‘WE BRING OUT THE BEST IN EACH OTHER’
Actor Parineeti Chopra says actors can be ‘very selfish’ but when it comes to costar Arjun Kapoor, they are ‘literally the same person’ — comfortable and supportive
Back in 2012, Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor teamed up for the first time in Ishaqzaade, which turned them into bona fide stars overnight. Arjun was a debutant actor and Parineeti just one film old (Ladies vs Ricky Bahl; 2011). Set to co-star with Arjun again, in Namaste England, Parineeti admits they share “dream-like” dynamics.
“As an artist, it helps if I’ve absolutely zero insecurities vis-à-vis my co-actor. Not just as my co-star, as a person, too, I only have love for him. For instance, even in a scene, I know I can do whatever I want to enhance it, and he is never going to say, ‘Cut it, yeh Parineeti kya kar rahi hai’ or ‘Mujhe nahi pata tha [that she will do all of it].’ There’s nothing like it,” she says. Adding that they are “absolutely comfortable with each other off screen as well as on screen”, Parineeti feels Arjun “puts it correctly that we actually bring out the best in each other.” She says: “Also, I think when you work with a lot of [different] people; you appreciate how important that [comfort level] is between two actors.”
So, by now, the two actors must be well aware of each other’s secrets, we guess. “Yes, that’s true (laughs). Baba (as Arjun is fondly addressed by friend, actor Ranveer Singh, and now Parineeti, too) literally knows [about] every minute of my life. Hum log teen din bhi baat na karein toh bhi usko pata hota hai ke mere life mein kya chal raha hai (even if we don’t chat for three days, he knows what’s happening in my life). So, regardless of whether we meet or not, he knows everything,” she says.
Not just the upcoming film, Namaste England, Arjun and Parineeti have also shot for Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which will hit theatres early next year. Pari says, “Understanding the mindset and emotional plight of the other person is really important. I keep saying that you end up appreciating it a lot more when you see the rest of the life, work with other actors because then you realise that actors can – in general – be very selfish people. I think that’s our human nature, but Baba ke saath, it’s like he and I are literally the same person.”