Madhuri: Romance scenes with Naseer would make me feel shy

Madhuri Dixit, Huma Qureshi and Arshad Warsi on Dedh Ishqiya, which releases on January 31. Patcy N listens in.

Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin Shah are back as Babban and Khalujaan in the second installment of the 2010 film Ishqiya.

This one is called Dedh Ishqiya, and also stars Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi.

At the launch of the movie's second trailer, the actors spoke about their roles and the experience of shooting the film.

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Arshad Warsi says director Abhishek Chaubey shot the film in sweaty, dirty, locations, but he enjoyed the dirt and muck.

"We have been to the most remote and dirtiest locations," Madhuri adds, "but I didn't know they could look so beautiful on screen. I enjoyed working with the cast -- Naseerji, Arshad, Huma and Abhishek Chaubey."

Why did Madhuri agree to Dedh Ishqiya?

"When I saw Ishqiya, I loved it. When Abhishek called and said he is making a sequel and wants to cast me, I immediately went and met him. After listening to the script, I loved my character, Begum Para."

"It is a wonderful script -- it has romance, trust, betrayal, everything."

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Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya, Huma Qureshi feels, are two very different films.

"I have seen Ishqiya, but it has nothing to do with this film. Only the characters of Babban and Khalujaan have been retained. Babban and Khalujaan meet two women, that is me and Madhuriji, and fall in love with them."

"When I read the script, I loved the characters," adds Huma. "They are madder and far more irreverent than in the first one. The first film was intense, but this is a fun film."

The role Huma plays in Dedh Ishqiya was first offered to Asin, who did not find it interesting, and then to Kangna Ranaut, who backed out later, citing date issues.

"I had auditioned for the film," Huma recalls. "I had not received any call from Abhishek, so I thought maybe he doesn't want to cast me. Then he called on January 26. I was sleeping. He spoke to me for half an hour. I thought he was politely telling me he had not cast me, but after half an hour he told me I was in the film."

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Madhuri acknowledges the changes in show business from her time.

"Filmmaking has changed a lot," she says. "It is more disciplined. You get a ready script. Everything is worked out before the shoot starts."

"You know exactly when the film starts and when it ends. Promotions are a big deal now. In fact, they have become very hectic, but I think it is all for the good."

Madhuri's next release is Gulaab Gang. "My role in Dedh Ishqiya and Gulaab Gang are very different. I am fortunate I am getting different kinds of roles now," she says.

In Ishqiya, the girl cheated Arshad. Will he get the girl this time? "In this film too, I don't get the girl," quips Arshad. "Finally, I marry Khalujaan."

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Madhuri was asked if she was nervous romancing Naseeruddin Shah.

"I wasn't nervous, but I have always found his eyes very intense. Whenever we did any romantic scenes, I would feel shy," the actress says, revealing, "This is the first time I have found myself in such a situation."

"With him you don't have to act, you just have to react because he is so good, natural, that you get carried away."

"I was very comfortable working with him. I was told Naseerji is usually very irritable, but he was very happy on the sets."

Madhuri, who recently peformed the Ghagra song in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, adds, "I have two dance songs in this film, both sung by Rekha Bhardwaj. One is choreographed by Pandit Birju Maharaj, the other by Remo D'Souza."

"I have a dance scene with Madhuri," says Huma. "I thought everybody had lost it to make me dance with her. I was very nervous, but she made me comfortable."