'People Want To Watch Sunshine Films'

'JugJugg Jeeyo will touch a lot of lives and a lot of hearts.'

Riding high on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2's blockbuster success, Kiara Advani awaits the release of JugJugg Jeeyo on Friday, June 24.

After eight years in the film industry -- where she has big hits like Kabir Singh, Good Newwz and Shershaah -- Kiara tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh, "I debuted with a film that did not do well commercially. What everybody told me at that time was that if you are a good actor, you will sustain and stand the test of time. Your commercial success will not change your journey."

The audience seems really excited to watch JugJugg Jeeyo.

Right now, people want to watch positive, sunshine, and happy films which also give you a different perspective and enlighten you.

You have just seen 2 percent of the film so far, which is in the trailer. But there is a lot of gravitas in the film.

You have completed eight years in Bollywood. What is it like to sustain in a competitive industry like this?

I debuted with a film that did not do well commercially (Fugly).

But what everybody told me at that time was that if you are a good actor, you will sustain and stand the test of time.

Your commercial success will not change your journey.

In retrospect, I have been appreciated for my performances and roles.

I have been really blessed that I have organically got characters that have been versatile.

So even if I consciously want to or look to play characters that are different, they even just came to me.

I did not have to consciously look for them. I had Kabir Singh in 2019 and the same year, I had Good Newwz. Three months later, I had Guilty.

So I got that, you know, ability to show off my versatility.

Now, I am specifically looking into that stuff, like how can I change that.

The song Naach Punjaban has become a huge hit, and some credit does go to your contemporaries who took time out to put reels on social media.

It started with Varun saying, 'Guys, I am putting out this reel, and let's see who else puts out.'

And it happened so naturally.

The whole industry kind of came together and started putting it out on their own and sending it to us.

Instagram was flooded with our reels and they went viral.

I think this song has got the most reels.

It just happened naturally so much that I was like, 'Varun, the song is coming out of my ears.'

How do you keep looking so fresh as you go from one promotional activity to another?

I don't have a choice.

I get the energy, honestly, from you guys.

When I am meeting somebody, it charges me up.

I think I am the kind of person who believes in energy.

If you were all sitting dull, I would have given you dull answers.

You are all excited, so I honestly answer with the same excitement. It really happens like that.

JugJugg Jeeyo is coming right after the thunderous success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. How do you feel?

I am grateful that both films have been back-to-back.

Both films belong to different genres, but they have that clean family entertainment to them.

We are very confident and have a lot of faith in this film as well because when we watched it, we were very happy.

I have never said to any of my friends that it's a very good film but that's the feeling I get from it.

I truly believe that this film will touch a lot of lives and a lot of hearts.

The film will move you, make you laugh, and make you emotional.

It has got all of that.

It will leave you with a little bit of perspective on life in general.

And it has that repeat value, which is something is very important for any film.

I have seen it a couple of times now because I have dubbed for it and have seen it in the editing process.

But what I feel is that every time I see it, in spite of being in it, I am continuously laughing; the emotional notes are hitting me right too.

So, I feel it's definitely got that repeat value.

How was it working with Anil Kapoor?

He is the most driven person on the set.

Being so legendary and after, you know, giving such iconic films, he still has that drive.

He wants to be the best at what he does.

He wants to give his best in his scenes.

He wants to make sure everybody on the set is giving their best.

He wants to rehearse, he wants to prep, he wants to do more takes and he is like, 'We will do it in a different way. We will try this and we will try that.'

He is so enthusiastic.

He does not slack.

He works like it is his first film.

He brings so much experience to the table.

As a co-actor, you get to learn from him so much.

I just feel God willing, I get that longevity in my career.

I am inspired to have the same kind of enthusiasm and energy that he has.

Every time I do a film, that drive should be there. It should never go.

How was it working with Neetu Kapoor?

Neetu ma'am is the most senior artist in our film.

She has probably done the most movies because she has been working since she was a child.

But the beauty of it is that she is so warm, so grounded.

She has also got that maternal instinct which makes it very comfortable for you as an actor if you have to do certain intense scenes with her.

I have two favourite scenes in the film -- one is with Neetu ma'am and the other is with Varun.

With Neetu ma'am, it's a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law scene.

It's a woman-to-woman conversation.

When we shot the scene, I remember both of us had tears in our eyes.

We were shooting it at 6 am, at a beautiful scene location.

It was very, very cold, and she had a long monologue to perform.

She did it so beautifully that we did not have to do multiple retakes.

I was shocked that she remembered so much dialogue.

I hope as an audience, when you watch the scene, you see two women understanding each other in that moment.

Women naturally will feel it. It's a very natural instinct.

I can guarantee that even the men will be moved by this scene.

I bet I sound pompous, but it's truly what I believe in my heart.

What about your second favourite scene?

My other favourite scene is with Varun.

It's a big showdown scene.

It's a big fight scene between husband and wife.

I think everyone will be like we have all been there. We have all had this moment, but it does hit you hard in the film.

I think the relationship that Kuku and Laila share is very complex because relationships, in general, are complicated.

To show such complex emotions and relationship in a movie, which is a family entertainer and has a lot of comedy, there has to be a lot of gravitas and depth.

How was it working with Varun?

We literally see ourselves as Tom and Jerry, fighting and being funny and goof-balling around all the time.

We have such a goofy equation that Raj Mehta, our director, would constantly tell us, 'Guys, you are a mature couple going for divorce and you are laughing on sets. Stop being like this.'

You are reuniting up with Raj Mehta after Good Newwz.

I think Raj is just amazing as a director. He knows how to seamlessly go from comedy to drama to emotion.

You feel that with Good Newwz and you see that with this film too because that's how we felt when we watched the film.

He has very sensitively and yet very entertainingly put this relationship drama together with all these ingredients to make it a good entertaining watch.