‘Baar Baar Dekho’: Star Sidharth Malhotra on a different kind of love story with Katrina Kaif

September 9 2016

The film is being touted as a game changer for Bollywood romances…we were able to tie down Sidharth Malhotra for a quick Q&A about his role and his elusive co-star Katrina Kaif…

BILLED as a love story which follows two people as their paths converge and diverge, with an element of time travel, “Baar Baar Dekho” has certainly been creating a buzz – but until the cinema-going public gets the chance to give its verdict, no on quite knows how it will fare admits co-star Sidharth Malhotra…

www.asianculturevulture.com (ACV): Tell us a little bit about the characters and how easy or difficult it was to relate to them?

Sidharth Malhotra (SM): The film talks about the youth today and their priorities – whether they want to commit themselves to a partner or whether they want to be extremely ambitious to go further and further in their career. The film beautifully addresses modern day relationships and the hard decisions one has to make.
I play a professor, who is very pragmatic, antisocial and obsessive about his work. He also has a childhood girlfriend, Diya played by Katrina. They grew up together and love each other, but when the question of marriage arises, he develops a commitment phobia, worrying that his marriage will hamper his career.

ACV: This looks like a time travel story…what sort of challenges did you face in portraying your characters…were there a lot of changes over time to them… how easy/difficult was it to follow the changes to your characters over time…

SM: ‘Baar Baar Dheko’ has been one of the most challenging works so far; not that I have done many films, but purely because it has a very broad character maturity, age wise. You have to imagine all your relationships to understand how you would feel for your loved one or your friends or family at different age periods. I think just to create that in your head is very challenging, and then you have to portray it very convincingly, and not to make it look flimsy or filmy. The Director Nitya had been phenomenal in doing her homework and knowing what exactly kind of acting she wanted and to ensure that we keep everything subtle and lifelike. A lot of work went into our looks and into the character portrayal to ensure a connection behind the theme and the motivation behind that, which you will see for yourself.

ACV: You and Katrina Kaif have not been paired against each other before? How did you find it? Are there ways to create chemistry on screen? You have to strike a certain familiarity quickly, how do you do that? Do you have any shortcuts or techniques?

SM: We didn’t know each other from before, and the first time we met was during the workshop for the film. The more time we spent, the more we got comfortable. On the first day, we had to sit across each other and just stare into each other’s eyes for the longest time.
The only strategy is to keep it fresh and interesting for me as well as the audience. All my films have had an interesting one-line hook. Though I have done fewer films than the others, I am very happy with the kind of work I have come up with.

ACV: How was it being directed by a first timer, Nitya Mehra? It’s unusual to have debutant direct someone like Katrina Kaif normally?

SM: We make films for the audience to see and enjoy. I feel the truest test of what we make is how people respond to it. So of course, there is going to be a night of nail-biting but unfortunately I cut my nails.

ACV: ‘Baar Baar Dekho’ has been talked about as a game changer in Bollywood romances. How is that? What is special about it without giving it away???

SM: The film is about a man’s journey in life and what he gets to see in the future of his love story, what he gets to learn from that, and what he gets to change from that. The story is entreating yet in the same very emotional and touching. I think it is very apt to today’s generation and I myself am going through that. I am tussling between spending time with family and friends, and my commitment to work. The movie has a wonderful message on how we need to balance our priorities in life.
It’s a new age love story with very many surprises than an average story, and done in a real way with a fantastic cast and team.

‘Baar Baar Dekho‘ is out from today worldwide…