EXCLUSIVE | Genelia Deshmukh on 20 years in acting: 'Used to cry constantly before, people bully you when you're new'

Genelia Deshmukh and Manav Kaul are coming together for their film called Trial Period that streams on JioCinema from July 21. In this exclusive interview with Firstpost, the duo spoke about the subject of the film, prepping for their characters, OTT as a platform, and Deshmukh speaks about completing 20 years in the industry and being directed by Riteish Deshmukh in last year’s Ved.

Manav on prepping for the role

Everything is in the script, the more you read it, the more you know. Aleya (Sen), the director, she has the answer to all the questions since she did all her research and this script has been with her for a very long time. Yet, she was very open to suggestions, and I had some amazing preproduction sessions with her. I enjoyed playing the character a lot because this is not somebody who is in isolation. When Genelia and I started performing together, we started understanding the character better.

Genelia says, “It was pretty well- written. When you read it, you get a fair idea about your character, and while performing you get a certain sense of excitement that you don’t even realize why you are performing. When you see that on the screen, you feel like it looks great. It is very important for two actors to be on the same page during a scene. Manav and I developed some kind of a weird bond but we are not on the same page ever. We got along like a house on fire and that translates on the screen. When we met the first time, he said he doesn’t like to do any cuts in between and he performs the scene from start to finish and I already got a heart attack. Eventually, you realize all of this and enjoy people’s working style and they bring out the best in you.”

Talking about the similarities between herself and her character in Trial Period, the actress reveals, “Just being a mother is a big thing for me. Just like how I am with Romi in the film is exactly how i am with my children. I’m also someone who enjoys love stories, like it’s my most favourite genre. Because I have shot in the south a lot, the small moments that they shoot, I used to crave for them here. In this film, there’s a lot of that. I was happy that I got that chance all over again.

Manav on his biggest strength as an actor

I always perform possibilities rather than the character. They approach me with possibilities and come to me with a Trial Period. Like they approach me with possibilities and come to me with a trial period Which is very difficult to conceive. In life also, Genelia and I share a very real chemistry, make us stand in one corner and you’ll only listen to laughs.

Genelia on Ved

I think Ved was very special, I came back after ten years, it was Ritiesh’s first film so it already meant a lot to me. It was my first Marathi film and success is always sweet.

Genelia on completing 20 years

You know strangely, I did my first film (Tujhe Meri Kasam) with Shakti (Kapoor) ji, and I’m doing this film again with him. At that point in time, I was very fond of him since he took care of me. In 2003, I was very new and so scared that I used to cry constantly because I didn’t know how to work in the industry. But he was a very big support over there; you know when you’re new, people bully you and that happens in any industry but he took a lot of stance for me.

On Riteish making his debut with her too

That’s how we fell in love (laughs).