.”
Did their mutual admiration translate into chemistry on screen? Manav reveals that Vidya is a very supportive actor. “You don’t realise that you are working with a star. Our energies were in sync on the sets. In fact, we regretted why we hadn’t worked together earlier. She is great fun to be with on the sets. Nandini Shrikant, the casting director, had done a lot of auditions with me. My second audition was the look test with Vidya,” he reveals.
Both Manav and Vidya have not signed any further projects as yet. Manav is busy with his theatre, writing and direction. “I have directed two experimental films. I am looking forward to doing different and interesting roles and I am busy with my writing. My book Thik Tumhare Peeche was chosen amongst the five best-sellers in 2016. My third novel, Instagram, is all set for a January release. My next play will be showcased in Hyderabad next week. So I have been quite busy,” adds the talented artiste.
Vidya, too, reveals that she is reading scripts but has not come across anything interesting. “My potentials have not been completely tapped. There’s a lot more. There’s a long way to go and there’s insatiable hunger for good roles all the time. So far the only movie that has had a deep impact on me is The Dirty Picture.
The protagonist was an actress and she lived and died on her own terms. The film made me realise that no one is completely good or completely bad. It all depends on the situation. Before I did that film, I would trust everyone implicitly. A little cynicism has crept into me. I have trust issues now. I did films such as Ghanchakkar, Begum Jaan and Kahaani 2 because it was exploring the uncomfortable. I am not insensitive but as an actor there is nothing I won’t do or won’t try,” she trails off.