Priyadarshan's dream town Pollachi where he shot some of his favourite films turned into a bit of a nightmare last week when heavy rains disrupted the shooting of Billo Barbar at a time when Shah Rukh Khan's dates were in the imminent danger of being wasted.
And if you think that was the end of Priyan's ordeal, here's more. One night an extremely poisonous snake entered Lara Dutta's room in Pollachi.
Recounts her co-star Irrfan Khan, "To her credit, Lara handled the situation very sensibly and bravely, probably because she didn't know how poisonous the snake was. If it had bitten her it would've been disastrous.
But then Lara is nothing if not spunky. I've realized that facing the camera with her was as challenging as co-starring with Tabu or Dimple Kapadia. Lara is the most underrated actress I've worked with."
More problems for Lara. Apparently her mom has taken ill very seriously.
Says Irrfan, "I could sense she was tense and dealing with a situation on the phone. But she never let it affect her work."
It wasn't just Lara who faced tough times in Pollachi. Shah Rukh and Irrfan Khan together with Lara Dutt faced hell and high water.
Priyadarshan just about managed to wrap up Shah Rukh's work before the mega-star had to leave to get back to Mumbai.
Says Irrfan, "Pollachi is one of the most peaceful spots in the world. Though prone to the monsoon vagaries that grip Kerala at this time of the year, never did we imagine that the weather could act so unpredictable."
Recounting their harrowing experience Irrfan says, "Suddenly during the last two days the weather acted up more than all of us who were facing the camera, ha ha. We were in a panic.
Because there was no way Shah Rukh could delay his departure. Priyan had to wrap up his work at any cost by Sunday. So we had no choice but to shoot through the rain. Which was harrowing. "
On the bright side SRK seems to have won himself even more friends.
Says Irrfan fondly, "Shah Rukh is as entertaining off camera as he's on screen. We all bonded big time. Now that he's no longer with us in Pollachi we find that spark is gone out of the unit. Seldom have I missed a co-star after shooting with him or her. Shah Rukh, I'm missing."
Irrfan has his family over in Pollachi. "I always take my wife and two sons to as many outdoors as possible, even if it means making my kids skip school. It's the only way we have of finding time together. In fact I'm out of Mumbai shooting till the end of the year. And I'll try to get them to come with me whenever possible."
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