FAMILY PACK

Kajol: I wanted to go for a holiday,yaar! I had just finished with My Name Is Khan and I was just not interested in doing another film.

Arjun: Then what made you change your mind?

Kajol: Even though I personally think that the magic of a hit cannot be repeated in a remake,when I heard the script of We Are Family,I liked the way Siddharth Malhotra had adapted the original screenplay. That’s when I decided to do the film,but even after that,I gave him a whole list of dos and don’ts.

Kareena: Like?

Kajol: Arre,things like the shooting schedules to match with Nysas school and all that.

Kareena: Had you seen Stepmom ?

Kajol: I had watched the film a long time ago and remember liking the unusual story of a divorced man who has a new girlfriend,and how a crisis brings his wife and children back into the family. But I decided not to watch it when I agreed to do We Are Family. I did not want to be influenced by the film in any way.

Arjun: I too liked Siddharth’s interpretation of Stepmom in Hindi. I was specially impressed with the way he changed the characteristics displayed by the much older Ed Harris in the original. Kareena had you seen the film?

Kareena: No,and as I said,I didnt even want to see it. I wanted to tackle my character,Shreya in my own way and style. What I was pleased about was that I was playing the part played by Julia Roberts,who is one of the finest actors.

Arjun: Actually these comparisons makes me anxious. Ed Harris,Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon have set very high standards in the original.

Kareena: The film is basically about the journey of two women,that is Kajol and me. Were you ever sceptical of working in a woman-centric film?

Arjun: No,on the other hand,I considered myself very lucky to get a chance to work with the both of youthe best in the business!

Kajol: How did you feel once we started shooting?

Arjun: I felt like a ping-pong ball who was tossed between two beautiful women! Jokes apart,I loved the way you take emotional scenes to a new level and make everyone cry without glycerine. As for Kareena,like I mentioned before in an interview,she is like Sachin Tendulkar in great form! It was wonderful to share space with two great actors!

Kajol: Come on,tell us in real life,have you been attracted to someone,like your character Aman in the film?

Arjun: No way! I have a very glamorous wife at home,so it is easy to stay away. Anyway,I don’t think I could handle two women. Frankly,I come from a broken home and work that much harder to make my marriage work.

Kareena: You were so good with Diya Sonecha,Nominath Ginsburg and Aanchal Munjal your three screen children. Are you the same at home?

Arjun: Haha! I am the good cop (similar to what I play in We Are Family) and Mehr is the bad cop. Basically I love working with children because they bring a beautiful energy on the sets and Diya,Nominath and Aanchal were so professional. They knew their lines and didn’t throw any tantrums. Though I did see Kajol getting a bit harassed at times.

Kajol: Because it does get tiring to deal with three children of different age groups,with one demanding vada pav and the other who does not want to eat cake. I would thank my stars that I only have one kid at home. I love Nysa to death but I am a strict mother and a disciplinarian. The only aspect I feel I lack is in cooking department. Children feel that their mothers should be super chefs. But I think I have proved my worth in other ways.

Kareena: What is she looking forward to,a brother or a sister?

Kajol: She is very excited about the coming baby,and since she has a lot of male cousins she is looking forward to a sister!

Arjun: What a pleasant surprise it was when you announced that you were pregnant!

Kareena: As it is,Kajol was the pampered one on the sets and then the pampering increased. Especially since we were doing the highly energetic dance number where we are all shown dancing in a club.

Kajol: When I first saw the choreography with so many jumps and vigorous movements,I told Karan to take someone else for the song,but he wanted me to do it and said that he would take all the necessary precautions.

Arjun: So many exceptions for the lady!

Kajol: I dont believe that he made a lot of exceptions. Hes not that great a producer!

Arjun: Oh okay! And thankfully no cat- fights on the sets!

Kareena: When the actresses are good,there are no cat-fights because there is no insecurity. And anyway,we both have very powerful roles and forceful lines. I think the audience is going to say we were both spectacular in the film.

Kajol: Yes,our off-screen camaraderie is sure to show on screen.

Kareena: I still remember when we went out together in Sydney for meals how you insisted that I finish everything on the table. Like a typical mother. Tell me,what is the first thing which struck you about me considering we were acting together almost a decade after Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.?

Kajol: That you were so much thinner!

Kareena: Oh God! My weight issue has reached high enough to touch the Himalayas! Tell me how do you find me as an actor?

Kajol: You had so much more experience to bring to the table and I think that you tackled Shreya in a very mature and professional way.

Kareena: But you are exactly the same spontaneous,bubbly and spilling with energy!

Arjun: I was delighted to have a friend like Kareena who is a foodie like me. I can’t forget how after the shoot in Sydney we would discuss which restaurant we should go to have dinner. Also the song sequence in the convertible where we had to sit together for 12 hours. If it was someone else I would have killed the person. But she was so entertaining.

Kareena: Friends and family have a very important place in my life. In fact,family comes before career. I like the way Kajol is a hands-on mother. It reminds me of my sister Karisma. I am like a mother to Karisma’s kids but I wonder what kind of parent Ill be when I have my own kids.

Arjun: For me,what makes an ideal family is when each member gives unconditional love to the other and there is complete honesty with each other. By the way,when are you thinking of getting married,Kareena?

Kareena: I believe in the institution of marriage and like all girls want to get married and have a family of my own. But as of now I am enjoying my work too much to think of tying the knot.