Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI): Shraddha Kapoor has so far played likeable characters on screen, but in "Haseena Parkar" she'll be seen in a completely different avatar, and director Apoorva Lakhia believes it will be a bigger risk for the actor.
Lakhia says it came as a surprise to many people when he approached Shraddha for the role.
"I could only give her a basic idea of what I wanted and I think she had done a great job. It (the film) is a bigger risk for her than it's for me. She plays these chocolaty lovable heroines, where she sings songs. In real life too she is a chirpy person," Lakhia tells PTI.
"But Haseena doesn't have any of these things. Also, everyone was surprised when I approached her."
The director commends Shraddha for immediately saying yes to the role without any hesitation.
"As an actor, she never questioned, 'Oh why am I playing a mother of four?' That shows how confident she is of her talent. For a woman who is 30 to play a 50 year old, where there is no song and dance what she is known for, is fantastic."
"Haseena Parkar" is the latest film where Lakhia explores the world of gangsters and criminals after "Shootout at Lokhandwala", "Mission Istanbul" and "Zanjeer".
"All of us have a dark side. Why did Dawood Ibrahim do the things he did to become what he is and why didn't you do it? That's interesting to me," says Lakhia when asked why he is drawn to the underworld.
"What makes a guy break the law and at the same time be religious and family-oriented is what fascinates me. The only thing is, they decide to take a shorter route in life."
The film will release on September 22, the same day as Sanjay Dutt's "Bhoomi" and Lakhia says he would love to collaborate with the superstar again.
"I would definitely love to work with him again. He has been part of three of my projects. When he got out from the prison, we were already in the middle of 'Haseena'. So let's see what happens with the next script.
"We are releasing on the same day. We had a chat and are cool about it. I really hope his film does phenomenally well because I love him. He deserves to come back," Lakhia says.