It is impossible to please everyone: Lara Dutta on playing Indira Gandhi

Actor Lara Dutta, who recently made headlines for her transformation into Indira Gandhi for the upcoming film Bell Bottom, has spoken up about facing backlash when it comes to portraying prominent political figures. The actor claimed that it is “impossible” to please everyone, according to Hindustan Times. 

When questioned about her role by SpotBoyE, Dutta shared she isn’t particularly interested in pleasing everyone out there. She explained, “It’s impossible to keep everybody happy all the time. Even if I want to, I can’t do that."

Speaking about the pressure of getting it right when it comes to playing real-life figures, the actor added, "Of course, I knew that I am playing an iconic, historical figure who is admired and revered very much in history. Bell Bottom’s story is inspired by a true incident that occurred during her tenure, and we have taken some cinematic liberty, but to play a character that people know so well and feel a connection to, it definitely adds a huge responsibility to make it believable.”

Dutta revealed that her look as Indira Gandhi shocked her husband. Speaking to Zoom, the actor said, “My husband was shocked. He probably felt very unsettled with the look. He was like I don’t want to hug you. You don’t really look like yourself.”

However, Dutta’s daughter was intrigued by the transformation. "She saw it come alive in front of her... She came in and she saw whole silicon on my face and said, ‘Mum they are going to kill you, you can’t breathe’. She was so worried. Yeah, but having said that, she was also very intrigued and was like, ‘Can I touch the nose, the eyebrows? Can I do this, that?’” shared the actor. 

The Ranjit M Tewari-helmed film has been in the pipeline for a few years now. The Kaal star was so unrecognisable in the trailer that even left journalists confused when they tried spotting her in the clip. Upon inquiry by the journalists, Dutta revealed, “You did see me in the trailer. I’m playing Mrs Indira Gandhi. That’s me.” 

Along with Dutta and Akshay Kumar in lead roles, the spy film also stars Huma Qureshi and Vaani Kapoor. Since Dutta’s role was so crucial, she had to do some extra homework. She revealed, “There was a lot of homework and research that went behind it. But it was an opportunity of a lifetime that I’m thankful for.”