Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor / Image- Instagram (@janhvikapoor)

It has been only six years for Janhvi Kapoor in this industry, and the girl is already flexing with the out of the box films she is choosing. 

What started with Dhadak (a simple romance) has gone to extreme ends with films like Good Luck Jerry, Gunjan Saxena The Kargil Girl and so on... she is creating a 'Bawaal' at the box office already and her next seems promising too. 

Rubbing shoulders with her Roohi co-star, Rajkummar Rao, she plays Mahima in Mr & Mrs Mahi. If that's not all, she also has Devara (her first film down south) with NTR Jr and Saif Ali Khan and Ulajh which is a spy-thriller.

Keeping her busy schedule at bay, she sat down for a heart to heart, exclusively for Bollywood Insider.

After six years of proving you are an ace at acting, how was it turning into a cricketer for this film?

Director Saran Sharma approached me for the role when I was shooting for Milli. He insisted that he wanted me for the role and said that will have to start training for cricket immediately. My director wanted to make me a cricketer, he didn’t want me to cheat, Abhishek and Vikrant sir trained me for the game. 

And it wasn’t easy, I dislocated my shoulders while training too but they taught me not to give up, they were very encouraging. If I could be honest, there were times when I used to get angry with the director for putting me through so much. We even fought but the end results were fantastic. I am glad I trusted his vision.

Have you been a cricket buff? We did see you in a few matches cheering the teams on.

As a kid, I knew very little about the sport. My only vivid memory is seeing my father watch the television unblinkingly, and I would feel so bad that he is not giving me time and this game is getting all the attention. As I grew up, I went with friends to watch a match or two but that was just to show off. When I was offered this film, I-could not believe that I was being approached for the role of a cricketer.

Mr & Mrs Mahi are perfect partners in the movie, what is your idea of a perfect partner?

Oh, interesting question, I would want someone who will make my dreams come true and who will give me a lot of confidence and make me laugh when I cry.

It is not easy to be around an actor like Rajkummar Rao and not be on our toes constantly to give your best. What was it like for you this time around after having worked together in Roohi?

When we were shooting for Roohi we didn’t have many scenes together so we would wish that instead of a comedy-horror film, we could have done a romance together or a comedy, where we could have some fun on the sets. 

I am a huge Rajkummar Rao fan, and if you see Mr and Mrs Mahi, and admire how Mahendra supports Mahima, you would know exactly how Rajkummar is on the sets. I genuinely feel that I have become a better actor having worked with him. He is inherently a helpful actor, I would be redundant if I say he is very secure and sure of his craft, so even just observing him is educational.

We already spoke about how challenging it was to turn into a cricketer, but filmmaking itself is challenging, tell us something that was extremely challenging during the shoot…

You rightly said that filmmaking is challenging in many ways. There were a lot of moments in this film too that were challenging but honestly the environment on the sets was so chill and easy going that you never felt the pressure or the stress.

The title of the film is based on Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s nickname Mahi, despite what you said about not knowing the game, are you a fan of his? Have you had an opportunity to interact with him in person?

I am a huge fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Not just of him as a cricketer, though he is one of the best that we have. I love and respect what he does for our country every time he plays. Though he is a phenomenal player, what I love is his sense of humor. Not many know about his funny side. 

I have met Dhoni only once during a function and he was not just walking by but gliding through. He was so humble to each and every one who came to him for a picture or a selfie. He had an aura of dignity. I wish we all approached life with the same humbleness. 

However, my most vivid memory of him is not from the game but from an interview of his. In the interview, he said that while he plays cricket, he does not think about how the game will end but the process of the game itself. The process should be right and that will lead you to victory. This line has stayed with me and I have really tried to incorporate it in my life. 

Talking about process, your choice of films shows a process too. What drives you towards out of the box cinema, what about box office numbers don’t they give you the jitters?

I believe in box office numbers (I am a producer’s daughter after all) Janhvi wants her movies to make the big numbers but it is important that good films should do well at the box office. I choose films that resonate with me, that time I cannot think about box office.. But I feel box office figures are a validation for good work. 

My first hit was Dhadak and then Roohi released during the pandemic but according to the numbers it opened at 50% capacity. It was a hit considering the situation. But for me it was not a success as it didn’t do well at the box office. The day my films start doing the big numbers I will believe that I am doing a good job.

What according to you is the highlight of being an actor?

There are many things that thrill me about this profession, but I guess one of the highlights will be getting to do something new each time. That by far is the biggest perk of being an actor. You get to learn something new with each role like I learnt a new sport with this film. I have been lucky that each film has given me the opportunity of learning a new craft.

You have been doing films as well as OTT simultaneously. What do you enjoy?

My sense of cinema is more attuned to the larger screen but at the same time I enjoy doing OTT too. OTT gives you more room for experiment. But I am told that my fanbase has grown so perhaps I would be able to experiment on a larger scale now.