Director Aanand L Rai’s next is a star-studded film, yet it is titled Zero. And Rai says he has left it for the audience to decide what value and meaning does a zero hold for them, and how they interpret the film. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, the movie that will hit the screens on December 21 is a love-triangle based on Bauua’s (Shah Rukh) adventure to find true love.
While Shah Rukh plays a vertically challenged man, Anushka’s character suffers from cerebral palsy and Katrina Kaif will be seen essaying a glamorous role in the film.
About his character, Shah Rukh says, “Bauua doesn’t change for anyone. But he treats everyone equally. He speaks to Anushka rudely but she likes him because he treats her like an equal. There’s no scene where we sympathise with the characters. That’s the beauty of the film.”
When we are playing a character it should be unique, he believes. “For ages, we have been portraying a hero as someone larger than life. He is handsome, rides a motorcycle and has abs. He jumps from buildings, goes to a night club and impresses everyone with his dance moves. But smaller life characters are also equally important,” he adds.
Anushka, who is in a happy space after doing films such as Pari and Sui Dhaga, feels proud that she was chosen for the role. She says, “The character I played in Zero was a challenging one, as I had to understand the limitations of the person. Aafia involuntary shakes and gets spasms. I had to voluntarily create that twitch and that too by maintaining a balancing between my body language and dialogues.”
Katrina had won many hearts with her power-packed performance in Tiger Zinda Hai last year, and her dance number in Thugs of Hindostan also gathered praises. About her role, she says, “My character is the least glamorous. In the beginning of the film, there is a song ‘Husn Parcham’, which introduces my character Babita. It shows how confident and happy she is but once the song is over, you will find a totally different Babita. She is falling apart emotionally, and drinks a lot to become numb and becomes even more emotional. I had the responsibility of portraying the correct emotion.”
Produced with a budget of `200 crore, this film is Shah Rukh’s most expensive film. On working with him, the director says, “Shah Rukh was astonishing. I have seen his work for so many years and he has never failed to amaze me.”
Shah Rukh reciprocates saying, “Anand has no ego. At times, I used to get irritated but he would handle it. Sometimes he would become lethargic and I would force him to shoot. We will miss each other as the film is over now. I have told him to write an action film for me.”
The trio of Shah Rukh, Katrina and Anushka was last seen together in Jab Tak Hai Jaan in 2012, and both female actors say that they loved being on the same platform. “I always felt that Katrina is not pretentious as an actor and a human being. She is what she is. And we get along well together,” says Anushka.
Counter-praising her, Katrina says, “What I like about her is that she has great ideas and she implements them. She has set up her own production house, has launched her clothing line and is choosing the right roles and doing justice to them.”
Salman Khan will also be seen shaking leg with Shah Rukh on song ‘Issaqbaazi’. Reminiscing the shoot days, Shah Rukh says it as total fun. “We would pack up by 12 am and chat till four to five in the morning. If you have seen the trailer, you might have noticed that I jump on him and he holds me. He had to stand in a square and I jumped from a distance. We had thought that he would fall but he is really strong, and held me perfectly.”
While both the actors were comfortable working with Shah Rukh, they say working with Rai was a great learning experience. Now, the audience will decide whether Zero is truly the hero.