‘I
have
been
in
love
where
I
had
no
identity
of
my
own.
I
had
also
broken
up
because
I
was
strong-headed
in
the
relationship.’
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh
at
the
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
trailer
launch
event.
Photograph:
Hitesh
Harisinghani/Rediff
They
are
as
different
as
chalk
and
cheese
but true
to
the
spirit
of
Bollywood
romance,
they
fall
in
love,
one
awkward
step
at
a
time.
R
Madhavan
plays
Shrirenu
Tripathi,
a
42-year-old
Sanskrit
teacher,
who
is
shy
and
emotionally
aloof.
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh
is
Madhu
Bose,
a
spirited
woman,
10
years
younger
than
him,
who
lives
life
on
her
own
terms
and
believes
in
barabari
wala
pyaar
(love
based
on
equality).
They
meet
and
fall
in
love
in
the
Netflix
film, Aap
Jaisa
Koi.
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh
and
R
Madhavan
at
the
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
trailer
launch
event.
Photograph:
Hitesh
Harisinghani/Rediff
Their
love
story
comes
to
a
jarring
halt
when
contrasting
ideologies
creep
into
their
relationship.
Shrirenu
comes
from
a Jamshedpur-based
patriarchal
household
that
abides
by
an
orthodox
set
of
rules
and
regulations
for
women.
This
is
something
Madhu
can’t
accept.
Fatima
feels
she
is
a
better
person
today
because
of
her
‘good,
bad,
broken’
relationships
in
the
past
and
that
she
was
able
to
relate
to
the
‘honesty’
of
her
character
Madhu.
“I
have
been
in
love
where
I
had
no
identity
of
my
own.
I
had
also
broken
up
because
I
was
strong-headed
in
the
relationship,”
Fatima
said
during
a
promotional
event
of
their
film.
“It
takes
me
at
least
two
and
half
years
to
get
over
a
break-up.
But
I
love
getting
hurt
in
love
because
every
relationship
makes
you
a
better
person.
There’s
always
a
lot
to
learn
from
your
mistakes.”
WATCH:
Why
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
was
an
easy
yes
for
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh
VIDEO:
Afsar
Dayatar/Rediff
The
film
is
directed
by
Meenakshi
Sundareshwar
fame
Vivek
Soni,
who
reunites
with
Karan
Johar’s
Dharmatic
Entertainment
for
his
latest
film.
Soni
said
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
is
a
‘modern
romance’
that
speaks
to
the
need
for
real
connections
in
today’s
world.
Madhavan
returns
to
the
romantic
genre
that
puts
him
in
the
same
gentle
and
loving
guy
avatar
that’s
reminiscent
of
his
Manu
Sharma
from
Tanu
Weds
Manu.
Manish
Chaudhari,
R
Madhavan
and
Director
Vivek
Soni
at
the
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
trailer
launch
event.
Photograph:
Hitesh
Harisinghani/Rediff
Madhavan
feels
Shrirenu
is
one
of
the
‘most
complex’
characters
he
has
ever
played.
“Aap
Jaisa
Koi
is
unlike
any
love
story
I’ve
done
before.
It
is
quiet,
awkward,
and
deeply
human.
Shrirenu
is
one
of
the
most
complex
characters
I
have
played.
He
is
patient,
gentle,
and
deeply
affecting.
My
director
Vivek
Soni
made
the
process
easy
that
really
helped
me
to
portray
him.”
Maddy,
who
hails
from
Jamshedpur,
said
it
was
‘nostalgic’
for
him
to
shoot
in
his
hometown
and
he
enjoyed
reliving
his
old
memories
during
the
shoot.
WATCH:
R
Madhavan
reveals
why
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
is
relatable
VIDEO:
Afsar
Dayatar/Rediff
Namit
Das,
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh,
Manish
Chaudhari
at
the
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
trailer
launch
event.
Photograph:
Hitesh
Harisinghani/Rediff
Fatima
said
she
put
on
weight
during
the
shoot
of
Aap
Jaisa
Koi,
courtesy
R
Madhavan.
“Vivek
and
he
would
bring
so
much
food
on
sets.
How
can
you
say
no
to
rasgullas?
One
rasgulla
you
can
have,
not
10!
It
was
very
difficult
to
resist
sweets,”
Fatima
said
with
a
smile.
Netflix
India’s
Director
of
Original
Films
Ruchikaa
Kapoor
Sheikh,
Namit
Das,
Fatima
Sana
Shaikh,
Manish
Chaudhari,
R
Madhavan,
Director
Vivek
Soni
and
Ayesha
Raza
at
the
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
trailer
launch
event.
Photograph:
Hitesh
Harisinghani/Rediff
Aap
Jaisa
Koi
will
stream
from
July
11
on
Netflix.
