JUHI CHAWLA

Initially, when I was offered Duplicate, I had rejected it outright. Why should I do a film in which I had no role? Everybody thought that I had gone crazy. Then Yashji (producer Yash Johar), Maheshji (Mahesh Bhatt) and Shah Rukh Khan trooped upto me and tried to convince me that I had to do this film. “You have to do this role. It’s my film and you’ll have a lot to do in it,” cajoled Maheshji. “Trust me,” begged Yashji. I couldn’t say no.

Once shooting started my role began to take shape. It became quite interesting. Maheshji had added to it. I did a lot for my character too. It was great fun. Most of the time I was laughing through my scenes. They were so sweet and funny! I play the banquet manager of a five- star hotel — Sonia Kapoor. A hi-society type who says the most ridiculous things with complete conviction and when angry breaks into a flood of English. Shah Rukh comes to me for a job. He gets it. He is a bumbling Charlie Chaplin kind of character but very good at his work. It’s love-at-first-sight for him. It takes a while for me to reciprocate but I do, eventually. Sonia pretends to be a woman of the world. But in reality she is a fool who has fallen in love. Maheshji added little bits and pieces which made our love story very different and absolutely hilarious.

Duplicate is my fourth film with Bhatt sahab and without his help my role would have never shaped up the way it has. He is very nice to work with and gives you a free hand.

I have worked under Shah Rukh’s direction too for the promos of this film. He had directed the Yes Boss promos too! Shah Rukh is a hard taskmaster. A slave driver. When he is around the sets he just takes over. There are no lunch breaks. Nobody knows what the time is. He just goes on and on. He is great fun as a co-artiste but when he takes over as a director, he becomes a tyrant! But he has made the promos very well. He is very intelligent and creative and has some good ideas up his sleeve. I am sure, he will make a fine director. Maybe I can be his chief assistant! Earlier I used to say that I would be Aamir’s chief assistant when he turned director. Now I’ll be Shah Rukh’s. I cannot become a director myself because I just can’t take decisions! If you ask me to choose I become confused and then I’ll have to toss a coin to decide. If I have to choose from four options I think I’ll just run away from the sets. That is why I will never become a director.