Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan in Gori Tere ...

“She was terrible, simply awful,” said Bollywood actor Imran Khan when asked to describe his experience of acting with actress Kareena Kapoor. He wasn’t serious and Kapoor was laughing.

This encapsulates the dynamics between the lead pair in Gori Teri Pyaar Mein releasing in the UAE this Thursday. Unlike many Bollywood stars, they don’t take themselves or their latest romantic comedy too seriously (“it’s not rocket science”, declares Khan).

“Bollywood may make tall claims that we have come of age. But the truth is everybody wants to go and watch those item songs or films with masala and fun,” said Kapoor.

Khan shows his support with an inappropriate joke: “We are not claiming it is curing cancer.”

It’s a relief that they are issuing such a disclaimer since the trailers of Gori Tere … bear the tropes that you associate with a Karan Johar production. It’s glossy, fantastical and filled with beautiful people smothered with money. Just like their perfectly manicured hands, the problems engulfing the lead actors are never too grave or grimy. Naturally, Johar has stuck to his successful formula with Gori Tere, directed by Punit Malhotra of I Hate Luv Storys fame.

The premise of Gori Tere … is absurdly simple. It traces the relationship between Sriram Venkat, a self-indulgent party animal, and his social activist girlfriend Dia Sharma. While she believes in saving the world, he believes in setting the world on fire with his party-hard attitude.

“Gori Tere is a modern romance. In older films, couples broke up because of external objection. Either their family objects to their union or because the boy is rich and the girl is poor or vice versa. But here we show that these days relationships break down when couples disagree on ideologies,” said Khan.

While the first half explores the tumultuous courtship between two contrasting personalities, the second half is set in a rustic village in Gujarat. Venkat follows his estranged sweetheart with the hope of wooing her back into his life. What follows is a comedy of errors where the urbane metrosexual grapples with cow dung and living life without creature comforts.

Meanwhile, Kapoor plays the righteous social worker to the hilt.

“In real life, I am not someone who would take to the streets to protest against something. I suppose, that’s why I enjoyed playing Dia so much,” said Kapoor, who was born into a famous acting dynasty. Naturally, her on-screen lover had a bone to pick with her.

“Mind you, even in a village she’s wearing some well-fitted Manish Malhotra salwar suits,” said Khan referring to India’s leading couturier who served as a stylist for Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. Dia Sharma may go down in history as an activist who fights for the poor, but she will go down looking perfectly groomed.

“Come on Imran, it’s a Karan Johar movie. The same Karan Johar whose films show colleges and schools that can never be found anywhere in this planet. Everyone in Karan’s college is carrying a Prada or a Louis Vuitton. I always wanted to be in his college,” said Kapoor. She isn’t alone. Millions of Bollywood fans have been bowled over by Johar’s brand of lavish cinema. Think Johar as a person who gave India its first taste of a desi Gossip Girl, the hit sitcom about privileged kids in Manhattan.

“Moviemaking is a fantasy world. If you are in the mood for an entertaining film, then Gori Tere Pyaar Mein will work beautifully,” said Kapoor. Barring the scene in which Khan had to balance a water pot on his head, the rest came easy.

“I broke at least five pots for one photoshoot. That was incredibly tough but the rest of the role was easy. I am not going to pretend otherwise,” said Khan.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise since they are in familiar territory here. Last year, they rolled out their romantic drama Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, a tale about a US-based hairdresser Riana Braganza (Kapoor) and the rich, uptight Rahul Kapoor (Khan). While Riana was a free-spirit, Kapoor didn’t how to loosen up. This was also co-produced by Johar.

“It isn’t fair to call Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu a romantic comedy. It was more about two people becoming good friends. It paved a new way for Bollywood movies because in the end she turns him down. That was liberating,” said Kapoor.

Interestingly, Khan did not buy into the script of Gori Tere Pyaar Mein immediately.

“I didn’t like the screenplay. His [director Malhotra] first draft was about two heroes and two heroines. But I said ‘no’ because I didn’t buy into the parts set in the village. But then he made changes and on the fourth or fifth narration, I finally understood the depth and narration that Puneet wanted to convey,” said Khan. Kapoor needed no such prompting.

“I did the film because of the second half. I loved the village scenes. See even on the script level our ideologies didn’t match,” said Kapoor with a laugh. They may gravitate towards different elements in a screenplay, but they agree on something: their fabulous on-screen chemistry.

“Without sounding like we are blowing our own trumpets, we feel there’s a lot of likeability in our pairing. Avantika [Khan’s wife] always loved my pairing with Bebo [Kapoor’s pet name] and I trust her,” said Khan.

For Kapoor, dressing up as a village belle had its perks. “I can eat 24 jalebis and still hide the stomach. Jokes apart, I believe that my fans like me in desi clothes and it’s so forgiving a garment,” said Kapoor. Bollywood’s fascination with village beauties is legendary. Sonakshi Sinha’s village girl act in Dabangg starring Salman Khan, Vidya Balan’s feisty femme fatale act as the sari-clad Krishna in Ishqiya and Juhi Chawla’s role in Bol Radha Bol had stormed the box-office.

“But it’s not a picnic filming in villages. We filmed during the peak of summer, so it was hot and sticky,” said Kapoor, who was born with a proverbial silver spoon. But Khan doesn’t let this one go.

“But Puneet and I made it a mission to make it look like she didn’t suffer. How many foot massages did I give you? Puneet bechara [poor guy] used to hold an umbrella over her head to shield her from the sun and I was at your feet. Remember?” said Khan. He may openly mock her, but he claims that she’s one of the most talented actresses in Bollywood.

“I have always admired Kareena’s performances. Watch Gori Tere for her,” said Khan valiantly.

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Gori Tere Pyaar Mein releases in the UAE this Thursday.