Lara Dutta on Playing Indira Gandhi in Bell Bottom: All It Took Was a Call

Lara Dutta went through a dramatic transformation to play Indira Gandhi in Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom.

Lara Dutta plays Indira Gandhi in the Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram/ Twitter)

The trailer for Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom was unveiled yesterday and one person caught everyone’s eye. Fans have been talking about actor Lara Dutta’s astonishing transformation to play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, where she is barely recognisable.

During the trailer launch, Lara Dutta opened up about her character, and the preparation that went into it. “All it took was a call, saying, ‘Lara, this film is being made and we are casting for Indira Gandhi’s role’ and that’s all it really took before I even heard the script," she said.

“But yes, of course, it’s a great responsibility when you are portraying somebody who is an iconic figure like her. I hope all of you will go to theatres to watch the film. But it was very important to get her body language right,” she added.

“As you know the film deals with the hijack situation that happened during Indira Gandhi’s tenure. So given the dramatic turn of events that were unfolding, she was always somebody who was extremely centered and never really prone to dramatics. So, it was very important to portray her in that form. I had a great time. There was a lot of homework and research that went on behind it but it was an opportunity of a lifetime that I’m very thankful for it.”

Lara Dutta, Actor

Lara Dutta was joined by Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, and producer Jackky Bhagnani on stage, at the trailer launch which took place in a Delhi theatre.

Bell Bottom stars Akshay as an undercover RAW agent (code name: Bell Bottom) who must save 210 hostages by neutralising four hijackers. Vaani Kapoor plays his wife in the film and Huma Qureshi is part of the rescue team. The film, directed by Ranjit M Tewari, is set to release theatrically in 2D and 3D on 19 August.