‘Janhvi is like a child in so many ways’: Ishaan Khatter on his equation with 'Dhadak' co-star and more

Ishaan and Janhvi’s cute chemistry in the trailer and songs of Dhadak is creating a lot of buzz. The two youngsters have also been uploading funny dance videos from the making of the film and sweet moments from their promotions. The duo obviously shares a great equation. Says Ishaan, “The first time I met Janhvi on the sets, I took her to watch La La Land, because she hadn’t seen it. Soon, we started bonding over cinema — both of us are film buffs — and we realised we share a natural equation.”

PLAYING THE SENIOR CARD?

While it is Janhvi’s debut movie, Dhadak is Ishaan’s second outing after Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds. So, did he behave like a senior to her on the sets? “No, I never behaved like a senior or junior. The only way it (Beyond The Clouds) was with me was it contributed everything to my growth as an actor. I was brimming with that energy, but I was excited to share what Janhvi and everybody else in the cast had to offer,” says Ishaan modestly. He adds that the 21-year-old actress has wonderful energy. “She brings a smile to people’s faces. She is dedicated, sincere, curious and is passionate about acting,” enthuses Ishaan. 

WE HAVE A SIMILAR SENSE OF HUMOUR

As part of the prep, the two spent a lot of time together going on recces (in Rajasthan) along with their director Shashank Khaitan. “We had a whale of a time as both of us have a similar sense of humour. Janhvi is a goofball,” says Ishaan fondly. “She is unintentionally funny sometimes,” he laughs and then quickly adds, “Even intentionally, to give her due credit!” He recalls that on the sets there were days she would get so caught up in something that she would goof up the simplest instructions, but crack the more complicated things. “If she had to turn from the right, for eight takes, she would give the correct shot, but in the final shot she’d turn from the left! But she had her revenge on me as it rubbed off on me. A month-and-a-half into shooting, I ended up doing something right for six takes but in the actual shot exited from the wrong side of the camera,” he laughs.

Tell him that the picture he is painting of Janhvi is in sharp contrast to what the general impression about her is, thanks to her paparazzi pictures where she looks like a shy, demure girl, and he quips, “That’s because she carries herself well. It’s something she has inherited and not necessarily strategised.” 

JANHVI IS A BIG FOODIE

Looking at her svelte figure you wouldn’t believe it, but Ishaan tells us that Janhvi is a big foodie! “She would take off on excursions in search of laal maas. It became a daily ritual. She would also go often to Johri Bazaar during our prep because she enjoyed spending time with the locals. However, she would get lost every now and then! She is like a child in so many ways. But over the making of the film, she became family to all of us, in fact, we all became like a family,” he signs off.