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EXCLUSIVE: Neelima Azim reacts to Dhadak, son Ishaan Khatter's performance and chemistry with Janhvi Kapoor
In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Pinkvilla, Azim spoke about why she is mighty impressed by Ishaan and Janhvi both and why does she think Dhadak is No Sairat. She also spoke about the onscreen chemistry shared by Ishaan and Janhvi citing it to be "marvellous."
Jo mere dil ko dil banati hai woh tere naam ki koi Dhadak hai na!
It's no regular Friday today! Waiting with bated breaths are the two new talents, Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, presenting their piece of a heartbeat, Dhadak, to the audience. Janhvi, who makes a smashing debut, is the gorgeous daughter of the stunning late actor Sridevi, while Ishaan, a star in making, is Shahid Kapoor's half-brother and son of the talented actor Neelima Azim.
Dhadak, an official Hindi adaptation of Sairat, has managed to impress many including the ones who have been a fan of the Marathi popular hit. Director Shashank Khaitan has brought in his body of nuances to the film giving it a slightly different approach. While Sairat featuring Rinku Rajguru and Akash Thosar is a journey of two lovers amidst a casteist turbulence, Dhadak is more about class.
Joining the force showering adulation to the young talents is Ishaan's proud mother, Neelima. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Pinkvilla, Azim spoke about why she is mighty impressed by Ishaan and Janhvi both and why does she think Dhadak is No Sairat. She also spoke about the onscreen chemistry shared by Ishaan and Janhvi citing it to be "marvellous."
Her words reflected how proud she is of Ishaan and why not! After making an impressive debut in Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds, Ishaan has seamlessly stepped into the shows of Madhukar.
Without much ado, here's an excerpt from the conversation:
How happy are you with the response Ishaan, in particular, has been receiving for Dhadak?
If you see his [Ishaan] first film, it was a wonderful experience because he played an entirely different person in that and because it was Majid Majidi, it was an entirely different school of acting as well. It is very interesting now that I have watched him in both the films [Dhadak and BTC]. I have seen Dhadak thrice and I am going to see it many many times more and I saw Beyond The Clouds also like nine times. What can I say? I am just counting my blessings and express my gratitude to the universe and almighty. He is such a wonderful child.
People are touting him to have the potential of being the next "superstar"...
I am just frightened to say things like this. Also, I have this different set of values and have brought my kids up in a different way as well. I just think it is extremely important for Ishaan to be an extremely happy and satisfied person. I want him to feel enriched and do what he loves doing.
Ishaan is very important to me and I hope he gets good work always. That's my blessing for him that he should get the finest films, and the finest people to work with, people who love him and take him forward. He is a good child, he will return it [the love he gets from the audiences] with lots of love.
But what do you think of his performance as Madhukar in Dhadak?
I saw Beyond the Clouds first. The first time I ever saw him onscreen was at the London screening of BTC. I was not well but it was very important for me to watch his first film and his first screening. From there onwards, I was as stumped as you, if not more.
Very honestly speaking, by the time he came to Dhadak, somewhere in the back of my mind, I was expecting a lot from Ishaan due to factor that I have seen him pull off a very, very difficult role in BTC. The expectations were very high but for me, the surprise in the film is Janhvi. I am so happy with the way she has worked in this film and the performance she has given. Regarding Ishaan, what surprised me is that he did things in Dhadak looked very realistic. So I think he is a very interesting actor to watch out for.
Ishaan and Janhvi's pairing in Dhadak has got everyone talking about their chemistry? What do you think?
They are absolutely marvellous together and I think they are blessed also because they shine together. The note is very beautiful [in the movie]. Janhvi is brilliant in her first film while Ishaan too is extremely good. Not even for a second, do you see an angularity or awkwardness, that fakeness is not there in their chemistry. They have lived their roles. It is amazing.
Your favourite scene from Dhadak?
I don’t have just one. I can’t pick one because there were so many mesmerizing moments in the movie. But, for me, the last shot was impactful and it leaves you with the message that the film wants to give. The kind of impact the climax shot leaves, it is victorious.
Have you watched Sairat?
I have seen Sairat twice.
Do you think Dhadak did justice to Sairat?
Honestly speaking, I don’t think it is the same film. I think it is a film that has taken the finest ingredients and the most important message of the film and has created an entirely different milieu of this. These are not the same characters. Both together they create so much entertainment in the first half which is captured so beautifully, and the second half, I feel it is an entirely different world from what Sairat created. The background music is so beautiful and even the visuals, it has been so well shot. So, I feel that it is very different and I really liked it [the movie] very much. (adds) I obviously have a soft corner [for the film] because it has my son and Janhvi is also very close to my heart, so it is a very special film, for me.
Also, I really want to say that Shashank Khaitan has done a great job. From the heart and soul, it is a Shashank film. Shashank has taken this film to another level altogether. The movie is an interpretation of Sairat. It is not the same film. Shashank really pulled it off because he was walking on a very thin line. When he took on Sairat, he already took on the whole of audience. Sairat is an iconic film and people who have watched and loved Sairat would come with a lot of minus to see Dhadak. A large number of people will come with a minus in their heart. Some go with neutral intent, some go because they liked the trailer, songs, but there is hardly anybody who goes to watch a film with a minus in their hearts, it is already a 'cross'. But, he has brought it from a 'cross' to a 'tick mark'. It’s like going for an examination which, you know, you won’t pass and then come out flying with the highest marks, for me.
A piece of advice you would like to give to Ishaan?
Right now, I am only giving him love and telling him to remain like that. He is a very down to earth boy and he is a very simple boy at heart. He has a sharp mind but at the soul level, he is very pure. I just hope he stays like this and works like this.
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