In an exclusive conversation with MoneyControl, Dhairya spoke about his experience of working with Deepika Padukone not once but twice. He was with her in 83 and then in Gehraiyaan.

Bollywood actor Dhairya Karwa made his big Bollywood debut with the hit film Uri: The Surgical Strike and then went on to star opposite Deepika Padukone in Gehraiyaan, where he played her husband.

In an exclusive conversation with MoneyControl, Dhairya spoke about his experience of working with Deepika Padukone not once but twice. He was with her in 83 and then in Gehraiyaan.

Besides Dhairya and Deepika, Gehraiyaan also had Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Panday in the lead roles. The film directed by Shagun Batra was on infidelity. Though the movie wasn’t a success, it became a topic of huge discussion as it also marked the debut of Deepika on the OTT platform.

Dhairya was all praise for his co-star Deepika Padukone and said she is very ‘simple and grounded’ despite being so famous and on top of her game.

Dhairya further added Deepika really enjoys her rasam rice and respects people.

While talking about his experience of working with Deepika, Dhairya told us: “No matter how famous you get, you’ll still be very grounded. Have rasam rice every morning. And actually, that is life. How you treat people, and that sense of awareness of what people around her need. So, it’s all credit to her—credit to how she’s been brought up and the person she is—because you really don’t feel that you are around or interacting with a star. And that’s all credit to her because she understands that. She understands the position that she can be intimidating for somebody, for somebody who’s new, but she’s really sweet and kind, and we get along well.”

Dhairya will be seen playing the role of a cop in Gyaarah Gyaarah.

Dhairya, who had played the role of Deepika’s husband in Gehraiyaan, said she is a fabulous performer and also very supportive of him.

Stayed in touch with each other

“We’ve always been in touch. It’s, yeah, somebody I’m really fond of, really protective of, and we share the same bond. So, again, my good fortune in working with her. And of course, when you’re on set, you are a selfish, bystander, or actor who wants to learn, who just wants to be around such fabulous performers who have achieved so much, and rightfully, there must be some good reason why they’re still here. So, you tell the actor in you to observe, learn, and see what you’re doing. Yeah. So, yeah, I did that too,” he said.

Ranveer and Deepika, like co-actors are very giving

Dhairya: Oh, as co-actors. So, different process, really; both of them come from very different schools. They both operate differently. Ranveer, on the other hand, I would say he, like, I would remember a few intense scenes where I really associate with the mass process of how really music is a catalyst for him; it gets him in the zone. And I feel the same when I perform. He’s really hardworking.

He puts in so much time and effort, especially at the stage that he is. He didn’t need to put in 8 months of practicing cricket for 83, but he did. So, both of them I feel like they have very common traits of the processes can be different. Again, both are very giving actors.

Ranveer and Deepika are grounded 

You won’t have to find yourself talking to a placard or a wall when you have your own close-ups with them. They’ll be there. You know, so they’re very giving actors, very grounded. Both of them are very similar in terms of the people they are. And, again, both really took me under their wings. And they were very protective of me and really helped me and guided me. So very valuable information, and just this great bond that we three share.

On Uri, 83 and Gehraiyaan

While talking about his debut movie Uri, which was a massive hit, and then Gehraiyaan, Dhairya said it has been a mixed bag for him. Though Gehraiyaan didn’t do well, it became a topic of discussion, and this is what was good as the movie got noticed.

“You rightly put the first one was coming out with flying colors. Also didn’t expect. So that was another bonus that, you know, when you don’t expect them things and they’re tied so drastically. Pleasantly surprised, and you know that was all good.

And then 83 was on the same lines as well. Very well received. Then box office you can’t blame because that COVID wave just stuck in 2 days. So that was beyond everybody. Then Gehraiyan was something that people were like, Man, this is going to kill it.

Like, we can’t do no wrong. Shakun Batra is the director. Yeah. That’s Dharma, opposite Deepika Padukone. This is Titanic.

But again, a Titanic sun drizzle. Halfway. So I think, again, the good part is that it became such a social topic of discussion. People really discussed that movie. In today’s day and age, there is so much that people don’t even realize that it came out. It comes and goes. So, if some people took notice of it (Gehraiyaan), good or bad, the secondary, at least people saw it and it was a part of everybody’s discussion. That was good. And then, like everybody said that, you know, it’s the hiccups or the falls, temporarily, the failures. That’s what really was a learning. Most definitely. It was learning.

In this interview itself, Dhairya said though he has worked in such big films, his struggle is still to be seen on screen for longer so that the audience can judge his performance.

The actor feels that his role of Inspector Shaurya is something that will give him that edge and adulation that he has been craving for an actor.

Gyaarah Gyaarah, directed by Umesh Bist, also stars Kritika Kamra and Raghav Juyal in the lead roles. The series is jointly produced by Guneet Monga and Karan Johar. It is going to stream from August 9 on Zee5.