Kalki Koechlin reflects on 15 years of 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', says 'none of us felt intimidated by Hrithik Roshan or Katrina Kaif'
Fifteen years after ' Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ' became a defining coming-of-age film , Kalki Koechlin is reminiscing about the memories she made while shooting the road-trip drama in Spain. The actor revealed that despite sharing screen space with stars like Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif , the atmosphere on set remained refreshingly relaxed, allowing the cast to bond like friends rather than colleagues.
Spain offered the cast a rare sense of freedomSpeaking to Variety India, recalling the filming experience, Kalki said shooting overseas allowed everyone to enjoy a level of normalcy that would have been difficult in India because of the actors' immense popularity.
“We were shooting in Spain. Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif were already personalities and celebrities. If we were shooting in Mumbai or any part of India, we’d be surrounded by security. They would have to hide in their vanity vans. However, they were just hanging out with us on the cobbled streets of Spain. It was summertime, so we were often in cafes with tables out in the open. We would all sit together, eat our meal, then go back to shoot. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. None of us felt intimidated by each other. We would only hang out.”
Kalki Koechlin credits Zoya Akhtar 's storytelling for the film's lasting appealFor Kalki, one of the biggest reasons 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' continues to resonate with audiences is director Zoya Akhtar's ability to seamlessly blend humour with emotional storytelling.
She said, “It is great to have humor and seriousness in the same film. Zoya Akhtar was good at incorporating both in 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.' She always finds a way to add bits of humor in serious scenes.”
Kalki portrayed Natasha, Kabir's possessive fiancée in the film, a character that fans have often labelled a "red flag." Looking back after 15 years, the actor agrees Natasha had several shortcomings but believes she also represented a woman who was unapologetically honest about what she wanted.
“Natasha is a problematic character. I don’t think she’s an angel. She does have issues of jealousy, control and possessiveness. However, she also knows what she wants and states it. She knows how to put her foot down. She knows how to stand up for herself. She does not want to be in a relationship that makes her unhappy. She is a strong woman in that sense.”
Spain offered the cast a rare sense of freedomSpeaking to Variety India, recalling the filming experience, Kalki said shooting overseas allowed everyone to enjoy a level of normalcy that would have been difficult in India because of the actors' immense popularity.
“We were shooting in Spain. Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif were already personalities and celebrities. If we were shooting in Mumbai or any part of India, we’d be surrounded by security. They would have to hide in their vanity vans. However, they were just hanging out with us on the cobbled streets of Spain. It was summertime, so we were often in cafes with tables out in the open. We would all sit together, eat our meal, then go back to shoot. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. None of us felt intimidated by each other. We would only hang out.”
Kalki Koechlin credits Zoya Akhtar 's storytelling for the film's lasting appealFor Kalki, one of the biggest reasons 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' continues to resonate with audiences is director Zoya Akhtar's ability to seamlessly blend humour with emotional storytelling.
She said, “It is great to have humor and seriousness in the same film. Zoya Akhtar was good at incorporating both in 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.' She always finds a way to add bits of humor in serious scenes.”
Kalki portrayed Natasha, Kabir's possessive fiancée in the film, a character that fans have often labelled a "red flag." Looking back after 15 years, the actor agrees Natasha had several shortcomings but believes she also represented a woman who was unapologetically honest about what she wanted.
“Natasha is a problematic character. I don’t think she’s an angel. She does have issues of jealousy, control and possessiveness. However, she also knows what she wants and states it. She knows how to put her foot down. She knows how to stand up for herself. She does not want to be in a relationship that makes her unhappy. She is a strong woman in that sense.”
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