Diana Penty may not be the leading lady in Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi, a series that was started with her in 2016, but she is happy to take it ahead with its sequel. Penty says she is proud of the fact that Happy Bhag Jayegi is the first female-led comedy franchise in Bollywood.
“It is an interesting fact. I am happy. I makes me feel proud that the first film did well and it made the makers think of part two. It is a matter of great pride to take it forward. As an actor it makes me fulfilled,” she said.
The sequel Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi, for which the makers have roped in Sonakshi Sinha, is based on the case of mistaken identity and this time the story moves to China.
“This film has two Happys. The first part was the story of Happy, the character that I played. The sequel is Sonakshi’s film and we all help her take the film forward. Sonakshi plays the perfect Happy. I feel good about the film,” the actress said.
Penty, 32, says the sequel just like the first part is a complete entertainer.
“The second instalment is keeping in line with the first part, that is, happy, fun and out-an-out sweet, endearing comedy film,” the actress said.
The most special part in this series, according to Penty, is that the comedy is all there in the writing.
“It is fun, pure and innocent and not something that was derogatory or poking fun at someone. The titular role is of Happy but it was the rest of the cast like Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Deol, Ali Fazal, Piyush Mishra sir, that made this film so lovable,” she said.
For the Parmanu actor, it was relatively easy to reprise the role of Happy as she thinks it was “deeply embedded” in her.
“When I came on the sets, I became Happy again, got into the character fast, maybe because it was deeply embedded in me. I did one drama film Lucknow Central then I did Parmanu that had bit of action in it. Coming back to this film was, organic for me.”
For Penty, who made her debut with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone film Cocktail, the Aanand L Rai backed movie was an opportunity to showcase her versatility.
“People were surprised to see me in this role. After Cocktail everybody had put me into that compartment of shy, girl-next-door person and it is somewhere still ingrained in the minds of people.
“People still remember me for my first film more than the other films. And which is why I felt doing Happy Bhag Jayegi will help me break the mould and it did, as the audience was not expecting this from me.”
Directed by Mudassar Aziz, the film is set to release in India on August 24.
