Your career’s going great enough for you to literally exclaim Hadippa! How would you define life at this stage?
Before Kaminey happened, it was more like a will he-won’t he situation. People were posing questions like ‘Is he taking him too seriously? Why doesn’t he establish himself in the space that people like him in?’ Now, there is a certain sense of achievement. My father saw the film and he thought I credibly played two different characters; it’s a huge thing for my father to say that. There were lot of calls and messages from established people in the industry appreciating my performance. And of course, there’s nothing more than junta reaction. When I walk into a theatre and people greet back in Charlie’s lingo, it’s a great feeling.

How would you decode the ‘great’ feeling?
Well, there is happiness and fear. Happiness for the fact that something has been liked so much. As for fear, I hope to get more roles like this; a Kaminey doesn’t happen to an actor every day.

Not just your performance, but even your experimentation with your ‘cute’ looks has got everyone gushing. What’s the secret behind your sex-appeal?
(Blushes) I don’t know, I really don’t know. I guess it’s running with the horses.

On a more serious note, how do you manage to conceal your lover-boy image (which most believe is inborn) to do justice to the characters you are playing?
It’s nice for other people to say that I am too good looking to find it difficult to play characters that are not out-and-out sweet. Honestly, I don’t think I am that good looking ki main usske baare mein kuch kar hi nahin sakta. People have usually seen me in a well-groomed avatar and that’s why the notion. I am particular about my looks when I am working because that’s part of my job as an actor. But you should see me when I am home; I can be pretty chhalla.

Are you worried that with Dil Bole Hadippa! coming close to your double-role feat, audiences may find it difficult to accept you in a completely different role, that of a county cricketer hailing from UK?
Yes, the two films have come close to each other and so, until a point, I made a conscious effort to not promote Dil Bole Hadippa! I wanted to give people sometime to disassociate themselves from my previous film. But then, with the strike happening and release dates getting jam-packed, it hasn’t been entirely in my control. However, I think it would have been disastrous if a film similar to Kaminey came right after it. Because nothing can live up to what people have liked already. So there is a Dil Bole Hadippa! And then there is Chance Pe Dance followed by Parmeet Sethi’s film and of course, dad’s movie. Thankfully, they all have me in different roles.

Dil Bole Hadippa! celebrates the vibrant colours of Punjab. Being a Punjabi yourself, how was the experience shooting for the film?
It was great fun shooting across Punjab, especially Chandigarh. I really like the cleanliness and town planning. Apart from that, I was put up at the same hotel where I stayed during the making of Jab We Met. In fact, even many of the locations where we shot were the same. So yes, there was lot of nostalgia.

With Dil Bole Hadippa!, you now have an association with one of the most prestigious production banners in the industry - Yash Raj Films. Do you think you have arrived in the A-league?
This is one question that is being raised across spaces. If you ask me, I don’t know. I am just happy that my films are doing well; I have done different movies and they have worked. I am 28, I have worked for five years and I can choose the films that I want to do. People walk into theatres to see movies of which I am a part. At this point, I don’t want to take on any more pressure.

Facing the floodlights
Over a year after Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, Rani Mukerji is back with what she calls one of her most enjoyable roles - a feisty small-town girl with dreams
Three years after she thrilled audiences with her spunky act in Bunty Aur Babli, Rani Mukerji is once again playing a spirited small-town girl in her latest, Dil Bole Hadippa! (DBH). For many, the vibrant backdrop of Punjab and the ambitious nature of the lead characters in both the films bear a striking resemblance. Surprisingly, Rani is not completely dismissive of the similarities. Clearing the air, she says, “The only comparisons that one can draw between Veera, my character in DBH and Babli is that they both are from Punjab and aspire to make it big. And honestly, I connect a lot to these characters. I have travelled a lot across North India and met so many cousins who dreamt of migrating to big cities to make it big. If in any way I can inspire them to dream through my characters, I feel happy; for only if they dream can they achieve it.”

Talking about inspiration, one wonders what triggered off the fitness regime responsible for the actress’ new-found toned and ultra-glamorous avatar. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the urge to jump onto the size-zero bandwagon but a character requirement that translated into a personal and professional boon. And no, it wasn’t about ensuring an hour-glass figure for the Punjabi kudi Veera. “In the film I am in the guise of a male athlete, a cricketer-Veer. I planned the weight-loss keeping in mind his athletic appeal. At no point in time did I want the audiences to comment ‘Arre, woh dekho, that little jiggling thing’ as I ran across the pitch.” After losing inches via yoga and following it up with weight training, a ‘correct’ diet was the next thing. And like they say, when it rains, it pours. Around the time she started working on Veer’s fitness requirements, she also started practising for the cricket prowess that required an athlete’s diet.

Having aimed for an athlete’s physique, isn’t she glad that everyone’s sitting up and taking notice of her ultra-slim and glamorous makeover? “I did not foresee myself in a glamorous music video. The thing about fitness is that once your system is cleansed and all those clothes you have wanted to wear for a while begin to fit, you begin to enjoy the whole process. So after wrapping up the shoot, when everyone suggested that we do the Hadippa Remix to flaunt my new, toned self to the world, I thought ‘Why not?’” To match steps with Shahid Kapoor, one of the best dancers in the industry, and come up with chemistry that leaves little scope for critics must have been a feat. On being probed, she says, “Shahid was most happy that he was getting to work with an actor who knows how to dance. He kept on saying, ‘Thank god, thank god…’ I too had great fun dancing with him. As far as chemistry is concerned, I think it is an actor’s job to complement her co-actor. There’s nothing wrong in trying to look as good as your co-star.”

With her co-star having two hits to his credit, one would assume that it is Rani, who is pinning on the film to make her ‘box-office comeback’. However, for someone who has handled the highs and lows with equal calm, Rani dismisses the fact that the DBH’s success at the box-office could be a solitary factor in affecting her popularity in the industry.