‘Aap gaali dengi na?’: What Vishal Bhardwaj asked Farida Jalal before casting her in Shahid Kapoor’s O’ Romeo

Farida Jalal in a still from O'Romeo.

The recently released teaser of Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming film O’Romeo has created a lot of buzz. Veteran actor Farida Jalal’s fans were especially taken by surprise after they saw the actor cursing in the teaser. Now, Farida has opened up about the same, admitting that while she agreed to swear in the film, she had clearly laid out her conditions before saying yes to Vishal Bhardwaj.

Speaking to Zoom, Farida shared that after working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Heeramandi, she had wished to collaborate with Bhardwaj, and her wish finally came true when he approached her with a role in O Romeo. “When he came to the house and sat across, I told him, ‘I ticked off one more director from my wish list, as I have been wanting to work with you.’ He said, ‘Farida Ji, sabse pehle ek baat poochni thi (I want to ask you something)’, Maine kahan, haan poochiye? (I asked him what?)’ He asked, ‘Aap gaali dengi na? (Will you cuss in the film?)’”

Farida admitted that she was surprised by the request. She said, “Can you imagine? I didn’t know what to say. I was so overwhelmed that he was there and I was going to work with him. Nahin rehne dijiye, chhod dijiye – aise toh main bolne wali nahin thi (I wouldn’t have said no to him). This man, with whom I always wanted to work, sat across me.”

She further revealed that she laid out her conditions before agreeing to Vishal Bhardwaj’s requirements. Farida said, “All I said is nangi nangi, gandi gandi gaaliyan main nahin dungi. Chhoti wali, mamuli-si ho toh de sakti hu (I wont’t say very filthy cuss words, only less controversial ones). Mere hisaab se zyada nangi, gandi nahi thi. Ma-behen toh nahin bolungi (I will also not give any cuss words on mothers and sisters). He started laughing and understood where I came from.”

Farida also admitted that she was aware her fans would be shocked after hearing her say those words in the teaser, but she agreed because the character demanded it. “I have said this only once in the film and look at the uproar. Look at the comments on the internet! People are saying Farida Jalal ne yeh bola, humara pyari Dadi/Maa ne yeh bola. They have seen me since childhood and I have also stayed away from such dialogues, but it is okay. This is because the character speaks in a certain way. She is always in a temper. If you say yes to a role, you have to go all the way for it,” she said.

Apart from Farida Jalal, O Romeo stars Shahid Kapoor in the lead role. Triptii Dimri plays the female lead, while Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani and Nana Patekar play pivotal roles in the film.