Alia P.O.V.
'So, how does it feel to have come back together for another film?' Karan asked in that enthusiastic way of his.
'It feels very strange actually.' Varun answered, looking to me as though waiting for my input.
'It is, ya, very strange.' I agreed, with a nod and a laugh. 'Actually, we didn't even know that we were doing a film together at first.'
'Seriously?' Karan questioned incredulously, looking completely bewildered as we nodded. 'But how?'
'See what happened was we both got the script but I was told that the male lead wasn't confirmed yet.' I begun to explain.
'Yeah even I was told that they were still waiting for confirmation on the female lead.' Varun put in.
'So I read the script and then, like I do with all the films I'm thinking of taking on, I showed Varun the script and he goes to me "hey! I've got this script too. I'm really thinking to take it." So I said, okay fine, you go ahead and take it, I'll say no because we'd agreed when we got married that, you know, unless it's something we both absolutely cannot refuse, we're not going to take a film together because it'll just be odd.' I explained. 'But then, I don't know, there was just something about the script that just stuck and a day went and I'd not called Shakun to tell him no and then it became two days and a week and Varun just said to me, "you really want to do this film, na?" and I couldn't say that I don't because I really did so we decided that we'd both do it.'
'You said that it was strange. Why's that?' Karan asked, ever the perfect interviewer.
'Because we're married, we live together, and then being on set together, working together... the dynamic with an actor on a film set is always very different from your personal dynamic with the same person outside of work, be it a friend or your wife.' Varun told him.
'Okay, so how did that make this film weirder than the others?' he asked.
'Because we spend all day with each other at home and then being on set together, it's very difficult to get out of those zones.' I said, trying to figure out how to explain the oddness of the situation. 'The way we are at home is not at all the way we'd behave at work. And then there's the opposite problem of the way we act on set, the way our characters are with each other, that's not how we would usually act at home. But it's always been our method of working together that we really get into character, like calling each other by character names and behaving that way with each other off set that our characters would with each other. And it's not like it's something you can switch back and forth between which I think made it weirder at home than on set really.'
'So, speaking of things at home, given that this is the first time I've had the opportunity to have you on the show since you got married, I have to ask, what's it like?'
'I told you na, he'd find someway to trick us into bringing ourselves here.' Varun laughed.
'I don't know why I'm surprised.' I shook my head, chuckling a little.
'Neither do I.' Karan stated. 'You should have been expecting it.'
'Why do you think I said no last time you asked?' I joked. 'I thought this time we've got the film to concentrate on so there's less chance of us coming to this topic.'
'By now Alia, I should hope you should know better than to actually believe a single word you just said.' he quipped, earning a laugh from the both of us. 'Now, back to what we were saying, what's it like, married life?'
'It's, honestly, I don't think it's any different from before.' Varun said, looking at me and realising how wrong that statement was when he saw my raised eyebrow. 'What? It's not.'
'Really? There's no difference at all?' I questioned incredulously.
'Well I mean, there are some small differences like having to get used to living together and all but we were already so used to each other that, we knew each other's habits and what not to do and all so it's not made a big impact.' he justified.
'What not to do?' Karan queried with a laugh.
'Well I think that's more something that I have to watch out for than Alia. After all, key to a happy married life is yes dear.' Varun said, making me scoff.
'Yeah, because you really follow that rule, right?' I asked, looking at him.
'I said it was the key to a happily married life, not an interesting one.' he countered.
'Okay fair point.' I conceded. 'But yeah I guess he's right, other than having to get used to living with each other and all, there wasn't a big difference.'
'And anyways, you're asking us this after what? Three - four years now? Whatever difference there was, by now we've forgotten.' Varun laughed.
'So tell me, now you've known each other for going on twelve years now. This is the seventh film you've done together. The two of you have been on quite a journey; you were very close when you started out and then, to use your words Alia, you were too close, and you drifted apart and came back together and then, finally, you figured it all out and got married.' Karan began, his tone of voice telling me he was leading up to something.
'Yeah, it's been quite an interesting journey so far.' Varun agreed.
'Now, having worked together so much, your relationship having evolved so much, there's got to have been some things that have changed and some things that haven't changed. So why don't you tell us something that's changed and something that hasn't?'
'Something that's changed? Uhhh...' I looked to Varun, not entirely sure if all that much had changed.
'I don't know if there's really much that has changed.' he said. 'I think maybe we piss each other off a little less?'
'Yeah, maybe. Just a tiny bit.' I agreed with a laugh.
'Just that one thing?'
'You know Karan the thing is, you don't really notice the changes in someone or in a relationship when it's someone that you see pretty often. Like somebody who doesn't see us much might notice something but, because change doesn't happen just like that,' I said, emphasising that with a click of my fingers, 'it's something that develops so we ourselves don't notice it.'
'Yeah, like the other day, we were at a party and Shahrukh sir actually said to me that we've grown up quite a bit and we seem a lot more comfortable being open about our relationship and all and apparently we behave more maturely and I was really confused because to me, nothing's changed. In my head, we're still just as childish and yeah, maybe we're more comfortable being open than we were five-six years ago but it's not something that we've actively done or something that we ourselves can notice.' Varun elaborated.
'Okay, so you can't tell me what's changed, what about what hasn't changed?' Karan prodded.
'Nothing's changed!' I exclaimed, gesturing with a hand to emphasise the point. 'Like he said, we're still just as childish, we still argue a lot, we still have the same kind of equation that we've pretty much always had. Only thing that's ever changed is when we decided to give a relationship a shot.'
'Haan, that was a big change.' Varun said.
'It wouldn't have been if you hadn't been so awkward in the beginning.' I laughed, remembering the way he'd suddenly become shy about almost everything once we'd decided to give it a shot.
'Hey, I didn't know what to do, what was allowed, what wasn't.' he defended, raising his hands.
'It shouldn't have been that hard to figure it out! We practically acted like a couple anyway!' I exclaimed, making Karan laugh and nod in agreement.
'Yeah I know, but it was still really different for me.' Varun justified.
'Okay okay, it was a big change. And, to be fair, I think it was weird for me too. Especially in public.'
'Yes, on that I will agree. You two were so awkward in public, trying to act like nothing was up and letting all of us know what was going on because of how awkward you were.' Karan remarked. 'But I remember, way back in 2014 when we had done that promotional episode for Humpty, Alia you had said, very bluntly, that Varun's an ass because he doesn't let you sleep.'
'Yes I did.' I agreed.
'Is that still true?'
'You also said I have a good ass.' Varun reminded before I could answer, getting himself a look.
'Thank you for that reminder Varun.' Karan remarked with a chuckle. 'So, is it still true?'
'Yeah, it is.' I nodded.
'Which part?' Varun asked, eyebrows raised.
'Both. You're still an ass and you still have a good one too.' I answered.
'Okay, leaving the talk of Varun's assets, why's he still an ass?' Karan questioned.
'He still doesn't let me sleep! He'll be the first to tell someone not to wake me up because it pisses me off but he himself doesn't let me sleep.' I whined.
'As far as I remember, you weren't complaining last night.' Varun told me with a smug smile, making my face go red.
'Shut up.' I muttered, hitting him on the leg.
'Just saying.' he said, still smirking. I narrowed my eyes at him, about to retort, but Karan, probably sensing where this was headed, spoke up before I could.
'Okay then, I think that's a good place to take a break!' he exclaimed. 'We'll be back after a short break to chat some more and play some games so stay tuned. In conversation with Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.'
'Alia Dhawan!' Varun called over him.
'He caught it.' Karan said, sounding surprised.
'That he'll always catch.' I told him with a laugh.
Karan simply looked at us, a little perplexed, before correcting himself. 'Right sorry, in conversation with Varun and Alia Dhawan. We'll be back after the break.'
A/N: So I know I said the next one shot would be long and it might be a while but it's Salgirah today - which for those who don't know is the Aga Khan's birthday who is the spiritual leader of Ismaili muslims and, because I'm Ismaili, it's basically Christmas for us - so I thought I'd update and give you all a pressie.
Wasn't actually planning to update at all today if I'm honest because it's a bit of a busy day but well, thought it'd be nice.
Salgirah Mubarak to any fellow Ismailis here.
That's all from me today. I'll see you soon