Powerhouse performer Tabu, who stars in De De Pyaar De, says Ajay and Salman are men she can always rely upon
Are you still in love with Simi, the deliciously wicked character of Andhadhun? But then Tabu has a way of taking up characters and making them her own. Whether it is Nimmi in Maqbool or Simi in Sriram Raghavan’s thriller.
The actress will be seen next in De De Pyaar De, where she plays Ajay’s ex-wife. Tabu said the film explores interpersonal relationships in a mature manner.
“When I heard the story, I thought it was extremely enjoyable. It’s definitely not about two women vying for a man. It’s not making fun or humouring everything. There is seriousness and maturity also and that’s the beauty of the film,” Tabu said.
The film was written with Ajay and her in mind, she revealed. Having her long-time friend and Golmaal Returns co-star Ajay on board and the fact that it is not a film with “mindless laughter” made her take up the project.
She said, “Every character in the film is dealing with real issues. Their struggles or conflicts aren’t trivialised. If he is in love with a girl in his mid-40s, it’s genuine. He is going through his own conflicts. My character’s journey after getting separated has also been shown. Every relationship is highlighted and given due space.”
Tabu said the film tries to understand how two couples with an age gap tend to view love and relationships. She added, “The way a mid-40s couple deals with their relationship, their definition of love and relationship will be different than a 27-year-old woman. Her insecurities are different and issues are varied. It’s about people who evolve and develop a unique relationship.”
In her over three-decade-long career in movies, Tabu has not only built a stellar filmography but also found “unconditional” friendships with not just Ajay but also with Salman Khan.
The 47-year-old critically-acclaimed actor says from just being co-stars Salman and Ajay have become family, who she believes will never let her “fall.”
“These are the unconditional relationships I have in my life. These are a part of my life as the majority of life has been entwined and intertwined with my work. These are the people I’ve met through my work. These are the people I know will never let me fall in any which way. They are like family,” she said.
Tabu says her equation with the two stars is not about constantly being in touch or extracting favours but is based on trust and love.
“You meet people like Salman and Ajay who transcend your work relationships and just by being the people they are, they become that for you. It’s not like ‘banking’ on them, but you know these are the bonds wherein you don’t have to meet, express or profess friendship for each other. They are unconditional.”
The actor, who first tasted success as a Bollywood heroine in 1994 with Vijaypath co-starring Ajay, went on to appear alongside him in films like Haqeeqat, Thakshak, Drishyam, Fitoor, Golmaal Again before the latest De De Pyaar De.
With Salman Khan, 53, she has worked in Biwi No 1, Hum Saath-Saath Hain, Jai Ho and the forthcoming Bharat. She, however, did not share any details about her part in Salman’s latest film in which she has a cameo.
“With Salman, it is one of the non-negotiable relationships I have. It’s amazing to have that kind of trust and belief in a relationship without giving it any name,” she said.
But coming back to Andhadhun, she said, “The film was in its own world and space. Even to this day, people are talking about the ending and possible theories are doing the rounds. You can’t reference a character like that. The fact that people have loved and appreciated Simi so much is a thing of joy for me. I’ve enjoyed the film’s success thoroughly and I feel everyone involved has been able to own it completely. I want to thank the whole team for making Andhadhun what it became.”
Tabu is doing a film with Allu Arjun as well. She said, “I will start shooting for my portions in July. It is another interesting character, but I can’t talk about it yet; the film hasn’t even gone on the floors. But I am excited about it. I just felt like it was time for me to reconnect with that audience. I have worked with Allu Arvind (producer) and at the end of the day, it’s Hyderabad. It’s home ground for me. I will get to visit my house, meet my friends... I am close to Chiranjeevi’s family.” Her last Telugu film was K Raghavendra Rao’s Pandurangadu (2008).
Finally, she gave an insight into how she picks her characters. “Primarily, I look at the positioning my character is getting in a film and the contribution she makes to the story. It’s not about working with names. But it is about finding out what the director has envisioned for me, what he expects from me in a character and how important it is. I also look at the value that I can add to the film and vice versa, as an experience. And of course, the overall project and the people involved in it. Then, it also depends on what I am gravitating towards at the time,” she said.
Photo: Pankaj Kumar