After the success of their dark thriller "NH10," brother-sister duo Karnesh and Anushka Sharma are back with their second production "Phillauri", which the actress says is a romantic film with lots of "drama and craziness".
The film is set against the backdrop of a Punjabi marriage but Anushka says it is not a wedding drama.
"Wedding in the movie is just the backdrop of the story. 'Phillauri' has got shades of drama, craziness and really interesting characters. It is romantic, fun and at the same time very intriguing. The story is set in Phillaur district of Punjab," Anushka told PTI in an interview.
Being directed by Anshai Lal and produced by Anushka- Karnesh's Clean Slate Films and Fox Star Studios, the movie will have Anushka, Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, Suraj Sharma of "Life of Pi" fame and Mehreen Pirzada in important roles.
The shooting will begin in mid-April and it will be a start-to-finish schedule till June.
"We are in the process of letting go. We are standing at the edge of the pool and ready to jump," the producers said.
It is the first out-and-out Bollywood movie for Suraj, who shot to global fame with Ang Lee's "Life of Pi". He next starred in Hollywood project "Million Dollar Arm" and that's where Karnesh spotted him.
"I saw Suraj in 'Million Dollar Arm' and realised he is pretty similar to what we were looking for the movie. It is a fresh casting. We feel both Suraj and Diljit bring raw energy to the movie. Diljit comes across as very honest, someone who is a good guy and that connects with people," Karnesh said.
Anushka said the idea to cast Diljit came when she saw his Punjabi film "Jatt and Juliet". "He is hilarious in the movie in a very endearing way."
Similarly, the actress felt Mehreen was someone who could transform even a typical scene into something else.
"Suraj, Diljit and Mehreen have added newness to the film with their personalities because they are not set in their ways."
Anushka has been busy with Salman Khan-starrer "Sultan" and "Ae Dil Hain Mushkil" with Aishwarya Rai-Ranbir Kapoor, besides her own production.
"Some work is still left on 'Sultan'. It has been a very hectic start of the year but it has been fun. I am getting to work with some interesting people and collaborate on films that add diversity to the roles that I have done. It has been very hectic and busy but I am happy that it is the way it is.
Being called convincing as a wrestler on screen is
definitely one of the biggest highs for Anushka, especially since many doubted her ability to look like a wrestler, given her petite frame.
The 28-year-old actress says she wanted her act to look authentic and hence chose to learn wrestling and opted against the use of a body double, even for wide shots.
"I feel superb that people are saying I was convincing as a wrestler. I was so adamant that I needed to learn it correctly. I told Ali, 'You cannot use body double for me even for the wide shots, I will do everything myself'. I learnt so much about wrestling and practised it that today I can have a decent conversation with a wrestler about bouts and stuff.
"So, because I worked so hard on it, I wanted it to be something that I am doing completely myself and I think that's what people are responding to. It looks real to them, my fights look real."
Amid the accolades, there have been a few voices criticising the graph her character takes in the film but Anushka says she totally understands Arfa decision to let go of her wrestling dream after discovering she is pregnant.
"What people are saying is more regressive because those who are saying she has given up her dreams for a man have forgotten that it's her baby also. She has not given up her dreams for the man, she has done that for her baby. That is a choice she has made and she made it on her own without being pressurised.
