- Housefull was first released in 2010 and has five installments in the franchise
- Deepika Padukone contracted malaria during Housefull filming but remained professional
- Sajid Nadiadwala created a family-like, smooth working environment on the Italy set
Housefull was first released in 2010, and since then has had five instalments in the franchise. But nothing matches up to the magic and effortless comedy that the OG cast put up in Sajid Khan's Housefull. As the film clocks 16 years tomorrow, Lara Dutta, one of the female leads, spoke to us exclusively about the memories of the film. But what she revealed was that Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with malaria on set, yet her professionalism never deterred her.
What Lara Dutta Said
Speaking of the environment on set, Lara Dutta said, "We went to Italy and we were like a big family on holiday. And I mean, Sajid Nadiadwala created this environment for us where we were all staying together. And when production is seamless and smooth, then all the issues also calm down. Everybody just... it becomes conducive to working."
She then went on to reveal how Deepika Padukone got extremely sick as she got malaria.
The actress continued, "But a lot of people don't know this, that during the filming of Housefull, Deepika actually felt really sick. She had malaria. And she was absolutely wiped out. So they had to get her a doctor and put her on medication. And she was a thorough professional because she was running a fever, high fever all night. She was shivering and would have to take these meds. And then the next morning, because we had this fixed schedule, there are multiple actors and we were shooting scenes during that time that were quite emotional. So she would show up on set and you could see that she was totally drained and wiped out. But she was an absolute professional. She got her work done. There was absolutely no drop in her performance."
"And as an actor, you have to give another actor credit for that because I know how difficult it is when you're completely wiped out and something like malaria absolutely wipes you out. It's not like you just have a cold or you just have a fever. And she was an absolute professional and she's not."
Furthermore, Lara Dutta was extremely appreciative of Deepika Padukone's dedication. She also said that Deepika is not 'shy' but 'reserved'.
"She's also a very, very clear and focused on what she needs to do, and when each actor knows exactly what they're supposed to do, they bring their craft to a set, that's when the magic happens," added Lara Dutta.
About Housefull
Sajid Khan's Housefull was led by Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, along with Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal and Lillette Dubey in key roles. It was a massive success that launched the Housefull franchise.
The film was applauded for the actors' impeccable comic timing and a huge ensemble cast putting their best foot forward.