Lara Dutta recalls Deepika filming Housefull with malaria: She was totally drained
Lara Dutta shared that Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with malaria during the shoot of Housefull but continued filming despite battling high fever and exhaustion.
As Housefull completes 16 years on April 30, Lara Dutta looked back at the film’s shoot and revealed that co-star Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with malaria during filming but continued to work despite being seriously unwell. The actor recalled that Deepika battled high fever and exhaustion on set, yet remained committed to completing her scenes without letting her health affect her performance.
In an interview with NDTV, Lara shared that shooting in Italy felt like a family holiday as the entire cast stayed together during the schedule. She credited producer Sajid Nadiadwala for creating a smooth and comfortable environment that ensured the shoot remained stress-free.
Lara further revealed that many people were unaware that Deepika had fallen seriously ill after contracting malaria during the shoot. According to her, the actor was completely drained and required medical attention while continuing to film.
"And then the next morning, because we had this fixed schedule, there are multiple actors and we were shooting scenes during that time that were quite emotional. So she would show up on set and you could see that she was totally drained and wiped out. But she was an absolute professional. She got her work done. There was absolutely no drop in her performance," she said.
"And as an actor, you have to give another actor credit for that because I know how difficult it is when you're completely wiped out and something like malaria absolutely wipes you out. It's not like you just have a cold or you just have a fever. And she was an absolute professional and she's not," she added.
Lara also praised Deepika for her dedication and described her as reserved rather than shy. She said Deepika is extremely focused and clear about her work, adding that when actors understand their roles and bring their craft to the set, that is when the magic truly happens.
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 in pivotal roles. The film emerged as a major box office success and went on to establish one of Bollywood’s most popular comedy franchises, remembered for its ensemble cast and comic timing.
As Housefull completes 16 years on April 30, Lara Dutta looked back at the film’s shoot and revealed that co-star Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with malaria during filming but continued to work despite being seriously unwell. The actor recalled that Deepika battled high fever and exhaustion on set, yet remained committed to completing her scenes without letting her health affect her performance.
In an interview with NDTV, Lara shared that shooting in Italy felt like a family holiday as the entire cast stayed together during the schedule. She credited producer Sajid Nadiadwala for creating a smooth and comfortable environment that ensured the shoot remained stress-free.
Lara further revealed that many people were unaware that Deepika had fallen seriously ill after contracting malaria during the shoot. According to her, the actor was completely drained and required medical attention while continuing to film.
"And then the next morning, because we had this fixed schedule, there are multiple actors and we were shooting scenes during that time that were quite emotional. So she would show up on set and you could see that she was totally drained and wiped out. But she was an absolute professional. She got her work done. There was absolutely no drop in her performance," she said.
"And as an actor, you have to give another actor credit for that because I know how difficult it is when you're completely wiped out and something like malaria absolutely wipes you out. It's not like you just have a cold or you just have a fever. And she was an absolute professional and she's not," she added.
Lara also praised Deepika for her dedication and described her as reserved rather than shy. She said Deepika is extremely focused and clear about her work, adding that when actors understand their roles and bring their craft to the set, that is when the magic truly happens.
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 in pivotal roles. The film emerged as a major box office success and went on to establish one of Bollywood’s most popular comedy franchises, remembered for its ensemble cast and comic timing.
