Soundarya Sharma, seen in 'Bigg Boss 16', is in the news these days for 'Housefull 5'. Before this she was seen in an advertisement of Akshay Kumar. During a special conversation with Frontpage Insights, the actress shared things related to 'Housefull 5' and career.
'Housefull 5' is currently being talked about a lot, tell us something about this film? It is a great privilege for any newcomer to get such a great opportunity. I am very thankful to Sajid Nadiadwala and his wife Vardha Nadiadwala for this film. Sajid sir and Wardha have taken me to this position. Where I got a chance to work with Akshay sir. I have been a huge fan of the Housefull franchise. Danced a lot on the songs of the film. Today I have the good fortune to work in the franchise of the same film.
What is new in the story this time? The story is what we have seen in 4 franchises so far. This film is totally different from that. This time it's going to be full blast. My character in this is such that people will not recognize him. I can say this with confidence because many times my own team didn't recognize me during the shoot.
How did you get the chance to do this film? I work out with Wardha. He had seen my ad. One day I got a call from him asking me to have tea together. It rained a little that day. When I went to meet him, he said that we have decided that you will be a part of 'Housefull 5'. I could not believe what was happening to me. I forgot my signature when asked to sign the document.
What is the atmosphere like during the filming? The atmosphere is like a picnic. I didn't feel for a second that I was on a film set. There is a lot of fun on the sets, but as the shots begin. Everyone gets busy with their work. Very good experience with Akshay sir, Ritesh sir, Abhishek sir. Everyone has so much fun on set.
Akshay Kumar is famous for pranking during shooting? Akshay sir is a big prankster. Once he messaged me from Jacqueline's phone. Also, Akshay sir's best quality is that he keeps encouraging good work.
What was the most challenging thing about shooting the film? I was very nervous when my intro scene was being shot. I felt like I didn't know if this scene would be done right. Was sweating. I was in the same condition on the first day of the exam.
What kind of preparations did you do for the character? I look very different in the film. It has no serious character. The film itself is very different. It is not that if there is a comedy film, everyone is doing comedy. Tarun Mansukhani, the director of the film explained the whole situation to me. I was just following it.
Do you consider Akshay Kumar as your lucky charm? I always consider Akshay sir as my lucky charm. He made his debut in 2017 with 'Ranchi Diaries'. The film was produced by Anupam Kher. Akshay Sir came to the trailer launch of the film. I was very happy at that time. I thought I would have a good start in the industry. Little did I know that after this film I would not get work for four years. Then got a chance in 'Bigg Boss 16' in 2022.
How much did you benefit from 'Bigg Boss'? One gets huge exposure from 'Bigg Boss'. Who nobody knew, they made their mark through the show. My film 'Thank God' was released during 'Bigg Boss'. It had a cameo with Siddharth Malhotra. At the same time, the web series 'Karma Yuddha' was released on Disney Plus Hotstar and 'Country Mafia' on ZEE5. Because of 'Bigg Boss', people considered my character in it.
How has the journey been so far? It has been a very difficult journey. Just thinking about becoming a star is a crime in the eyes of the public. When she came to Mumbai, relatives were telling her parents that she must have eloped with her boyfriend. The biggest task was to convince the parents. There is no guarantee when you will get an opportunity in the industry. Every field is hard work, but opportunities are available according to ability. Not so in industry. Here luck is very important along with talent.
What were the challenges after coming to Mumbai? The biggest problem after coming to Mumbai was who to trust. I didn't even know about the producer-director's office. Everyone's office addresses on the Internet are wrong. The biggest challenge was finding a casting director. When I started getting work, I got a lot of criticism. People used to think how can I advertise pan masala being a dentist.
What was your reaction when you first got the ad with Akshay? Akshay sir was accompanied by Ajay Devgan sir and Shah Rukh sir. In such a situation, if you get a chance to share the screen with him, who would refuse? This was a golden opportunity for me. I am a big fan of all three. I wanted to become an actress just to get a chance to be their heroine. Besides, I was playing a character, not necessarily the same person in real life as I played in the ad and in the film.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
