Mastani Deepika Padukone talks about Bajirao Ranveer Singh and his growth as an actor

In Pune to launch the first song Gajanana from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, Deepika Padukone talks about working with Ranveeer again and why she feels this film is the toughest assignment in her career so far.

Bajirao Mastani re-teams you with Ranveer Singh after Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela. What is your opinion of him as a person and as an actor?

As a person, Ranveer is the same - full of energy, enthusiasm, warmth and protectiveness. As an actor, he has grown tremendously -- I see that change post Ram Leela. After Band Baaja Baaraat, I feel Ram Leela was the most defining moments in his career. I genuinely feel he is one of the most versatile actors that we have in the current lot -- from Lootera to Dil Dhadkane Do, he has played such different characters . and not for the heck of it. And it's all so easy for him.

Why was Pune chosen as the place to launch the Bajirao Mastani song Gajanana?

The Pune connection is strong -- Bajirao and Mastani's love story is about Maharashtra and in a sense also Pune. The connection is even more special because it's Ganpati time and organically we have a Ganpati song in the film which comes at an important point in the narrative.

Was it challenging to shoot a period film?

Bajirao Mastani is the toughest film of my career. I won't talk about the effort because what matters in the end is the performance. I remember saying that Ram Leela was emotionally draining and exhausting. But Ram Leela was easy compared to Bajirao Mastani. Beyond just acting, it involves so many rehearsals -- dialogue, dance, scenes, horse riding etc.

Though both Ranveer and I stay in the same city we had to move closer to the set so that we could use the time for rehearsing.

What was it like to play a historical character like Mastani?

Mastani is very inspiring not just because of her beauty but her strength as a woman. She was a lover, a nurturer, a warrior and I believe all women have these qualities but in her some qualities are more pronounced than others. At some point I will be meeting her family as well. I wish she was alive for me to interact with her.

Has the film's shooting not been completed yet?

We will be done shooting by end of this year . we have about three weeks of work left.

The release date has already been declared for December 2015 and it will clash with the Shah Rukh starrer Dilwale. Is that cause for worry?

Currently, we are so consumed by the film that we don't have time to think of who is doing what. We have deadlines to meet and in the process if there is another film that comes up, it is ok.

And I don't think it is as complicated as it has been portrayed. It is simple. The films we are making are different. We really hope both the films do well because there is enough space for both. I am not a distributor or producer who will decide on the screen count and I don't understand the business perspective. Our job is to work just as actors, not to get involved into all this.

-- Bollywood News Services