In one of the many delightful scenes of Dum Lagake Haisha , Sandhya, played by newcomer Bhumi Pednekar, stands before her husband in a slinky, candyfloss-pink nightie that she had bought earlier that day amid prying eyes in Haridwar’s local market. This was meant to seduce her husband, who till then had shown no interest in her. The outfit is quite snug, accentuating every fold of flesh, of which there is plenty. She can’t imagine why her fully-endowed form would put off her lanky husband. She manages to yank him into bed, oblivious to the fear dripping down his face. And then, following her mother’s sage advice, she turns on an English film to ‘set the mood’ for the night. “When I read the script, I thought how has Sharat Katariya [the director] gotten into the head of an overweight girl? Even though I have always been overweight, it was never an issue. I did what I wanted, I wore what I wanted. Sandhya too is confident, ambitious and hopes that she’s going to find her prince charming. I thought maybe [it’s] a different time, different place and different era, but this is me,” she says of the similarities between Sandhya and her.
Her favourite part of the shoot was filming the crucial race titled Dum Lagake Haisha. She quickly adds that it was fun for her, but she can’t say the same for her co-star Ayushmann Khurrana, who had to climb slopes, wade through slush, step over obstacles — with his wife piggybacking on him. The race is significant in more ways than one. Prem, played by Khurrana, has to win this at any cost. He needs to show his English-speaking, educated wife that he’s not a loser after all, and also prove a point to his friends, who have been blessed with ‘prettier’, regular-sized wives. “We shot the race for a few days. I was on his back for a very long time, and not once did he just drop me after a scene. He’s a thorough gentleman. Every time we cut the shot, he’d slowly and gently put me down. He’d ask me if I was okay and I’d be like, ‘Why are you asking me? Are you okay? You’re the one carrying 86 kilos on your back,” says Pednekar.
It’s a Sunday afternoon and Pednekar is running a few minutes late for her first-ever media interaction. The film’s marketing team suspects she’s got a case of the nerves. “She must have tried on a hundred clothes before coming,” they say, fondly. Not much was known about her prior to the release of this movie. Yash Raj Films, the unlikely producers of this gem of a movie, had instructed her to lie low. It’s been two days since the release and the veil of anonymity has finally been lifted. As I’m informed of her arrival, I half-expect a Sandhya — a plump girl wrapped in a sari and sweater — to emerge through the door. Instead, there is an infinitely slimmer version of her in a chic crop top and palazzo pants. Basically, a Yash Raj actress in the making. “I don’t know how this happened,” she says pointing to herself. “I was not on a mission to knock off the weight. In fact, I’ve always been overweight but I did gain 10kg more for the film.”
“I feel so at home here,” she says, twirling her chair. We’re sitting at Yash Raj Studios, Pednekar’s place of work for the past six years. Before landing the part, she was an assistant to the most influential casting director of Bollywood, Shanoo Sharma. Over the years, she watched as Sharma changed the lives of youngsters such as Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma, to name a few. “Of course, I used to think, ‘I wish that was me’. But I was very content here. I still go to the office and start helping out. I love the process of finding new talent,” she says. Interestingly, Pednekar was entrusted with the responsibility of auditioning girls for the role of Sandhya, till director Maneesh Sharma, also the creative producer of this film, tricked her into auditioning for the part herself. He is known to have an eye for talent — his biggest find has been Parineeti Chopra, who worked in the studio’s marketing team. “It was a very confusing phase of my life, where I was auditioning girls and simultaneously being auditioned myself,” she says with a laugh.
If the glowing reviews and unanimous approval by the audience is any indication, Pednekar is here to stay. Another affirmation of her success is the three-film deal with Yashraj that she recently inked. She doesn’t know what her next assignment is, but says, if she’s asked to look more glamorous next time round, she’s game. Meanwhile, she’s enjoying all the attention coming her way. “I’ve been going to screenings to see the reactions. I didn’t think people would recognise me, but they did. I don’t know how to handle it. I think I was shivering,” she says, giddy with joy. The excitement in her voice is almost palpable. As I get up to leave, she gives me a tight hug. “I just feel like hugging everybody who has seen the film,” she says, with another giggle. With the collections of the film rising, she may want to rethink that decision.