Deepika Padukone is happy to team up with Shah Rukh Khan in "Chennai Express" after 2007 release "Om Shanti Om" and says now she interacts with him "more freely" and they share a "friendly equation".
The actress debuted with "Om Shanti Om", which had SRK in the male lead, and being a newcomer she tended to be "nervous and awkward" on the sets of Farah Khan directorial venture.
Excerpts:
Q: You are again working with Shah Rukh in "Chennai Express"? What's it like the second time?
A: You know, when we did 'Om Shanti Om', I was a newcomer, nervous and awkward. Today, I can speak to him much more freely. Today, we share a friendly equation. Shah Rukh is a sport. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't get his sense of humour. Shooting with him is a breeze. He lightens the atmosphere and makes everything so easy.
Q: Are you able to face him more confidently this time?
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A: You know, unlike our other film together where there was a large cast, in "Chennai Express" there is an added pressure because it's a romantic comedy where the focus throughout is on Shah Rukh and me. For two actors to carry off a comedy on their shoulders is not easy. I am glad I've Shah Rukh in "Chennai Express" to make sure I don't flounder.
Q: Would "Chennai Express" tap the comic side of you?
A: Yes! If on one hand (filmmaker) Sanjay Leela Bhansali is pushing the boundaries of my abilities as a dramatic actress (in 'Ram Leela'), on the other hand (director) Rohit Shetty too is tapping a side of me that's never been tapped before. I now realize comedy is the most difficult genre of acting and the most difficult kind of cinema to make.