When I grow up, I want to be Boman Irani: Lara Dutta

She is someone whom everyone wants to be, aspires to be but also perspires to be, for being her is not just tough, but also impossible. She is what true 'Blue' Divas are made of! Ladies and gentlemen, she is none other than Lara Dutta, the lady, before whom the term 'confidence' tends to get an inferiority complex! After having set the Universe afire with her reign as Miss Universe, Lara's hard work and dedication elevated her already elevated career to rain with some of the smashing superhit films that Bollywood has ever seen! Testimonials to this stand in the form of Andaaz, Masti, No Entry, Partner...to name a few! The good news is that this lady is back with her latest offering Housefull, a mad-cap comedy that's directed by Sajid Khan. Satish Sundaresan of Bollywood Hungama caught up with this actress in an exclusive interview, wherein she spoke all about her life, movies and yessss…also the eternal tattoo! Read on and find out more about what makes Lara Dutta the phenomenon that she is today!

Lara, you once said that, if not an actress, you would've been a journalist. Imagine then, being a journo, how would you start your interview with Lara?
(Laughs) I am not going to make your life easier. Unfortunately, I am an actress! Given the said situation, let me tell you that, there's nothing about Lara that I don't know. And if I were to interview Lara Dutta, I would rather know her really well to begin with! (Laughs again)

With Housefull releasing just around the corner, can you just feather touch upon the premises of the plot?
The plot is complicated. And the character that I play in the film is that of Hetal Patel, somebody who is born in Ahmedabad and bred in London and marries the man of her dreams, but not the man of her father's dreams. Therefore, her father kind of estranges himself from her. That's the reason she spends most of her time trying to bring her father and her husband face to face. Having said that, let me also 'add' that my character also 'finds' Akshay Kumar a bride, gets him married, breaks his marriage, makes him find the love of his life and marries him also... and also ties him a rakhi! So, she is complicated, in that sense! (Laughs)

How was Sajid Khan as a director and how was your rapport with him?
He is fantastic. The screenplay had taken almost three years for him, to write, after Heyy Babyy! He clearly knows what he wants. He knows all the ingredients that are required to make a full-on Masala film entertainer. He is excellent to work with, in terms of working with a director.

What was it about the script that appealed top you the most?
It's my character in the film. And when I was being narrated the script, I was laughing and falling off the couch. My character in the film is one of the most crucial elements of the film. And when I was narrated the script of the film, I really felt that I would be a real fool if I say not to this role. It gave me a whole spectrum to perform.

Weren't you apprehensive in being cast in a multi starrer?
Not at all. Lets face it that every actor would love to do a solo project. But at the same time, when a director like Sajid Khan and a banner like the Nadiadwalas come to you, I think its nothing but sheer stupidity to say no to the role reasoning that 'I only want to do solo heroine project.' I am not the one who will be saying that. I know that such roles will come, but in its own sweet time.

Sajid's films are always a mad-cap comedy. So, were there any funny and memorable moments that you can recall about the film?
There was no day in the history of the film which was not funny. Every day was a new day, but a more funnier day than the previous one. Added to that were the impeccable timing of Sajid and Riteish as is Akshay with them. And when these three meet, the camera gets rolling into real life too. As in, you really do not get to know when the camera has stopped rolling and when they are pulling a fast one on you. Overall, it was real great fun. We were constantly pulling each other's leg.

Amongst all the locations of the shoot, what was your favourite location and why?
London as we got a chance to take Boman Irani with us to see all the hot-spots of London, which included Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus etc... Even though this is not the first time that I visited London, I really like to keep going there, as it has now become like a second home to most of us.

Having visited many locations, did you pick up any thing as memorabilia?
Yups! I picked up lots of postcards from Italy. They are simply awesome.

How has the music of the film shaped up and what's your favourite song?
I have to say this that the trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy has given a brilliant score to the film. Each and every song in the film is totally situational. 'Papa Jaag Jayega' has really caught on and closely followed by 'Dhanno', which is a new age revisit to 'Apni Toh Aisi Taisi'.

Are there any cameos or surprise packages in the film?
There are a few, including the Queen of England.

Talking of Boman, Dia Mirza looks up to him as a father figure. What about you?
I wouldn't say a father figure. But, I would like to say this, which I have always told Boman time and again that 'When I grow up, I want to be Boman Irani!".