Deepika Padukone was 'scared' of Irrfan Khan while working in Piku! Know why

Actor Irrfan Khan is known for his versatility and pulling off any character effortlessly. As one of the finest Indian actors, he was loved for his ability to portray complex characters with depth and authenticity. His popularity crossed the boundaries and he gained international recognition for his stellar performances in several Hollywood projects. When Irrfan walked into the frame, it was almost impossible for the audience to take their eyes off his character. Well, such attributions could possibly have raised alarming situations for his fellow actors.

Among many spectacular movies of Irrfan, Piku was one of the most cherished films, which also starred Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan. Helmed by Soojit Sircar, Deepika played the titular character in the movie. While the entire movie revolves around Piku and her father (Amitabh Bachchan), the story takes an interesting turn after the entry of Rana Chaudhary (Irrfan). Rana, a taxi company owner drives Piku and her father all the way to Calcutta as Bhaskor wants to visit his ancestral home.

Also Read | Irrfan Khan's death anniversary: Revisiting the iconic roles played by the legendary actor

But, did you know that Deepika was nervous before sharing screen space with Irrfan? As per Deepika, she was quite nervous about working with Irrfan as she thought that he would 'look down' upon her for being a mainstream actor.

The movie had three celebrated actors and the movie was loved for its humour. But, the Padmavat actress had something else in her mind.

Earlier, during an interview with PTI, Deepika opened up about her experience of working with Irrfan. She was quoted as saying, "I thought he would be an intense actor, an intense person, everything about him is intense, courtesy of media's perception."

Further, she added, "I thought he would be stern, and not interact and look down upon me for being a commercial heroine. But, he is very different from that."

Furthermore, calling him 'humorous' and 'shy,' she added, "He talks less but when he says, It is very funny. I think his comic timing is pretty untapped. And no amount of explanation can give justice to the fine talent that he is."

Years later, Soojit Sircar said that Irrfan Khan was expecting Piku to be a love story as it had Deepika. He also revealed that Irrfan said that being a part of the movie was a big moment for him as an A-grade actress had agreed to work with him.

He added, "That helped them bond because Deepika was scared that she was going to work with Irrfan."

He said Deepika was scared in the beginning because Irrfan was an artist.

Irrfan passed away at the age of 53 on April 29, 2020, in Mumbai, after a long battle with cancer.