Imran is supportive: Deepika

Delhi is India’s fashion hub says Deepika Padukone, not being diplomatic (for once) about the difference between Mumbai and the capital, in a chat on her Cannes appearance, current work and more

You’d said that you wanted to represent your country at Cannes. Is that why you wore a saree to the film festival, and also to the Chandni Chowk To China premieres all over the world?
When you represent your country, it’s nice to carry some of your culture with you. It’s not that I’ll never wear a gown or dress to an international event, but especially for someone like me, who’s going for the first time and representing the country, I thought that, for me, it’d be the best option. Also because the saree is my favourite, and I’m very comfortable in it.

Whenever Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has gone to Cannes in previous years, the appearance has been widely commented on, for better or for worse. Especially when another Indian actress was slated to go there, like last year, it generated even more controversy. Were you prepared for that?
Yeah, I know the kind of media attention that an event like that gets. It is important for me to be well turned out, to look my best. But it’s more important for me to represent the country and Indian cinema. That was for me the bigger purpose. I understand the attention, but the purpose was much more meaningful and larger than that, I wanted to come back with a good experience.

What was the most memorable thing about the visit?
Right from the way you’re received at the airport to the way you’re escorted to your room... I had to start getting ready immediately because my flight was late, I had just about an hour to get ready. You get ready, you come down and there’s this whole media frenzy in the lobby, fans outside the hotel... It was a good feeling, also because it was the first time the international media was seeing me there, and there was a lot of curiosity. I appreciate the fact that there was so much warmth.

Is it better or worse than attending events in India with those many fans and mediapersons?
It’s exactly the same, just that there, the media coverage is larger because of the kind of kind of event it is. But in every other way, it is exactly – like I’d walk the Red Carpet for Filmfare, for instance.

You’re currently working with Imran Khan on Break Ke Baad. How’s that going ?
It’s the first time I’m working with him. It’s great fun – he’s very enthusiastic and supportive.

That’s as a colleague. How is he as a person?
He’s very relaxed. The fact that we’re all starting off at around the same time – we’re all like friends, the entire unit; even our director, Danish, is a debut director – it’s a lot of fun.

You’ve worked in both Delhi and Mumbai, though you’re not from either city. How do you like the two ?
Personally, I’m very fond of both, because I’ve travelled to both cities a lot right since I stated working. I travelled to Delhi for all the fashion work because the fashion hub really is Delhi, the designers are based here, all the big shows happen there. And I used to travel to Mumbai for all the commercial work – ads, TV commercials, etc.

What I like about these cities is that in both, I felt very secure. Being a working woman, I felt very safe. I come from a third city – Bengaluru – but I never felt like I was missing home.

You say Delhi is the fashion hub, but most people from the fash frat will play it safe and say that there’s no difference...
No no, clearly, the fashion scene is dominated by Delhi. It’s more the ad, commercial and film work that happens out of Mumbai.

Any difference in the style sense in the two cities? Someone once famously said that Delhi women dress like Christmas trees...
Christmas trees... I don’t know, but I do know that people in Delhi like dressing up a lot more. People in Mumbai are a little more relaxed where fashion is concerned, more easy. In Delhi, people like dressing up.

Imran has said that in the film industry today, actors can’t afford to saunter in when they want to or be slack about their fitness or appearance, and it’s a lot more professional. Do you ever feel the pressure of all that in your work?
I completely agree with him, but I don’t know if I’d call it pressure. The minute you start considering that as pressure, you stop enjoying your work. If you understand that it’s a part of what you do and it comes with the business, then it’s fine.

related story about Deepika (click)