Anushka Sharma gets drunk to get into character for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola

Teetotaler actor downs vodka to prepare for a scene; ends up with a hangover, delays shoot. When Anushka Sharma had to shoot a drunken scene with Pankaj Kapur for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, she had even more reason to be jittery.

Sharing screen space with a veteran actor can be a daunting proposition. So when Anushka Sharma had to shoot a drunken scene with Pankaj Kapur for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, she had even more reason to be jittery. The actor, who is a teetotaller, was worried about how she would pull off acting drunk, because she has no idea how it one behaves under the influence of alcohol.

A source says, “Anushka was fretting over the scene because Pankaj is a seasoned actor. Someone suggested that she get a drink just to know what it feels like, so she did. And while rehearsing with a unit member on location in Chandigarh, she ended up having half a bottle of vodka. She got a little high too, but didn’t realise it and went off to her hotel to sleep. The next day, she had a bad hangover and slept till late into the afternoon.”

As a result, the scene —which was to be shot that afternoon —couldn’t be completed, and was pushed to the next afternoon. The source adds, “Anushka was very apologetic when she met Vishal (Bhardwaj, director) and Pankaj the next day, but they think highly of her and were impressed by her dedication.

In fact, the entire unit was impressed that she went to such lengths for one scene.” Ironically, Anushka shot the scene successfully in just one take, without drinking.