Janhvi Kapoor Talks Spy Thriller ‘Ulajh,’ NTR Jr and Ram Charan Films: ‘Cinema at Its Best’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor is set to appear in her first espionage thriller, “Ulajh,” helmed by acclaimed indie director Sudhanshu Saria in his commercial debut.

Produced by Junglee Pictures, the film follows a young Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, played by Kapoor, who becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy while on a diplomatic mission.

Speaking to Variety , Kapoor discussed her extensive preparation process for the role, which included a nine-day acting workshop with coach Atul Mongia and 15 days of script readings with Saria. “It really changed the way I look at my craft,” Kapoor said of the experience. “And then I just disappeared for 10-12 days before the shoot with the script. I wanted to spend time with the script and myself at home… getting familiar with the text.”

The actor noted that Saria encouraged her to move away from what he saw as an apologetic, people-pleasing demeanor. “He wanted to work on getting my way in an argument without diluting myself or trying to seem lesser,” Kapoor explained. This approach marked a departure from her previous roles and personal tendencies.

“There’s an aspect of, I guess, to my predisposition in life, where I’m a little apologetic about where I come from. And to compensate for that, I kind of have a people-pleasing way of dealing with situations,” Kapoor said. The actor is the daughter of late Indian screen icon Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor. “That’s one thing he [Saria] identified was very different from Suhana [her character]. She’s not afraid to have an opinion. She knows how to get her way, she knows how to handle male egos,” Kapoor said.

In portraying an IFS officer, Kapoor focused on intellectual rather than physical preparation, noting that her character approaches demanding situations as a novice. “I wanted to do the training that Suhana [the IFS officer character] probably had done in her life. And when I was thrown into these physically demanding situations, I approached it the way that Suhana, as someone who actually doesn’t have any combat training, would,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor also experimented with her vocal performance, going with Saria’s instruction of “not girl, woman.” “I wanted to have a voice that was a little more commanding, a little less meek,” she said, acknowledging some nervousness about how it will be received. “I’ve tried a different voice in the film. I don’t know if anyone will even notice or if it’ll make any difference. But it was an attempt.”

The actor praised the collaborative nature of the project, saying she felt more involved than on previous films. “I’ve never taken so much ownership of a film and been so obsessive or sensitive about a film before,” Kapoor said. “They really made me feel involved and empowered and I have a voice. It’s a very good feeling because I’ve never taken so much ownership or had this much of an opinion on everything that has to do with the film.”

Since her debut in 2018 with the romantic drama “Dhadak,” Kapoor has quickly established herself as one of Bollywood’s most promising young talents. Her performances in films like Indian Air Force biopic “Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl” and the horror-comedy “Roohi” have showcased her versatility as an actor. In 2022, Kapoor starred in “Mili,” a survival thriller remake of the Malayalam-language hit “Helen,” which saw her take on a physically demanding role as a woman trapped in a freezer. She followed this with “Good Luck Jerry,” a black comedy crime film that is a remake of Tamil-language hit “Kolamaavu Kokila.”

Kapoor’s “Mr. and Mrs. Mahi,” in which she stars opposite Rajkummar Rao, is centered around cricket, and required Kapoor to undergo training in the sport. Kapoor has also ventured into the streaming space with projects like “Ghost Stories” for Netflix. Despite facing initial scrutiny as the daughter of Sridevi, Kapoor has worked to carve out her own identity in the industry, taking on diverse roles and collaborating with both established and emerging filmmakers.

Currently, Kapoor is wrapping up her first Telugu-language film, “Devara,” alongside “RRR” star NTR Jr. and shooting a romantic comedy titled “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” with Varun Dhawan. She’s also set to begin production on a project with the other “RRR” star Ram Charan, currently identified as “RC 16.” “‘Devara’ is just a very, very unique film. Both ‘Devara’ and ‘RC 16,’ I don’t think you can limit to any one specific genre. It’s cinema, I think, at its best,” Kapoor said.

Reflecting on recent box office trends in India, where the 2023 rage for big canvas blockbusters has given way to appreciation for plot over spectacle, Kapoor emphasized the importance of emotional resonance over budget size. “What matters to Indian audiences, and always has, is if they strike a chord with the story and the emotion of the film,” she said. “Even if it’s an emotion that can be bracketed into a mass or commercial film, I know that there’s always a thought, or at least the seed of a thought, that connects with the audience.”

Kapoor also noted the impact of global content on Indian viewers. “Over the course of the last couple of years, they’ve been exposed to so much world cinema and art and shows from all around the world through the boom of digital media,” she observed. “I think that’s maybe influenced their taste a little bit.”

“Ulajh” releases worldwide theatrically on Aug. 2.