I have highest regard for Deepika Padukone, directing her is an experience: Imtiaz Ali

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and actor Deepika Padukone have worked together for Love Aaj Kal and Tamasha.

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has cast several top heroines in his films, be it Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma or Alia Bhatt, but there’s one actor he can’t stop gushing about — Deepika Padukone. The two collaborated for Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Tamasha (2015).

“Directing her (Deepika) in any film is an experience in its own; one gets to learn a lot of things,” says Imtiaz, who adds that Deepika is very different from her contemporaries.

“She is powerful and a good actor. I have highest regard and love for her. Her understanding and dedication for a character is what makes her special and different from others.”

Imtiaz — who has also directed films such as Socha Na Tha (2005), Rockstar (2011), Highway (2014) and Jab Harry Met Sejal — reveals how he wasn’t convinced about Deepika being the right choice for Tamasha.

“Initially, I didn’t want her to play that part because I didn’t know if it was worth her while, but she said she wanted to do it. I knew that she’d understand the darkness and pain of the emotion very well. So, that’s why I decided to go ahead with her,” he says.