With the star cast’s brimming freshness and innocence, Dhadak is a love story that is set in the picturesque city of Udaipur, Rajasthan making it a visual treat to the audience. Zee Cinema – Home Of Blockbusters is set to telecast the World TV Premiere of ‘Dhadak’ on 30th September at 9pm with its proposition Do Dil, Ek Dhadak. Starring Ishaan Khatter and debutant Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles and Ashutosh Rana, Ankit Bisht, Shridhar Watsar, Kshitij Kumar and Aishwarya Narkar in supporting roles, the movie encapsulates the message that the heart is innocent when in love, it doesn’t think, nor does it make any calculative moves, it just beats. On the occasion of the TV premiere, Ishaan Khatter who essays the role of Madhu gets candid about the movie, the delicate yet hard-hitting subject, and much more.
How is Janhvi as a co-star? What was it like working with Karan Johar and Shashank Khaitan?
Janhvi is an absolute delight to work with, she is childlike and very sincere, intelligent and perceptive and she is a great friend. But when she is on set she is very professional and she brings about a positive energy on set and lightens up the environment. Karan sir is extremely protective and very articulate. He is extremely encouraging and he has been a mentor to me. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with him, because he truly adapts to every person and tries to bring out the best in people. He has been very involved with our journey, with the journey of Dhadak and I am very grateful for that. Shashank is an absolute fire cracker, he brings an amazing energy on set and by energy I mean, he is extremely positive and very balanced as a person, which is very rare to see in a director because he rarely loses his cool. He is very sure of what he wants, but at the same time he is adaptable and aligned to the moment. He is not rigid at all as a filmmaker and he is a great friend to have on the set. It is a big deal for the kind of responsibility he assumes on set, but he never makes it apparent. He does his job in a light hearted manner and that is commendable.
Dhadak received a lot of appreciation after the release but initially the film received a lot of criticism. How did you cope with all the reactions/comments?
I think that’s the irony and this goes to show that we are ready to judge things even before we experience them. It is a funny reality of our times. But I feel very grateful that the people who have accepted the film and loved the film have done so in abundance and have whole heartedly accepted the film and so many people have gone to watch the film multiple times, that truly makes me happy. I am so happy that we were able to communicate the story, despite everything else that was attached to the movie. I am happy that the audience could go and experience the story.
Shahid has always been a great dancer. Are you following his footsteps? Was it Shahid that inspired you to take up dancing?
No actually my mother was the first dancer in our family and she is the most accomplished of us all as a dancer. I don’t think I was even conscious that my brother was a dancer when I started dancing, I was very young. I definitely share dance with him, we are very passionate about dance and he is the more experienced dancer. He has been a mentor and he has taught me dance a lot of different techniques. So he definitely is my teacher and mentor.
Do you turn to Shahid and your father Rajesh Khatter for advice before finalising on a script?
In the past I have shared with my brother and mother about the work that I am going to do. I think if you are close to somebody, you tend to share something that is so important to you and films are a very important part of my life. And because he is part of the same industry, it’s much easier for him to understand. He doesn’t demand that I share everything with him or my mother. But I like to share things with my mother and brother.
If not and actor, what would you be?
I would either be a dancer or do something else related to cinema in the creative department or I would just be an explorer.
