Hope 'Dhadak' touches hearts of millions: Jahnvi Kapoor

Kolkata: With less than a week to go for the release of her debut film ‘Dhadak’, actor Janhvi Kapoor hoped that the Shashank-Khaitan directorial venture turns out to be a “moving experience” for the audience.

“Like every film, I hope it entertains people. More than anything else, I hope people take time to think about the subject we are trying to talk about (in the film),” Kapoor, daughter of actor Sridevi and filmmaker Boney Kapoor, said at a promotional event in the city on Friday. The 21-year-old actor wanted her Bollywood debut, co-starring Ishan Khatter, to touch lives.

“I wish that they (audience) feel deeply for our characters. I believe ‘Dhadak’ will touch the hearts of millions,” she said. Dhadak, a Hindi remake of 2016 Marathi blockbuster ‘Sairat’, is set to hit the theatres on July 20. A part of the film has been shot in Kolkata.

Asked about the constant comparisons between ‘Sairat’ and ‘Dhadak’ on social media, Kapoor said, “Sairat is an iconic film, not only for the Marathi cinema but for the whole country. I had seen the film even before ‘Dhadak’ happened.

Our film, on the other hand, is set in a different milieu, as visualised by Shashank Khaitan.”  Khatter, who earned accolades for his debut in Majid Majidi’s ‘Beyond the Clouds’, said he knew from the very beginning that people would compare the two films.

“It had never been our attempt to make the film look better than ‘Sairat’ in any way. That is why we did not feel any pressure from the negative comments,” the 22-year-old starlet, step-brother of actor Shahid Kapoor, said.

Asked to recall a funny experience during the shoot of ‘Dhadak’ in the city, Kapoor said, “We had to wrap up a shot in just one take at an outdoor location, there were many media persons hanging around. One of them scampered to move out of the frame as the camera rolled and he was caught in the moment. That shot has been retained.” 

The debutante actor also said that she would love to play legendary actresses Meena Kumari and Madhubala, if given a chance. “I had read about Meena Kumari and Madhubala, their lives have been so inspiring. I am one of their biggest fans. I would love to portray their characters if an opportunity came my way,” she gushes.

Talking about the Bengali food she relished in Kolkata during the shoot of ‘Dhadak’, Kapoor said, “It was ‘fish curry’ and ‘chingri machher malaikari’ all the way.