Raai Laxmi has opened up about the physical and mental pain she underwent for her role in the film Julie 2, and said she hoped it would be well-received by audiences. She also said that people who enter the film industry in search of glamour and excitement often give the rest of the industry a bad name. In the interview with the Times Of India she also talked about her drastic weight loss for her role, her thoughts on the casting couch in the industry, and her future plans.
On Julie 2:
Julie 2 is Laxmi’s debut film in Hindi. The film is sequel to the 2004 film Julie (which starred Neha Dhupia). Raai Laxmi says she had to keep altering her body weight for the role, “I carry the entire film on my shoulders, and I had to do a lot of home work for the role. I had to lose and gain weight every two months for the shoot, which was a shock for my body. I lost around 11kg for my role, and then had to gain 17kg immediately for another phase of my character in the film.
And again, I had to lose 8kg for the film’s photo shoot. Being a foodie, it was a complete shock for my body. I went through a phase of depression, and I went into a shell. I suffered a lot mentally and physically because of all this, and that is why the shoot of the film was delayed, too. I even had a leg injury during the shoot, and it was so difficult for me. I was getting irritated with everyone and everything. I came out of it only because of my parents and friends.”
“It’s a very glamorous role, and I tried my best to look so. I lost a lot of weight to sport a bikini, and it was challenging for me. I literally starved for months. Getting a bikini body is not a joke, as you need to get that structure first to sport one. I hope I look good, and it has come out really well. I never thought I will put it off.”
On her choice of films:
Raai Laxmi spoke about choosing her roles carefully, and why two offers from Malayalam films fell through.
She said, “I don’t want to do films just for the sake of doing it. I was busy for the past one-and-a-half years with my Hindi project, Julie 2, and I have gone through a lot during this time. I haven’t been well both mentally and physically, but then, I hope the film will be received well by the audience.
“I received two offers from Malayalam, but lost them only because I was too thin. The Malayalam industry hasn’t seen me in that look, and that’s why I couldn’t sign those films. In fact, one was Mammootty sir’s film. Some even asked me to gain weight immediately, but I don’t want to do that anymore.
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“I will be completing a Tamil film titled Yaar. It’s not a horror film. I would call it a psychological thriller, with lot of twists and turns. My role is that of a traditional girl, who comes from a big family, and gets into trouble. These days, there are a lot of heroine-oriented films, and all heroines want to do such films. But we must also understand that we must be prepared for it, and work hard.”
On the casting couch:
When asked if she believes a casting couch system exists in the industry, Raai Laxmi says, “Of course, yes… in all the industries. But, to be honest, I haven’t faced any such issues, as my entry was smooth. Newcomers and actors who are struggling to get a break in this industry are often exploited by producers and filmmakers. Some of them are coming to this industry only to gamble, have fun and sleep around, and it is only because of them that there is negativity in the industry.
If the filmmakers put an emphasis on their personal needs, and sleep around with artistes, will their art create an impact?”
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