Shraddha Kapoor: After shooting for 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu' I didn’t want to come back from Tehri!

Long before the trailer of her next, '

Batti Gul Meter Chalu

', was out, Shraddha Kapoor had been giving glimpses of

Uttarakhand

’s beauty to her fans through her Instagram stories. So it doesn’t come as a surprise when she says that she doesn’t want to come back from

Tehri

, and plans to stay there for some time. But she still has to descend from the hills to promote her film, and in a chat with us over kadak chai, the actress tells us about her “overconfident” character, how the film has been an eye-opener about small town electricity issues for her, her Delhi memories and more.


You shot for 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu' in Uttarakhand, what was that like?
It was amazing, I didn’t want to come back home. I can’t wait for an opportunity to live in the mountains. I’d really like to take 10-15 days off, maybe a month, to stay in the mountains, eat the fresh vegetables there and have minimum interaction with people. It’s so beautiful, lovely and rejuvenating, so I did not want to come back home! Shooting there was a privilege.

In the promos, you can be seen speaking

Kumaoni

like a typical local. Apart from learning the dialect, what other prep was involved in looking the part and speaking convincingly?
There was quite a lot that was required. We did a lot of readings, preparations. Our writers and our director – Shree sir (Shree Narayan Singh) – did extensive research, and through their guidance, I got the opportunity to really explore the world of the film and speak in the Kumaoni dialect. It was extremely challenging because there is a rhythm to it, but it was fun as well.

Your character is of an independent woman, a fashion designer in a small town, who believes she can beat top designers even though she can’t pronounce their names correctly. Was it tough to play the character?
My character, Lalita Nautiyal, is so different from me. She is so overconfident! Who talks like that? That I am going to beat Manish Malhotra and Rohit Bal – she is actually one of a kind. That’s why I had so much fun playing her. I feel as a person, my energy is not as high as hers. I had to keep tuning myself with the help of our director. Most of the lines I’ve said, I have made Shree sir say them first. I would ask him to say the lines five -six times, and I would just copy him.

Shraddha Kapoor in Delhi

The movie is about electricity woes in small towns. Was it a learning experience for you, to know about the problem’s facts and figures?
This film has been eye-opening. I didn’t know the extent of electricity issues in smaller towns, and how incorrect bills can be over there. I really hope our film makes a difference because this is something that needs to be brought into the limelight.

Your last release, 'Stree', did pretty well and you also got positive responses from critics, unlike your previous few films. What, according to you, went right with this one, and wrong with the films before?
To begin with, the story and content worked. I don’t know if there is a formula, I don’t know yaar ki kya connect kar jaye. I’m also the audience, right? I know that I’ll go and watch a film if it is really worth my time as I’m paying for it. For me, word of mouth is a very big deal to know that a film is doing well. I remember during 'Dangal', the word of mouth was so amazing that everyone around me kept saying, ‘You have to watch it’, so even if you’re really busy, you take out time to watch it. If a film is made well and has an interesting story, the audience will come.

You shot extensively in Delhi University for '

Half Girlfriend

'. How was that experience?
Mohit (Suri, the director), is emotionally connected to any film he does, and he made sure that there was a strong emotional connect between my character and me. For me, Delhi is like a second home. I have such fond childhood memories from Delhi. I remember coming to Rajinder Nagar, East of Kailash and GK a lot. My bua and chachi live in Rajinder Nagar. We had a house in GK, now we have a house in Defence Colony, and a part of my childhood has been spent in Delhi.

You’re also gearing up to play Saina Nehwal in her biopic. You posted pictures when you met her parents, did you learn anything about her from them? How have your sessions with Saina been?
I would like to think and believe she is happy. It’s extremely tough, she spent her whole life turning into a champion, and hats off to her, her journey is incredible. It’s not easy to play a sportsperson. There is so much training; a lot of hard work goes into it, and my badminton classes have been on and off since last year. Her parents treated me like family, they were affectionate and loving when I met them. I held her Olympic medal in my hand – that is one heavy medal! It must have been such a terrific feeling to win that medal. It was a surreal moment for me to just hold it.