If I enjoy a script, I’ll go for it: Bhumi

Actress Bhumi Pednekar, who is noted for her peculiar choice of films like ‘Dum LagakeHaisa’ and ‘Toilet’, is once again seen opposite Ayushman Khurana in ‘Shub Mangala Shabdan’, which deals a taboo subject. She plays middle class conservative woman married to a man, who has a peculiar problem that affects his marital life. In a tete-a-tete with ‘The Hans India’, Bhumi talks about her tryst with films and more

How did ‘Shub Mangala Shabdan’ happened?
Director-Producer Anand L Rai liked my work in ‘Dum LagakeHaisa’, and one day he called me to his office to narrate a script. I have no prior idea what the film was about and as the narration started, I felt that it was a nice film with a quirky premise and interesting characters. The movie is a family entertainer, which deals with a subject that is a taboo. It is not a documentary about performance anxiety but a love story between Shuganda and Mudit and Mudit’s problem being villain.After the narration, I lost my voice, as I was laughing too hard. We are not making fun of the problem, instead deriving fun from situation that arises because of the problem.

How do you choose your scripts?
I choose a script based on whether the film suits my sensibilities. If I enjoy the script, I will go for it. Besides I will also check my role, who my director is and who is producing the film.

What are the challenges you faced while shooting for this film?
As the film’s subject revolves around men’s problems. It was a challenge for me to get into the psyche of the wife. How does a spouse think in such situations; Is it because of me?Am I not beautiful? Doesn’t he love me?I had to understand these complexes and portray the character. It was a difficult task made easy by my director and writer.

What do you say about the success of ‘Toilet: EkPrem Katha’?
‘Toilet:EkPrem Katha’ is a special film, it was a relaunch for me.Moreover, every day we are gettingreports that women are giving ultimatum to their spouses that they will leave them, if there is no toilet at home. Daughters are fighting with their fathersforconstruction of toilets. I am lucky that I got the opportunity to start the movement with ‘Toilet:EkPrem Katha’.

Askari Jaffer