EXCLUSIVE: Chhapaak Director Meghna Gulzar Says In Casting Deepika Padukone Stardom Was A Secondary Consideration

Director Meghna Gulzar is all set for the release of her film Chhapaak. The film stars actress Deepika Padukone in the role of an acid attack victim. Her role is inspired by the real-life incident of Laxmi Agarwal who is an acid attack survivor. The film also stars actor Vikrant Massey in the lead role.

While there has been some debate in Bollywood on how big stars shy away from signing films that have female leads in the limelight, for Chhapaak director Meghna Gulzar the star power comes secondary. Be it casting Vikrant opposite Deepika in her upcoming film or choosing Vicky Kaushal as the male lead in Alia Bhatt starrer Raazi,  it was during an exclusive conversation with us, Meghna revealed why it is a conscious decision on her part to keep the casting the way it is in her films. The director who is being lauded for her films stated, it is almost an instinctive decision. Quipped she, “I think the casting for me at least, the process is an extremely instinctive one where I feel the actor needs to physically fit the character as I have imagined in my head. If that actor is also a superstar is secondary which was my consideration even for Deepika.”

She further mulls, “Would I have not taken Deepika if she was not a superstar? No, I would still have taken her because she physically fits the character as I have imagined in my head. So, do I want somebody who is a man, who looks like a Pakistani army officer who is tall and strapping and yet very normal like an everyday man but appealing enough that this woman who is actually come across as a spy is going to fall in love with him? Vicky Kaushal fits that character.”

Talking about her latest film, she stated, “In Chhapak, I have a character who is a boy from North India, who si a social activist, his personality is a little irritable from the exterior but from inside he is really soft which is waiting to be tapped and in my head instinctively Vikrant fit that character.”

Well, we surely hear you Meghna, we at Desimartini wish you all the very best for Chhapaak. What do you think about this statement, people? Do let us know in the comments section.

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