Ahead of the film's release, the two opened up to SpotboyE about the love story and explained why it's not complicated to work with your former flame. Excerpts:
Both of you have worked with Imtiaz before. How was it on your second film (Tamasha) with him?
RK: Imtiaz Ali is a great director. He is a personal friend of both, Deepika and me. Whenever we are on his set, we are all super-charged and super-inspired. We want to make a great film and for that, we trust Imtiaz Ali's vision. We believe in his personality. We want to channelize his thoughts. We are the medium, he is the inspiration.
DP: A lot also has to do with us. It's Ranbir and me... a script is just a script.
RK: Script toh paper hai (straight-faced).
DP: Imtiaz cast us because he believes that together, we can create magic.
Deepika, Tamasha means spectacle. The film, presumably, is about two people assuming different identities. As actors, do you feel you guys lead two lives- one which is always in the limelight and the other which is hidden in the shadows?
DP: I think we lead more than two lives. Like Ranbir is a crazy football fan and that is his third life. It is a very important part of his life, but one that isn't highlighted or written about too much. It makes him feel good, when he goes out and sweats out with the boys. A footballer, an actor....we play too many characters in real life.
How difficult it is to be secluded on a beautiful island, shooting a romantic film with someone whom with you shared a relationship in real life? Did you ever get into an emotional conflict since you were drawing reel emotions from your real life?
DP: It's not as complicated as it is made out to be....people end up making it a complex territory when it is actually not.
RK: I look at it the same way....I have a lot of respect and regard for the way Deepika is shaping up as an actress. You have to transform and transcend your reality when you are playing that person. And to be that person, you need to feel that person. Sometimes when you are doing a romantic scene, you have to segregate. As actors, you need to be able to switch off and switch on.
Does it, at any point, put you in trouble with people who you go back to, or with your respective partners?
RK: My parents have been actors, so they know how it works. It's like the same way it would be for you...we have a normal conversation.
DP: I live alone. So I don't have to be answerable to anyone, but myself. As for my parents, they are very understanding. They trust me and I have a very transparent relationship with them.
Ranbir, one of the more disappointing things this year was Bombay Velvet. In hindsight, what do you think went so wrong with that film?
RK: I have no bitterness in my heart. You cannot challenge the janta's verdict. What I have is understanding and acceptance - acceptance that we made a bad film. Now, with Tamasha, I hope we can forget the Bombay Velvet experience.
What would we retain after Tamasha?
DP: Tamasha is a very relevant film. We feel that a lot of youngsters have started expressing themselves but many are still living their lives the way others want them to. After watching Tamasha, you will come out with a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. It will make you reflect on your life and make you ask yourself whether you are actually happy with the way you are leading it.
Thumbnail image source: Manav Manglani