In town last week for the world premiere of their comedy Pappu Can't Dance Saala, the odd pair behaved like a long-married couple.
"It was the first day of the shoot and I was in character; all I had to do was say my lines and slap Vinay Pathak... But I couldn't. Finally, after 14 takes, Vinay was angry at being slapped repeatedly. He threatened that if I didn't slap him hard, then he would instead. So on the 15th take I got it."
Dhupia on her most memorable scene in the film
During our brief chat, they took turns to bicker, cajole and boast about each other's greatness in rather random order. Dhupia even clipped her nails — apparently they had been annoying her — as Pathak spoke seriously to a television journalist. A severe rolling of the eyes from Pathak later, she took her grooming exercise outside.
"I am nice and he's not," pronounced Dhupia as soon as returned from her impromptu and — let it be said — inappropriate display.
"Well, I don't beat my own trumpet and I don't go around the roof shouting how nice I am," Pathak shot back.
But don't be taken aback by what seems to be mutual animosity. They were merely having fun with the question as to whether — like their characters in the film — they are polar opposites in real life too. In the film, Pathak plays Vidhyadhar, a small-town orthodox man from Benaras while Dhupia plays Mahek Malvade, a city-bred back-up dancer who's a survivor.
"Jokes aside, I think Vinay is one of the nicest guys I know," said Dhupia, who hails her latest role as career-altering.
‘Dancers fascinated me'
After acting in several mediocre films such as Julie and her blink-and-miss-it appearance in Action Replayy, Dhupia believes that this role can revive her career and put her on the Bollywood map.
"When [director Saurabh Shukla] offered the role to me, I was very excited and it was a role that I wanted to give that arm, leg... life for.
"And these dancers fascinated me. They are clannish, independent, brash... They are like men, they are up for a fight and can't be taken for granted. Imagine they are a part of the glamour world, but they don't enjoy the perks that stars get," said Dhupia about her observations hanging around with dancers who support Bollywood stars in song-and-dance spectacles.
"Like Mahek, I was new to Mumbai too. I changed six apartments in three years. Life always cracks a joke and sometimes you just have to laugh about it. Pappu Can't Dance Saala speaks about the simplest things in life in a simple way," said Dhupia.
The film may not boast adrenaline-charged scenes or larger-than-life dance sequences, but it has plenty of soul, added Pathak. This Bihar-born actor has carved a niche in Bollywood with roles in highly successful medium-budget comedies like Khosla Ka Ghosla and Johnny Gaddar.
"It's a beautiful story about two people who are completely lost. It's a story about a big city and how difficult it's to live in that place. It's a story about how people are so comfortable in their own zone that they refuse to consider anything else. Finally, it's about finding love."
Real vs reel
In Pappu Can't Dance Saala, Neha Dhupia and Vinay Pathak play characters who are polar opposites of each other. We asked Dhupia on whether their personalities clash in real life too.
- "I am a simple girl, he's a simpler guy."
- "I find joys in little things in life, he finds joy in everything in life."
- "I am somebody who eats to live, he's somebody who lives to eat."
- "I am somebody who thinks shopping is necessary and he's somebody who thinks shopping is unnecessary."
- "I enjoy my sleep and Vinay is someone who can sleep anywhere."
- "Finally, I am savoury and he's sweet."
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