Radhika Pandit and Dhruva Sarja recreate Addhuri magic

They are now called the Action Prince and Sandalwood Princess of the Kannada film industry, insists lyricist-turned-director, Chetan Kumar. But actress Radhika Pandit and her much fresher co-star Dhruva Sarja are very happy with their own names in real life. When the team of the upcoming film Bahaddur dropped by the Bangalore Times office to promote their film, the lead pair got candid with their work, life and more.Excerpts from the interview:
Tell us something about the film Bahaddur...
Dhruva: Bahaddur is based on a true incident. To get into the character, I attended a three-month workshop on body language.
Chetan: The film is not based on a true incident, but inspired by it. This incident took place in Mysore. We have incorporated commercial elements into it for a mass appeal. The film has been shot in Mysore, Bangalore, Hubli and Mandya.
Radhika: Bahaddur doesn't follow any formula, but it has elements in the film that cater to all audiences. For instance, when you say that the film is a love story, it doesn't mean that it is only for young people. However, if you ask me, I would prefer romantic films all the time because I am a very romantic person.
What are the new things incorporated in the film?
Chetan: Usually in films here we use a 5.1 sound system, but for this film we have used the 7.1 system that is usually used for Bollywood films. There are quite a few fights in the film and good music too. Two of the songs have been shot in Malaysia, while two others have been shot at sets here. The stunts have been coordinated by Ravi Varma and Ganesh.
Radhika and Dhruva, tell us about working with each other for the second time after Addhuri...
Dhruva: I was very comfortable, as I got a chance to clarify my doubts on how to handle certain scenes with Radhika without any hesitation, just like I did in our first film, Addhuri.
Radhika: When I got a call from Dhruva, the film had already been announced. He told me that he really liked the script and asked me to listen to a narration. When it was narrated to me, I really liked it, but the real challenge was that when a hit pair is repeated, there are a lot of expectations. So I thought, `Do we really have to take it up? We have to work twice as hard as we worked on Addhuri because people will compare.' But we have pulled it off really well thanks to the director, who has characterized us very differently from our earlier film. I am not saying that people will not compare. It is the same team, but that is not going to pull the film down. There is no glimpse of Addhuri in it.
Dhruva: Bahaddur is different from what we did in Addhuri, even though people still remember us as characters from our earlier film. This time too.V Harikrishna composed music, so it was a challenge for him to match to the expectations in the music department here.
Tell us about each other...
Radhika: Dhruva is a very clumsy person, especially when he is eating. He cannot eat without dropping food on his clothes -more so when he is wearing white or lightcoloured clothes, which has the costume designer paranoid most of the times. He is constantly asking for a bib for Dhruva.
He also has this habit of saying the word `ready' before he delivers his dialogue. He himself has to say it and only then his lines will come out.
Dhruva: What's most impressive about Radhika is the fact that she encourages newcomers. For my first film also, she paid more attention to the script than to who was acting opposite her. She's set an example and I follow her and I'm more open to working with newcomers.
Radhika: I was a newcomer once and someone believed in me.Likewise, I also allow newcomers to do the same. It is the initial trust you have in someone. I don't write anyone off right away . If there is a story, I will give them a chance to narrate it. There is Dhruva, Ajai (Rao), and Yash in the films that I am working on now with new directors, each of whom I have worked with before. I am proud of the balance that I have been able to maintain. There is a sense of learning that comes with working with new people, whereas when it comes to working with known people, there is a sense of comfort. There is enthusiasm that new people have that is contagious.
Dhruva: Another thing about Radhika is that she eats a lot. In the film, I play a foodie, but as soon as the shot would be over, the food would automatically pass into her hands and she'd finish it.
Chetan: Dhruva is an expert at saying pages of dialogues. It is very difficult to emote without words, and that is what Radhika has done.
What does the word `bahaddur' mean?
Chetan: With this film, we are looking at giving a new meaning to the word `bahaddur'. In Hindi it means brave, and in Kannada it means a grand person, or a person with great values. Here, the word analyzes the most important virtue a person can have. It is how he is as a person, his success, money , character or good heart.
Dhruva, tell us more about your character in Bahaddur...
Dhruva: You know those roadside Romeos who stand outside girls' col lege, I play that kind of a guy.
Radhika: The road outside Mount Carmel College is called Loafer Str eet; you see such characters there.
Dhruva: Where is Mount Carmel?
Radhika: (Laughs) So which college were you standing outside of ?
Dhruva: I went to Baldwin's Boys and was very regular. I never missed class.
What is your idea of romance?
Radhika: I think romance is a state of mind, for instance, a walk in the park could be romantic, watching the sea or even reading a romantic book -so you really can't define romance.
Dhruva: I don't know much about romance, I've never been in love.
Why are you taking so much time to sign new films?
Dhruva: I can't speak for others who sign films quickly , but I wait for things to fall in place before rushing into anything. It gives me time to do the things I want to do like going to the gym, going for dance classes, etc.
What do you do on your days off?
Dhruva: I go to the gym all seven days.
Radhika: I can't do without my days off, during which I hang out with the family , watch TV, sketch or read.
Do you have friends from the industry?
Dhruva: I hang out with old friends who are not connected to the indus try.Radhika: (After a pause) Though don't have friends from the film industry , I've stayed in touch and been friends with people who I worked with during my days on tele vision.
How have you changed as a person in the industry over the years?
Radhika: I deal with things better than I'd have done before.
Even dealing with rumours?
Radhika: I've learnt that one cannot hang on to something that has been written about them. It is a part of being an actress. I have learnt to look at it as a passing cloud. I would rather concentrate on my work than what people are writing about me.
Dhruva: When there are good arti cles about me, no one calls me, but only when there are controversial things written, I get calls.
What kind of a role have films played in your childhood?
Dhruva: I watched a film called Saad when I was in the Class VII and that is when I started aspiring to become an actor. My uncle, Arjun Sarja, later advised me how to go about it. He asked me to build my body and to take acting and dance classes five years before I signed my first film.
What is your advice to people aspiring to become actors?
Radhika: Believe in the talent you have, if you think it is possible then you can convince peo ple, but if you don't, then it will be difficult. If you can manage that, the film industry is a great place to be in.
Please share some lesser-known facts about yourselves...
Radhika: I don't like getting dren ched in the rain. But unfortunately , there is not one film of mine in whi ch there is no rain sequence. I don't like wet clothes on me.
Dhruva: I'm scared of heights.
Radhika: There was a dance sequ ence in Bahaddur, for which we had to climb up a platform. Everyone thought that I'd be scared, but it was Dhruva who was shaking like a leaf.
Dhruva: I love horse riding. I love birds and have two talking parrots as my pets -Lucky and Pecky .
Tell us about any experience you've had with crazy fans...
Dhruva: Once a girl tattooed my name on her hand and her parents called, asking me to marry her. I did n't even know who she was and had to meet them and settle the issue.
Radhika: My phone was hacked by a fan and it was uncomfortable for me as I had to go about replacing not only the SIM card, but also the hand set.
Dhruva: If you ask Radhika for an autograph, chances are that you will get a tablet free.
Radhika: I was signing autographs for students at a college. Their books were as thick as my tablet, which was on my lap. When I returned their bo oks, I gave away my tablet too with out realizing it, and never got it back.