You have done several films with Shah Rukh Khan but the last few films have come after pretty long intervals. Did you reconnect easily with Shah Rukh for Dilwale?
I always have a great time working with Shah Rukh. He is so much fun as an actor and personally too, he is just great. He is wonderful to work with. We have been friends forever, and so it’s comfortable working with him. I also loved the script and my character in the film, and of course I am comfortable working with Rohit (Shetty). I had a great time shooting just like I expected!
SRK says that when they approached you for Dilwale, you were planning to do some other film. What is the status on that film now?
Yes, we were going to do our own production (with her husband Ajay Devgn) at that point of time. Now we have finalised the script and we will most probably start shooting in June 2016 because (Ajay’s directorial venture) Shivay gets over in April. The script is nice and I am excited about the project as well.
Since you have worked with Shah Rukh Khan for over 20 years now, do who think you know everything about him? Or did you learn something new about him?
You can never know anybody completely; you can never know your own self completely. What I still find amazing about him is that every time I meet him, I am taken aback by the fact that he is still excited about his role, his shot. He keeps saying, “Let’s do it this way, and try the other new way as well.” I am like, “Calm down, this is your 255th film.” But while doing this film I saw another side to Shah Rukh…as the head of Red Chillies, and that was interesting.
How did you find him as a producer?
He is an amazing producer. I was well taken care of!
You have mentioned that your daughter Nysa was the one who convinced you to take up Dilwale. How much does your children’s consent influence your choice of films?
Honestly, nobody influences my choice of films. Nobody ever has and nobody ever will. Your choices always have to be your own because the responsibility will be always yours. So I cannot say that anybody ever influences my choices because then I have to give them my responsibility for it also. On the other hand, I definitely do take their opinion seriously because kids have a lovely way of looking at things. Sometimes I get wonderful insights from them. Kids are able to see through situations without filtration and preconceived notions.
Did your kids convince you to take up films again?
My daughter definitely wanted me to work. The other day she said something very beautiful to me. She said, “Mamma just because you love me, doesn’t mean that you can’t love anything else.” This statement struck me hard. I felt that my child understands so much! Like a typical mother, I started crying. She said, “Mamma, just calm down, stop crying.” Nysa has taught me so much, and so has my son. I feel I am doing a good job when they do or say things like this.
Do you feel that a woman’s life changes more than a man’s after having kids?
Definitely, and it should. Of course, my husband’s priorities have also changed in a big way after we had kids. His priorities will now definitely be his kids for the rest of his life. But a woman naturally is more connected to her kids, especially because she carries them for nine months. In the first three months, a baby cannot do without a mother, while the father will always be around on the periphery. The bond between mom and child is strong because you breast-feed them, and you take care of every small thing.
When you sidelined films for motherhood, did you look at it as a sacrifice?
Honestly, I love my kids and there is no sacrifice. There is nothing that I have given up for them; I have given it up for myself. It was a selfish decision to stay at home and look after my kids because I love being with them.
How do your children react to your pairing with Shah Rukh in the Dilwale trailers?
They look at it in a very weird way. My son (five-year-old Yug) looks at my song and he is clearly not interested. He says, “Please show me a Hulk video.” I don’t even think he will watch the film. But my daughter is incisive. She watched my first trailer and said in a critical way, “You are looking good, I approve.” I was like, “Yeah! Okay!”