JOIN US"Yes, I'm playing Kamal Haasan's wife in Selvaraghavan's film. Why should that be a problem," asked the confident newcomer Sonakshi, who is just 23.
"Once you are in front of the camera, your age should not matter. I never felt like a child while working with Salman Khan (who is 45) in 'Dabangg' and now with Akshay Kumar in 'Joker'. I will be respectful but an equal on the sets with Mr. Kamal Haasan," she added.
And no, Kamal Haasan and Sonakshi are not doing an Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore routine from "Hannibal".
"I don't where the speculation started from. No, this film is a complete original. When I heard the script, I was blown away. I'd be very stupid to turn it down, just because the hero, a legend in his lifetime, is much older than me. Aren't we over these trivial matters?
"In real life, age makes no difference in a marriage. On screen too your biological age is of no consequence. I've been acknowledged for being different from my female colleagues. Let me enjoy this difference," she said.
As part of her preparation to feel maturer, Sonakshi has requested the entire crew of Shirish Kunder's "Joker" in Chandigarh to stop treating her like the baby of the family.
"I'm not letting them treat me with kid's gloves. I've made it very clear that Akshay, Shirish, Farah Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra and the entire team are my friends. It's the only way to work," she said.
Sonakshi also intends to spend as much time as possible with Kamal Haasan to get comfortable in his company.
"It's Kamalji I would like to get to know. I need to establish a comfort level with him. Of course, there's a lot of initial nervousness. Naturally. Kamalji is legendary. Acting with him is difficult enough. But to play his wife, I need a lot more guts. But then I've a legend at home," said Sonakshi referring to her actor-politician father Shatrughan Sinha.
Her dad is helping her to get a hang of Tamil and Telugu.
"It is impossible for me to get a grip on Tamil and Telugu in such a short time. My father couldn't speak either language when he did 'Rakht Charitra'. He read out the lines from cue cards. But no one could make it out. He's teaching me how to read the words in Tamil and Telugu without looking like you're reading it," she said.
Sonakshi will also be watching Kamal Haasan's film "Hey Rama" where the actor was married to Vasundhara Das, at least 25 years his junior, to see the on-screen chemistry between the legendary actor and a much younger co-star.
"But I'm not supposed to be the least ill-matched with him. It's a film that pushes the envelope. I want to do roles that take me ahead as an actor. I am not here to do routine stuff," she said.
Sonakshi is not the least conflicted by the fall-out between her "Dabangg" producer Arbaaz Khan and director Abhinav Kashyap. In fact, the buzz is, she's been finalised for Kashyap's next as well as "Dabangg 2".
"Both Arbaaz and Abhinav are dear friends. I'm glad Arbaaz is turning director. He'll make a terrific sequel to 'Dabangg'. As for Abhinav, I'd love to be part of anything he does next," she said