Lara Dutta talks about Mahesh and Leander's equation: They are like two kids

Lara Dutta Bhupathi sails into the office, cool in a sundress, orders a black coffee, sinks into a chair and a “Phew!" escapes past her lips. “Life is far more hectic when you're focusing on three people instead of one. I wasn't so busy when I was just a movie star," says Lara who today is the supportive wife of tennis ace, Mahesh Bhupathi, a multi-tasking homemaker and hands-on mummy to Saira, who now that her three year old is enjoying playdates and sleepovers, is slowly getting back to the archlights.
READ: Mahesh Bhupathi to produce Lara Dutta's comeback film
She's just returned from a schedule of 'Singh is Bling' in Goa. “We shot a song on the beach. The last time I did a song was for 'Don 2', four years ago. And now I had to perform Prabhudheva's choreography," says Lara who agreed to be a part of the unconventional love triangle because Akshay Kumar is an old friend. 'Fitoor' was another film she accepted because she's known director Abhishek Kapoor since she was 17. He'd come to her with his first film, 'Aryan'. She didn't have dates then but now she's a part of his Indianised Great Expectations. “Mine is the only character who's not in Charles Dickens's book. She fills a void in artist Noor's (Aditya Roy-Kapur) life as friend and mentor till he abruptly loses her," explains Lara who after two days of shoot, fractured her foot but was back on the sets after three days and five days after 'Fitoor', was going Blingy in Goa. “That's an actor's glamorous life," she smiles.
Yet, she would never choose Bollywood over Hollywood even though she's happy former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is the star of an ABC TV show, 'Quantico'. “I had my opportunities when I was living in New York after my Miss Universe win but though I've lived alone since I was 16, it's tough living in another country without a support system. Now, I have far more access to the A-listers but I can't think of uprooting my family. It's not even financially viable," she reasons. She's happy with her production company and hopes to roll with 'Chalo China' this year. It was delayed after Malaysia changed its laws. She says the sequel to 'Challo Dilli' will be zanier.
She's producing another film under her banner and no it's not 'Abhi Nahin To Kabhi Nahin'. “Mahesh is producing that one. I'll do a sports film next but I can't go into details," she says cagely. Talking of sports, not many gave her marriage to Mahesh more than six months. “I've never felt more fulfilled in my life. I'm a devout Catholic and Mahesh is a Christian, we take our vows seriously. Saira has only strengthened the bond," she asserts, admitting that though Mahesh initially kept his emotions bottled up, he knows how to romance a movie star wife in a larger-than-life way. He flew out her Miss Universe co-contestants from around the world or had them remninisce through AVs on the 10th anniversary of the year she won the crown.
And she stood by him like a rock when the Olympics controversy flared and through the last two years when he was working tirelessly to start his own tennis league. “Today he has the world's best playing for his tennis league. Even Leander (Paes) has signed up for IPTL this year," Lara beams, admitting that Mahesh and his former doubles partner are best left to each other. “One day they're shouting at each other, the next supporting each other through a personal crisis. They are like two kids or two people in a bad marriage," she laughs.
Lara herself is mentoring and grooming Miss India contestants for the international competitions so they can do India proud. “Not pretty girls for Bollywood but beautiful women with a mind, heart and voice," she asserts.
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WATCH: Lara Dutta makes her TV debut - BT