EXCLUSIVE! Suraj Sharma on Phillauri co-star Anushka Sharma - She is relaxed & chilled out but also very hard working

Anushka Sharma's Phillauri has grabbed many eyeballs. The quirky and funny trailer of the film has impressed the movie buffs as well as the Bollywood celebrities. The movie stars Anushka, Diljit Dosanjh and debutant Suraj Sharma in the leads. Suraj, who took the world by storm with his stint in Life of Pi, is super excited for his Bollywood debut.

Recently, we caught up with the young actor, who is away in the US to complete his education, where he talked about Phillauri, Anushka as a co-star and producer and much more.

Excerpts...

Phillauri is your first Bollywood film, so what was your reaction when you were approached for the role?

I was excited obviously. I read the script first and it is really good. It looked fun and a very different kind of film. I met the director Anshai Lal and the writer of the film. We did some reading and the way they brought the script to life was amazing. And even Anushka Sharma is working on it, so it became more interesting.

Tell us about your character in the film.

My character's name is Kanan, he is from India, but he went to study music in Canada. So, after a point, he comes back to marry his childhood sweetheart. But, he has cold feet before the wedding and also he turns out to be a Manglik, due to which he is made to marry a tree. After marrying the tree, he is caught in a situation where he is having cold feet about marrying the girl he loves. On the other hand, he is followed around by a ghost. So, it is a fun and comicalmovie which talks about the issues of younger generation's approach towards marriage in today's times.

The film is based on a Manglik getting married to a tree and this is quite relevant when it comes to talking about Indian tradition. Did you know of the concept before being approached for the film?

No! I had no idea. When I read Manglik, I did not understand what it meant. It was very funny and did not realise this happens in real life too. I even talked to some friends, who revealed that their cousin was a Manglik and had to get married to a tree.

You became a household name after Life of Pi, so were you flooded with offers from Bollywood?

Not much. After Life of Pi, I was focussing on finishing my school and not doing any movies for a year or two. So, that time I planned things up to not work much. Slowly and gradually, I started finding some really good scripts with good characters and nice people to work with. But also wanted it to fit my college schedule as I could take only a month off to shoot for the film. And I am supremely lucky that this movie worked out according to my schedule because this one would have been the one I wanted to be.

What do you have to say about Anushka Sharma as a co-star and also as a producer?

She is so good. I think she is a very good producer as she is a very strong-willed person and extremely hardworking. But for me, she was an actor and a tremendous one. Working with Anushka, you won't feel that you were working with a big name and have no burden working alongside them. She is completely relaxed and supremely chilled out person but also very hard working. When she is on set, you know you will do your well. Anushka comes across like a very fun person, but I was really scared of her.

Going by the trailer, you are not sharing screen space with Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. Do you have any scenes with him in the film?

I have one moment with Diljit Sir and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to shoot with him. That moment fits very well in the story and I am elated about it.

Was it always a dream to become an actor or a coincidence?

No, it just happened. I didn't dream of anything when I was completing my school. And, honestly, I still don't. Acting happened, and I am lucky that it happened. I really love it and it's so much fun. But, it was never something that could have been a reality in my childhood.

Any Bollywood actor you would like to romance in your next?

I think Deepika Padukone because she is really phenomenal.

What are your future projects?

I will next be seen in an American production titled Burn Your Maps. It will most likely release the same day as Phillauri (March 23, 2017).