Finding Fanny – Deepika’s de-glamourised challenge

Just a few among the reigning queens Bollywood heroines would dare take the risk of doing an off-beat film or appear in a de-glamourised role in the high noon of their career, for fear of losing box office or star appeal. Deepika Padukone is not one of them.

Deepika has already done the role of Pririlata Waddedar in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's “Khelin Hum Jee Jaan Se” based on Chittagong uprising and she has now done an off-beat English language film, “Finding Fanny” which she considers a challenge and not a risky proposition.

As someone who has been part of typical Bollywood stuff such as “Om Shanti Om”, “Love Aaj Kal”, “Cocktail”, “Race 2”, “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”, “Chennai Express”, “Ram Leela” and others, it is perhaps a bit unusual that Deepika seems keen to explore the off-beat genre with “Finding Fanny”, directed by Homi Adajania.

“A lot of people told me it's a risk. I did not think of as a risk but a brave move on my part to do it. I went with my instinct, what my heart said. I trust Homi and his vision,” Deepika told reporters on Monday at a promo of the film.

Deepika had earlier worked with Homi in his last directorial venture “Cocktail”.

“For me, the story of a film comes first, and character next. I was looking to do something different and I am glad I did this film. As we work in a Hindi language film, we are used to it. But when you do an English language film, it is a different experience and it takes time to get into this space. The challenge was to perform in English language,” Deepika said.

“Finding Fanny”, which hits the screens on September 12, is set in the coastal Indian state of Goa and required Deepika to speak in her mother tongue Konkani language, an experience the actress said she loved.

The film has a star cast that besides having Arjun Kapoor also brings together veterans Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia..

Homi Adajania said he was happy to see the two talented actors Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor in the same frame.

“It was easy to work with them. They both are thorough professionals and have different approaches towards acting. They are brothers-in-laws in real life and I enjoyed watching them in the same frame, he said.

The film is a comical story about five people who venture out to find Stefanie Fernandes (Fanny) and in the process discover a strange sense of solace and love for each other, and end up seeing a point to their previously pointless lives.