I enjoy doing all kinds of roles: Shahid
Q. How does it feel to anchor this kind of project?
A. The college portions make me feel a bit embarrassed. I almost feel like apologising to my children because when they grow up, they might be surprised to see me doing something like this at 45.
But as an actor, I enjoy doing all kinds of roles. My job is not to simply be myself—anyone can do that. The real work is to step into characters that feel stretched or unexpected.
Shahid Kapoor plays the male lead in Cocktail 2.
When I started the film, I wondered whether I was repeating myself. But by the end, I felt, “Why haven’t I done something like this earlier?” I had a great time.
Working with Homi (Homi Adajania, director) was refreshing because he brought out something new in me. He doesn’t come with baggage from our past work, and that really helps an actor explore freely.
I also couldn’t have done it without Rashmika and Kriti—the energy of the entire cast reflects on screen.
Q. Was there any scene you were skeptical about?
A. I was a bit unsure at the start, but I followed Homi’s vision. He completely broke the usual actor mindset.
(L-R) Kriti Sanon, Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna bond over Cocktail 2 promotions.
Q. How does it compare to Cocktail in tone?
A. It may look international, but at its core it’s very Indian, warm, and relatable. It reflects society and relationships in a very honest way.
Was on a strict diet for Mashooqa song: Kriti
Q. Have you ever been in a love triangle?
A. In school, I once had a crush on the crush of a close friend. I didn’t pursue it because we were good friends.
Looking back, it was a good decision because that person turned out to be a red flag.
Kriti Sanon in Mashooqa song from Cocktail 2.
Q. Reaction to speculation about female friendship dynamics?
A. It’s sad how people view it. Male bonding is called bromance, but female friendship is often misread as rivalry or romance.
Q. About the Mashooqa song experience?
A. It was tough—I was on a strict diet in Italy and often hungry and cranky. Shahid can confirm that (laughs).
Q. Working again with Shahid Kapoor?
A. This time it felt more free and human. He improvises a lot, which I enjoy, and we had great chemistry.
A candid moment of Kriti Sanon (L) and Shahid Kapoor during Cocktail 2 promotions.
Overthinking is something I relate to: Rashmika
Q. Tell us about your character.
A. My character Diya is an overthinker, which is something I relate to. But many of her decisions are not something I would do in real life.
I kept asking the director if certain things were okay, but he was confident it fits the film’s world.
Rashmika Mandanna promoting Cocktail 2.
Q. Why switch from serious roles to this?
A. I was a bit nervous because this is the most urban look I’ve had. But I wanted to try something new because audiences also like surprises.
Q. Was it an easier shoot?
A. Not at all. Filmmaking is never easy. But the people you work with make the process memorable, and this film had a great team.
Rashmika Mandanna (L) and Kriti Sanon (R) promote Cocktail 2 together.
(Photos: Shahid Kapoor/Kriti Sanon/Rashmika Mandanna Facebook)