EXCLUSIVE - Shraddha Kapoor on reports of her relationship dying down: I don't read the newspapers and watch TV

Shraddha Kapoor is all excited as her much-awaited film Haseena Parkar has hit the screens today, September 22. In the film, she is portraying the role of Dawood Ibrahim's sister and is sharing screen space with her brother Siddhanth Kapoor for the first time. We recently caught up with the pretty actor who happily spoke about the film, working with her brother and her upcoming outings, Saaho opposite Baahubali star Prabhas and Saina, the biopic on badminton star Saina Nehwal.

Excerpts...

How did you come on board for Haseena Parkar?

I was very happy that the film was offered to me. There has been so much that has happened in her life. Her story is something that stayed with me that's why I was excited to be a part of this film.

I got to know about Haseena Parkar after my brother was signed for the film first. I wasn't even aware of who she was up until that point. And of course, then I was offered the film a few months later, then I was well-versed in who she is.

Have you met Haseena's family and what study did you go through to get into the skin of the character?

Yes, I have spent some time with them and tried to absorb anecdotes they shared about her. We did readings and spent time with Apoorva Lakhia (the director), especially for the pregnancy sequence. I watched a lot of pregnancy videos to understand what that process is like, considering that I have not experienced it yet. I spend a lot of time in understanding her emotions well.

I also gained about 7-8 kilos for the role. We had to show weight on the face, so I took the help of prosthetics and it was slightly challenging to speak with the makeup, but I got used to it.

You are sharing screen space with your brother for the first time. Was there any emotional breakdown while shooting for crucial scenes for the film?

Yes, there was one point where our real emotions took over, as it was one of the most intense scenes between us. We couldn't stop crying and Apoorva was very kind, as he halted the shooting till we gained composure of ourselves.

Haseena was a predominantly intense film. My brother is a fun loving person, so he is very easy to work with as an actor. He is very chilled out and has got great positive energy.

What was your parents' reaction by looking at you and Siddhanth together for the film?

They seem like they are really proud.

How was it working with Ankur Bhatia?

Ankur and I have the same star sign. It was great to work with him and he has a wacky sense of humour. He is really hardworking, he is always into his character and scenes while shooting. 

How is Apoorva Lakhia as a director?

He is amazing and he is all the characters in the film. He has been working on this film for almost three years, it is his labour of love and that shows. He was the most positive factor on set. 

What do you have to say about the clash between your film and Bhoomi?

I love Rajkummar Rao as an actor and I am very excited for Newton. I didn't know it was releasing on the same day. I hope all the films do well. Sanju Uncle's (Sanjay Dutt) film is coming out after so long that is very exciting as well.

How difficult is it to play someone who is already established (Saina Nehwal) and known around the world?

Absolutely depicting one of the youth icons on the big screen is very challenging. I hope that I am successfully able to portray her life. It's not just a responsibility but also a privilege.

How excited are you to share screen space with Baahubali star Prabhas?

I am really excited. The script is fantastic and it's my first multilingual film which will be shot in both Hindi and Telugu.

Your rumoured relationship with Farhan Akhtar made headlines a while back, now that it has died down, are you relieved, and how did you feel when there were constant reports about the same?

I have no reaction to it. I don't follow the news to know if any news has died down or come up. I don't read the newspapers and watch TV.