The year 2020 was tough on all and sundry and it was no different for actress Kriti Kharbanda. The Housefull 4 actress was diagnosed with Malaria last November and was advised strict bed rest by her doctor which clashed with the shoot schedule of her upcoming movie, 14 Phere.
However, she insisted that the show must go on as per the scheduled dates and pushed herself to do her part.
She adds:
I was detected with malaria in November, and was advised complete bed rest for three weeks. However, I didn’t want the schedule of 14 Phere to go helter-skelter because of me, so I insisted that we start the shoot as per schedule. I was barely 10 days into malaria when I started shooting. Moreover, we were in Lucknow, shooting for nearly 18 hours a day.
Working on a film that requires her to sit for hours on makeup and prep isn’t easy even on normal days, and with malaria in tow, it would have been quite a task.
She elaborates:
I lost six kilos, and the stress was showing on my skin and body. I am just happy that I was able to finish the schedule. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the entire team.
Speaking about 14 Phere, which is a film based around a wedding, Kriti has quite some interesting advice for all the to-be weds out there.
The actress says:
Meri maano toh bas bhaag kar shaadi karlo. I think woh sabse best hota hai (If I were to say, I would say run away and get married. I think that’s the best) (laughs). I feel that due to COVID restrictions, people have benefited with hosting intimate marriage ceremonies. I think most people want to do small functions with limited people, but they fall prey to the pressure of hosting big fat weddings. Aap hi socho…ki stage pe sabko namaste namaste karte baithna throughout, the entire time goes in that.
14 Phere is a comedy drama that stars Vikrant Massey alongside Kriti. Ask her about working with Vikrant and she shares:
If you have a lot of things in common with your co-star, then it helps to build a rapport and work becomes easier despite all odds. Vikrant is not just a fantastic actor, but a great co-star as well. We bonded over our love for food, comedy and cinema. I am a bit of a moofat, but he gets that, and he doesn’t take offence, so that helped us get along. We spent a lot of time together on set, we even played cricket and cards in our free time.
It is also interesting to note that this isn’t the first time Kriti will be essaying the role of a bride. She has done so previously in Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana & Veerey Ki Wedding and was great in both of them. Now, I sure am excited to see her in 14 Phere!
Directed by Devanshu Singh, the film is produced by Zee Studios and is scheduled to release theatrically on July 9th, 2021.