Mumbai: Actor and acting coach Jayati Bhatia has shared an interesting behind-the-scenes anecdote from Deepika Padukone’s preparation for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, revealing how the actress fearlessly performed an unusual acting exercise that involved loudly hurling abuses from the filmmaker’s office balcony. According to Bhatia, Deepika showed complete commitment to the workshop and did not hesitate despite already being a well-known star.
The revelation came during Jayati Bhatia’s recent interview, where she reflected on the workshops organised to help Deepika immerse herself in the fiery and emotionally intense character of Leela.
Bhansali wanted Deepika to ‘open up’
Jayati Bhatia said she was brought in by Sanjay Leela Bhansali to conduct acting workshops before the shooting of Ram-Leela.
According to her, Bhansali wanted Deepika to become more uninhibited so that she could fully embrace the passionate and fearless nature of Leela. The workshops reportedly lasted four days and focused on helping the actress shed any hesitation before the camera.
The unusual acting exercise
One of the exercises involved Deepika standing on the balcony of Bhansali’s office and pretending to shout at a street vendor below.
Jayati instructed the actress to loudly use abusive language as part of the performance without worrying about who might be watching. The exercise was designed to help Deepika release emotional inhibitions and respond instinctively rather than self-consciously.
‘She did not hesitate’
Recalling the moment, Jayati said Deepika exceeded expectations.
She revealed that although the scripted exercise ended after a particular abusive phrase, Deepika continued improvising with more colourful language that even surprised her acting coach. Jayati said the actress never worried that people outside might recognise her or judge her, despite already enjoying star status after Cocktail.
Bhansali’s surprise for Deepika
Jayati also shared that Deepika initially believed Bhansali had cast her in a graceful and restrained role.
However, Bhansali reportedly told Jayati that the actress was “in for a shock” because Leela was an emotional, spirited and feisty character. The workshops were therefore designed to prepare Deepika for the emotional intensity required in the film.
Four days were enough
According to Jayati, it became evident within four days that Deepika had completely embraced the character.
She praised the actress for being highly receptive to direction, describing her as “mouldable” and fully committed to every exercise. Jayati said she eventually told Bhansali that there was no longer any need to “open her up” because Deepika had transformed herself for the role.
Ram-Leela became a milestone
Released in 2013, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela went on to become one of the biggest films of Deepika Padukone’s career.
Her performance as Leela received widespread critical acclaim and earned her several awards, while the film also marked the beginning of her successful on-screen pairing with Ranveer Singh.
Conclusion
Jayati Bhatia’s recollection offers a rare glimpse into the unconventional preparation that went into shaping Deepika Padukone’s acclaimed performance in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. The story highlights the actor’s willingness to step outside her comfort zone and fully commit to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s demanding creative process, a quality that helped make Leela one of the most memorable characters of her career.