Jul 15, 2026 12:56pm IST
Kalki Koechlin on 15 Years of ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’: ‘None of Us Felt Intimidated by Each Other’ (EXCLUSIVE)
As “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” clocks 15 years, Kalki Koechlin’s fondest memories are of the relaxed atmosphere on set in Spain. Away from the frenzy that would have surrounded stars like Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif in India, the cast spent their days shooting and their evenings sharing meals in cafes.
Recalling those days, Koechlin tells Variety India, “We were shooting in Spain. Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif were already personalities and celebrities. If we were shooting in Mumbai or any part of India, we’d be surrounded by security. They would have to hide in their vanity vans. However, they were just hanging out with us on the cobbled streets of Spain. It was summertime, so we were often in cafes with tables out in the open. We would all sit together, eat our meal, then go back to shoot. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. None of us felt intimidated by each other. We would only hang out.”
The behind-the-scenes friendship reflected the warmth that audiences continue to associate with the 2011 road-trip drama. Looking back, Koechlin believes one of the film’s strengths was the way director Zoya Akhtar balanced humor with other emotions. “It is great to have humor and seriousness in the same film. Zoya Akhtar was good at incorporating both in ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.’ She always finds a way to add bits of humor in serious scenes,” she adds.
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Koechlin, who played Natasha, the controlling fiancée of Abhay Deol’s Kabir, has often described the character as a “red flag.” Fifteen years later, she still believes Natasha was flawed, while also recognizing her strength. “Natasha is a problematic character. I don’t think she’s an angel. She does have issues of jealousy, control and possessiveness. However, she also knows what she wants and states it. She knows how to put her foot down. She knows how to stand up for herself. She does not want to be in a relationship that makes her unhappy. She is a strong woman in that sense,” she explains.
Before filming began, Koechlin says Akhtar gave her one important note about Natasha: she had to be funny despite her flaws. “She always told me that she needed my character to be funny. Natasha has problems. She is a snob, but she is also funny. That really clicked for me. She made me listen to ‘I’m a rock chick in a hard rock world.’ We used the song eventually in the film. It was to make the character feel lovable and funny,” the “Margarita with a Straw” actor recalls.
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Fans have often asked for a sequel to the movie, but are there any such plans? Koechlin says, “I’d be happy to be employed. But there would have to be different scenarios for us because we’ve grown older. I’m sure they’ll come up with something great if they want to.”
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