Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s debut directorial film ‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ has garnered significant attention since its release on April 19. Starring Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi, the film is an emotional rollercoaster featuring witty dialogues and a complex web of relationships. Alongside Balan and Gandhi, the cast includes Ileana D’Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, exploring the intricacies of modern relationships.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Thakurta shared her experience of working with the accomplished actors in her debut project. She expressed her gratitude for the privilege of directing such a talented cast, saying, “I feel very privileged because I had a bunch of great actors. Each of them has a huge body of work behind them and a massive amount of experience. It was my first film, but they never made me feel like that.”
Thakurta also shed light on the casting process, revealing that the rights to the American film ‘The Lovers’ were initially acquired by producer Ellipsis Entertainment. Vidya Balan was approached for the lead role and, after a year of collaboration with the writers, agreed to sign on. Pratik Gandhi, excited about the opportunity to work in a romantic comedy and to collaborate with Balan, was then brought on board.
Pratik Gandhi, reflecting on his experience working with Bollywood star Vidya Balan, said, “Everyone who has interviewed her, heard her laughter, heard her words… everything said about her is absolutely true, as I experienced firsthand. Her personality is just as genuine. Her daily life is just as joyful. So, that same vibe is reflected on set as well… and it was my first chance to work with such a big actor.”
Regarding the addition of Ileana D’Cruz to the cast, Thakurta shared, “We were not sure whether Ileana would want to do it. But she was very excited about the many layers that Nora had as a character. She loved it and said yes. So we were thrilled to have her.”
Thakurta also explained the decision to cast Sendhil Ramamurthy, known for his role in ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ as an NRI character due to his limited Hindi-speaking abilities. “Sendhil’s character was not an NRI earlier. But there was a bit of a discussion that he will speak in English because he doesn’t know Hindi. He’s never lived in India. And we wanted to be true to his craft. So we made him an NRI and kept his part in English. It almost took a year and a half for the entire casting process to happen,” she said.
Speaking about her future projects, Thakurta revealed, “I’m primarily an ad filmmaker. So there’s not anything in a long format that I’m doing right now. I’m back to doing ads. As and when we’ll take our time and see what we can do next because it takes a lot to make a feature film. You know till you’re really sure I don’t think one should waste anybody’s time in making something that is not worth it.”
Vidya Balan, speaking on the challenges faced by female-driven films, commented, “Male actors are reluctant to be a part of films which are female-driven and they continue to feel uncomfortable.”
Directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta and presented by Applause Entertainment and Ellipsis Entertainment, ‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ was released on April 19.
