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Tanushree is on a high with Speed and Dhol releasing soon. She talks about working with Priyadarshan and her aspirations...
With two big releases coming up soon, you must be quite upbeat.
That's right. I am very optimistic about Speed. It is coming on August 10. I am also very excited about Dhol that is releasing in September.

Everyone wants to work with a director like Priyadarshan and you got your first chance with Dhol. What was the experience like?
I had the fortune to work with Priyan in Bhagam Bhag earlier. But it was for just a song, not much to mention. In Dhol, I have a full-fledged role as the main heroine. Priyan is a very organized person and everything was on paper before its execution on the sets. He gives a lot of freedom to his actors and is a very patient man. Like his films, the atmosphere on his sets is also full of fun and frolic. He knows how to make the most of his artistes who in return try to put in their best. It was a fabulous experience doing Dhol. I got to learn a lot from him and I would love to do more films with him.

What is Dhol all about?
Dhol is an out-an-out comedy film in which I play a small-town girl. Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor and Rajpal Yadav are my friends in the film. It was a riot on the sets with pranks being pulled on each one everyday. All of us were targets when it came to pulling each one's legs.

It is also your first experience at comedy. Were you comfortable doing it?
I always wanted to do try my hand at comedy and with Dhol I got that chance. I tried doing my homework and now I only hope that my attempt is liked.

Since it was a fun-film, you must have taken home a lot of fond memories with you. Care to share some with us?
There were several incidents that happened while making Dhol. But what I treasure the most is that the shooting was extensively held in Pune with only two songs canned in Mumbai. Since I have spent my college days in Pune, the place holds a special place in my heart. Being busy with films, I could not meet my friends for a long time and this schedule was also a reunion of sorts with them.

Did you have work on your role?
When I was called for the role, the only condition was that I should be able to ride a bike. Coming from Pune where everyone rides a two-wheeler, I was comfortable with the idea of riding a motorbike. If they had asked me to drive a four-wheeler, I would have been in a tight spot as I don't drive a car.

How well did you jell with your co-stars?
I had no problems with anyone. We were all a great team. I knew Tusshar well as we had done Good Boy Bad Boy together. With Sharman and Rajpal, there was a great comfort level. They are very sweet guys. It was a pleasure to work with Om Puri with who I was doing a film for the first time.

Since Speed is a multi-starrer, didn't you feel you would get lost in the ensemble?
Not at all. I feel that if one is confident, there is nothing to fear. And in fact, it is fun to be a part of a big unit. Also I had not done a multi-starrer for a long time, my last being Chocolate. Most of my films till date have been solo leads so I enjoy working with many people around me.

Speed, as the title suggests, is an action film. Weren't you apprehensive about being a part of it?
Speed, which was in the making for two years, is an action-thriller, a genre that I had never tried earlier. I did it as I wanted to experience the fun of an action film. I am paired with Zayed Khan and we have a cute chemistry between us, which is why working with him was fun.

Now that you have made a place for yourself in the industry, what is your dream role?
An action film. Another one, yes.

So after Speed and Dhol, what is in the offing from your end?
Negotiations are on. In the meantime, I am going to be very busy with my endorsements and stage shows that will keep me pretty busy for a long time. I am also taking lessons in Kathak that I have been intending to do for a long time. Soon, I shall be a very good dancer.