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‘Out of sight, out of mind happens.’
Photograph: Kind courtesy Pragya Jaiswal
Born into a middle class family in Jabalpur, acting was a distant dream for Pragya Jaiswal.
That changed when she went to Pune for her education and then decided to join the fashion industry.
Her modelling career helped her shift to the movies.
After an unsuccessful Bollywood foray in 2014, she found a place in the Telugu industry.
Pragya recently returned to the Hindi space with the Akshay Kumar-led multi-starrer comedy, Khel Khel Mein.
“There were a lot of projects in Hindi that almost happened, but didn’t materialise eventually. All you can do is do your best, and work hard,” Pragya tells Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com in a two-part interview.
Why didn’t we see you in Hindi after your debut film Titoo MBA in 2014? Why this long gap?
Yaar, don’t call this a gap. Just call Khel Khel Mein my debut, please.
We can’t count Titoo MBA because I didn’t know anything back then. Let’s just disqualify that one from my filmography (laughs).
What happens in our field is that most of the things are not in our hands. My debut was successful in Telugu, so I kept getting more and more work there.
And when you get busy in another industry, it’s difficult to stay in touch with people here. Out of sight, out of mind also happens.
There were a lot of projects in Hindi that almost happened, but didn’t materialise eventually.
All you can do is do your best, and work hard.
Sometimes you have to be patient, especially if you’re an outsider.
IMAGE: Pragya with her Khel Khel Mein co-actors Akshay Kumar, Ammy Virk, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and Director Mudassar Aziz. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pragya Jaiswal/Instagram
It’s rare to have an ensemble cast these days. What was the vibe on the sets of Khel Khel Mein?
It was super amazing!
To be able to pull off a film like this with so many brilliant actors where we are playing friends, you actually have to be able to have a comfortable, happy bond with everybody.
Right from the beginning, Akshay sir (Kumar) told us that we will be having a lot of fun during this film. He made sure we had our meals together.
Usually, this doesn’t happen on sets. People go to their vanity vans after the shot is over.
But we would be together the whole time, even during the breaks.
We used to play games, eat together, sing together… It was a super fun vibe that I had never experienced before on a film set.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Pragya Jaiswal
Who was the most fun on set?
It’s very difficult to pick because everyone was in their most fun element while shooting this film.
Ammy (Virk) and Taapsee (Pannu) were a blast to be around with.
Akshay sir used to improvise every day.
We used to laugh so much that it would make difficult for us to work. Sometimes we would even laugh while saying our dialogues; it is such a funny film!
Our director would often say, ‘Okay guys, calm down, we need to shoot also.’
Who are you closest to from the cast?
That’s a difficult question.
Taapsee and I are not friends but I have known her from the time I started modelling. There was definitely an instant bond with her.
We used to go out for meals together after the shoot.
She is a terrific actor and someone I have a lot of respect for. There’s so much to learn from her.
Ammy was super fun on sets. He used to make us all laugh.
Aditya Seal is the sweetest, sweetest, guy. I feel I was so lucky to be paired opposite with him. He was the best co-actor that I could have asked for in my first Hindi film.
Fardeen (Khan) is a super, super, awesome guy. Very respectful and chivalrous.
With Akshay and Vaani (Kapoor), too, I shared a great vibe.
I had a special vibe with everyone, but if I absolutely have to pick, I would say I had more of a bond with Taapsee.
Did you exchange experiences with Taapsee since both of you started from southern films?
Oh yes! Taapsee knows that the working experience here is a little different from the Telugu industry.
She used to help me with certain scenes.
Did you feel bad when the film didn’t take off at the box office due to its clash with Stree 2?
All the directors and producers come with a great mind and years of experience. If they are taking a certain decision, you want to believe that it is taken in the best interest of the film.
Me, in my very first Hindi film, am not in a position to even question their decision.
I believe that every film has its own destiny.
Clash or no clash, I don’t know what was the right thing for the film, so I don’t get into that.
I’m just happy the film is being loved and my character is being appreciated. I’m only grateful for the film we made. That is an achievement for me.
