Actress Tejaswini Kolhapure, who is preparing for the release of her upcoming film Daadi Ki Shaadi, spoke candidly about her return to mainstream cinema, her on-set experiences, and her rapport with Neetu Kapoor in an exclusive conversation with mid-day.
She plays the role of Kapil Sharma`s sister-in-law and Neetu Kapoor`s daughter-in-law in the film.
This film marks Tejaswini`s foray into mainstream cinemas, as she is known for her inclination towards offbeat and experimental cinema. The actress has built a distinctive filmography with projects like Ugly, Paanch, Mumbai Cutting and more.
Tejaswini Kolhapure on returning to mainstream cinema
Opening up about why she decided to return to commercial Hindi cinema with Daadi Ki Shaadi, she said, “There was no right time. It just so happened that this movie was offered to me, and it appealed to me. I met the director (Ashish R Mohan), and he was so passionately involved with the subject and screenplay. I thought, it`s a lovely set-up with a great cast, and why not try something different?”
Describing the film`s tone, Tejaswini said, “The film is very light-hearted, breezy and family-oriented. It has a different kind of comedy. It`s not the usual, in-your-face or slapstick comedy you would associate with Kapil Sharma; he plays a very different role.”
`All of us would sit in Neetu Kapoor`s room and chat`
Talking about her time on set, Tejaswini said the cast quickly became like a second family. Whether it was sharing meals or playing games between takes, the team formed a close-knit bond. In particular, she developed a lovely bond with Neetu Kapoor.
“I`ve watched Neetuji`s films as a kid, and she`s such a wonderful person. We used to sit and chat during lunch. All of us used to all meet together as a unit. There was no vanity van, though we had our own rooms. All of us would sit in her room, and sometimes we would ask her about her experiences.”
Talking about Kapil Sharma, she disclosed, “Kapil would be very involved in the scene, so he wouldn`t speak much. Otherwise, he was very relaxed and great to work with. I have known Kapil for a while, so there was a comfort level between us.”
Recalling the camaraderie on set, she added, “There was Sadia Khateeb, Aditi Mittal, all of us, we would play games in between shots and whenever we finished early. We would be singing, because that`s the only way we could entertain ourselves, since we were so far away from family. We would go out for dinners and catch up, if anybody had an off.”
`It didn`t seem like Riddhima Kapoor`s first film`
Speaking about Riddhima Kapoor’s debut, Tejaswini said the actress appeared completely at ease in front of the camera and never needed any guidance.
“Riddhima was pretty comfortable in front of the camera. She has been doing a lot of ads with Neetuji. She was very confident, and it didn`t seem like it was her first film. It was as if she was meant to be there.”
However, she shared that Riddhima and the cast often asked each other for advice while shooting. “She would ask, `How is this scene going?` and she would also have lots of input. We were all exchanging notes, asking how we could do this particular scene or how to say a dialogue.”