Tabu: 'We wanted Manju to appear like a woman who is strong, independent and single-handedly takes care of her children'

De De Pyaar De explores the relationship between an older man and a younger woman and is helmed by Akiv Ali.

De De Pyaar De is a different kind of a rom com than what the audience has seen before. What prompted you to say yes to the film?

I haven't played a part like this in the past and so it was very exciting for me. De De Pyaar De has an unusual story line; the interesting and unique relationship it talks about in a light-hearted fashion prompted me to say yes.  

It is not just a rom com, though it is narrated in a very funny way and laughter is essentially the binding factor of the film, but it does speak about the deep and serious issues related to human nature. It highlights on the intricacies of a relationship that people share with one another.

It talks about how people belonging to different age groups approach life in their own way. The story is very relatable for the people who would have faced similar situations in their everyday life. 

Post De De Pyaar De trailer launch, several people have said that they haven't seen you in this kind of a role and look. What went behind putting this together?

The response received by family, friends and fans has been absolutely lovely. Everyone is loving the look of my character.

We wanted Manju to appear like a woman who is strong, independent and single-handedly takes care of her children. My team and I wanted to have a very distinct approach, right from the look, to her behaviour, to the way she dresses and talks to people. 

We have given importance to all the minutest of nuances. Since we shot the film in Manali, we had a chance to play with a lot of colours for my attire and Aki Narula (stylist) ended up giving me the perfect combination of clothes that looked great on me.

Hiral (hairstylist) worked on an entirely new look for me and she has done a wonderful job with that, it compliments my character perfectly.

Are there any character traits of Manju that you could personally relate to as well? Share with us your experience of playing this character on screen.

I can completely relate to Manju's character as I have similar traits in me in real life. Although I haven't gone through everything that Manju goes through in life, I can still relate to it because that's how I would react to situation in the real world. 

I am sure Luv thought the same way and that's the reason he offered me to play this part. If ever I am thrown in a situation like this in life, I will also take steps and act the way Manju acts. The character has a sense of maturity blended perfectly with strength, ease and no mellow-drama.

You've known Ajay for many years now and worked with in several films. Which quality of his is most admirable according to you? 

I have known Ajay for years and he hasn't changed as a human being at all and that speaks a lot about a person.

He has had a brilliant career graph and he's not only a great actor, but also an amazing director and producer. 

I have always known him as someone who had the passion for directing films, even before he became an actor.

He is so sincere when it comes to his work that if a shot is ready for 7:00 AM, Ajay will make sure he is on set at the said time giving his 200% to every shot. He has grown from strength to strength and he is one of the most bankable and finest actors in this industry.

Tell us about your experience working with Rakul Preet Singh and some things that you'll bonded over?

Rakul is one of the sweetest and most dedicated actors I have worked with. She is a wonderful co-actor and is extremely comfortable in her space, sincere and respectful towards her co-actors.

What took me by surprise was her impeccable command over Telugu. It was nice working with her and it's great to bond with actors who are so pleasant and great at what they do. It was like one big happy family on set. 

What do you have to say about teaming up with Akiv Ali who's making a debut as a director with De De Pyaar De?

Akiv is literally the most fun loving, sweet and chilled out person. He has no airs about himself. He is totally opposite of how any director or a commanding director would come across. 

Apart from all the fun and masti, he knows how the works needs to be done and what exactly he is looking for in every scene.

If ever I had questions and doubts in my mind, Akiv would answer them in a very clear cut-to-cut way and that speaks a lot about a director and you get the surety that the film is in great hands and the director's vision is very clear. 

Akiv is so nice and extremely affectionate, I wish him all the love, luck and success in life. I would love to work him again in the future and hoping for him to be a successful director. 

How was your experience working with Luv Ranjan during the filming of De De Pyaar De? Have you seen any of his previous films that you'd like to tell us about?

Luv's biggest strength is writing and the timings of his dialogues. The lines and the punch lines that he gives his actors are so on point that nobody can do what he does and make it look so effortless. He knows exactly how every character in his film should look and be portrayed. 

Luv is someone who will never tilt the film in anybody's favour, he balances all the parts beautifully and equal weightage is given to all his actors.

He is very passionate about his craft and that reflects in his work vividly. He treats his entire unit in the same way and makes sure everybody has their share of fun and relaxation. He looks after everyone very well and makes sure everyone is comfortable. 

In De De Pyaar De he has touched upon an aspect, which hasn’t been explored, much in Bollywood and that explains how well he understand human dynamics. This is another USP of Luv, he knows about these relationships in the world and looks at them without passing a judgement 

In the film, your character Manju stays with her family in Manali. How was your experience shooting for the film in this hill station?

Manali was a very memorable experience for me and it also happens to be one of my favourite places to visit in the world. I have shot some great films in this beautiful city and it never fails to disappoint me. 

Jimmy and I were shooting for De De Pyaar De and we felt very nostalgic because 25 years ago, we shot for our film ‘Maachis' and we were reliving all the old memories. 

We shot at the same location where we shot for the song ‘Chhod aaye hum' and ‘Chappa chappa.' It just felt so good reliving all those days back. Manali is just the same, mesmerising as ever.

We did experience a lot of landslides everyday while commuting from our hotel to the shoot location, we had to pass through big bolts of rocks, but it was adventurous in its own way.

The resort where we shot was splendid, even though the journey was quite a task, it was all worth it. We would often go for picnics on our off days and explore the tiny city. It's a trip I'll never forget in my life.

De De Pyaar De is set to release on May 17, 2019.