Vidya Balan: “You’ll be doubly happy with ‘Kahaani 2′”

Four years after the huge success of ‘Kahaani’ (2012), the second film in the franchise is up for release this week, aptly titled ‘Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh’. With so much added pressure of the first film’s success and the time in the middle where audience expectations may have changed, it remains to be seen whether ‘Kahaani 2’ sustains the same impact as the first film. Vidya Balan plays the central character once again and BizAsiaLive.com had the unique opportunity to catch up with the actress ahead of the release.

How did you feel when you first read the script?
You know there’s a little bit of ‘Kahaani’ to that (laughs), because Sujoy (Ghosh) had shared an idea with me after the release of ‘Kahaani’. But at that time we were toying with many ideas, and we weren’t very sure, whether we wanted to make a ‘Kahaani 2’ immediately after ‘Kahaani’ because all the love that ‘Kahaani’ received, it was so hugely successful. So finally we ditched that idea and decided to make another film which eventually didn’t get made. Then last year he came back to me with the script of ‘Kahaani 2’ and he said, “This is an idea that I had shared with you immediately after ‘Kahaani’, but I have written the script now and I want you to read it.”

So I said “Why now, let’s just look at a fresh script.” He said, “No no read it, I think once you’ve read it  we’ll make a call and I feel it should be ‘Kahaani 2’.” And I read it, I absolutely fell in love with it, because this is a step forward from ‘Kahaani’. Sujoy has something more to say in ‘Kahaani 2’. I felt that if there’s any film that deserved, or was worthy of being called ‘Kahaani 2’, it would have to be this one. It’s of course in the same genre but it’s not a sequel. It’s not taking the story of Vidya Bagchi or any of the other characters forward. It’s a completely different film. I find it a little difficult to talk about the film because it’s a suspense thriller, and I don’t want to give out more than I should. But I definitely think that there was a pitch against all the criteria of the film being called ‘Kahaani 2’, and that’s how ‘Kahaani 2’ came into being.

Apparently you had broken down during the shooting of the ‘Kahaani 2’ as it was so emotional. How much of a connection do you feel you had to your character?
Huge. If I did the film it’s because I wanted to tell this story and I wanted to live this person’s life. I have to feel emotionally connected, so that I can invest in the character. So I was definitely hugely emotionally lifted, but that moment for me was a bit burdensome, the moment when – I’m sure you’ve seen the trailer – the moment when the girl jumps off; she’s a 6 year old. Even though I knew the script, even though I knew what we were shooting that day, I knew she was going to be well taken care of, she would be safe… but there was something about that moment that just got me. I just broke down, I took a while to compose myself. And Sujoy even thought I was playing a prank, as though I was just pretending to cry about something, but he soon realised that that wasn’t the case. So I do think I was hugely emotionally connected to the story, to the character and to that little girl.

As you mentioned, ‘Kahaani’ was such a huge success. Would you say you feel any pressure from the success of the first film with the release of ‘Kahaani 2’?
No, which is why I think we couldn’t decide on an idea soon after ‘Kahaani’, especially at that time. But given that we shot ‘Kahaani 2’ almost six years after we made the first film, because we made the film in 2010 and it released in 2012. And for the success it’s been four and a half years, then we decided to make ‘Kahaani 2’. So I think that took the pressure off. Also, I think it was our conviction of the story that rid us of all pressures, because we felt compelled to tell this story.

What was it like working with Arjun Rampal as a co-star in the movie?
It was wonderful. It’s the easiest thing to work with Arjun because he’s such an easy person on set. He’s just so affable, he’s so jovial, I love his laugh, I keep saying that to everyone because his laugh comes from within him, it’s not just coerced laughter. So I enjoyed working with him and I’m an actor, I think it was so wonderful to see him in the film because it’s a space where we’ve not seen him before. I mean we’ve never seen Arjun Rampal, at least in my mind  amongst all the films I’ve seen of his, we’ve never seen him in a realistic setting. And he’s doing a variety of roles at this point in his career, and he’s such a good actor. He’s pitched in so effortlessly and it’s wonderful.

Is there a particular memory that stands out from shooting this film that you will take away with you?
There are lots. From the time we decided to make the film, to the first day of shoot when I felt like Sujoy and I have had calls together and we’ve worked together before, but I was wondering how to be this time around, and when I landed up on set it I just felt like we’d gone back in time four years, or six years. And it was just as easy and wonderful. He’s mad, I love his madness. Because in a thriller, invariably every shot requires a certain amount of intensity and faith, but he keeps the actors feel so light, that every moment becomes effortless, for me and the rest of the actors. There are lots of moments. One that stands out too was where I surprised myself when I broke down on set, when we were filming that scene. I surprised myself, because I had broken down during a shot in the past but never before. I think that was a first for me. And what really stands out is that heat in the place called Chanda Nagar where we shot, where the temperature was 50° and it was really trying and exhausting. We would land up on set feeling drained already but the film is what would keep us going, the story we were telling. So I can’t really pick out one moment. But I think the entire shoot was memorable.

As you have mentioned, ‘Kahaani 2’ is not a sequel. Is there a way you can narrow that down to what audiences should expect from the film?
You know Sujoy was a bit worried about audience’s expectations the day before the trailer launched, and I told him “It’s too late to worry about that now the trailer is releasing tomorrow, the film is already made.” (Laughs). But having said that, I think people know what to expect because they’ve seen the trailer. They’ve seen a completely different film with different characters and their story. So they know what to expect. People ask me “Do you have the same kind of thrills?” I just keep saying it’s a different story, and it runs it’s own course. I am not going to feed you anything for you to pre-empt anything. But I’m hoping that if you loved ‘Kahaani’ so much, then this is ‘Kahaani 2’ where you’re going be doubly happy after the film.

As you said, it took four years for ‘Kahaani 2’ to come out. Would you be open to a third instalment?
Of course. Sujoy just needs to find the right kind of stories, and if he wants me in the story then I’d be happy to do it.

‘Kahaani 2’ is slated for release on 2nd December.