Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 30: As Housefull completes 16 years, actor Lara Dutta reminisced about the film’s shooting days and revealed that co-star Deepika Padukone continued working despite suffering from malaria during the shoot.

In a recent interaction, Lara described the experience of filming in Italy as being like “a big family on holiday,” crediting producer Sajid Nadiadwala for creating a comfortable and positive working environment where the entire cast stayed together.

She disclosed that Deepika had fallen seriously ill during the shoot but remained committed to her work. “A lot of people don’t know this, but Deepika had malaria. She was running a high fever, shivering and on medication. Despite that, she showed up on set every day,” Lara said.

Highlighting her professionalism, Lara noted that even while being visibly drained, Deepika ensured there was no compromise in her performance. “She was completely wiped out, but there was absolutely no drop in her work. You have to give her credit for that,” she added.

Lara also described Deepika as a focused and reserved individual who is clear about her craft. “When each actor knows what they are supposed to do and brings that to the set, that’s when the magic happens,” she said.

Directed by Sajid Khan, Housefull featured an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal, and Lillete Dubey. The film went on to become a successful franchise in Bollywood.