Exclusive! Pooja Chopra On Poison 2: I Am Commited To Playing More Powerful Roles

The new season of the highly popular ZEE5 original series Poison 2 is set to release in October. Pooja Chopra joins a strong cast which also includes Aftab Shivdasani, Raai Laxmi, Zain Imam and Vin Rana. Pooja will be seen playing the role of Officer Isha in the series. She talks to us about shooting for the series before and after the lockdown as well as her journey as an outsider in the film industry.

Watch her in the teaser for the new season.

1. How excited are you to be a part of the second season of Poison?

Honestly, I was excited because I rarely hear a story that you immediately like and want to be a part of. That’s why my filmography has mostly been one film in two years. Because you don’t always like what you hear. But with Poison 2 I loved what I heard from the first day. I loved the script and I love the character of Esha and her journey.

2. What was it about the new season that made you want to be a part of this series?

So for me, the first thing is the director and the team that I will be working with. The second thing is the story and the third is my character and poison 2 checked all the boxes.

3. Did you watch the first season of the show?

Honestly, I was really tempted to watch the show. I know there’s no connection between season 1 and season 2. Yet, I didn’t want to get with any preconceived notions of what I should do. Because I would watch the show and go with a certain idea of how poison should be and distract me from the character I needed to be.

4. So will you be watching it after the second season releases? 

I definitely will watch both the seasons together. Because there is a certain competition as actors. I will want to see after I have done my best and given everything how well did we do compared to the first season.

5. Was the film shoot disturbed by the Covid-19 outbreak? How did the cast and crew adapt to it?

I remember the day when it happened, 13 March 2020. I was in my vanity van and I heard a commotion outside. When I finished my makeup and hair, I came out and found out the shoot was on hold. The director told me to go back to the hotel room and wait. Then I got a call saying both the shoot locations were not open because of Coronavirus and it was a wrap. We only resumed shooting after three and a half months on 30 July. So yeah the whole shoot was affected by the lockdown

6. Was it difficult to return to the character when shooting resumed? 

You know three months is quite a long time for change to happen. Like you can put on weight, some people lost weight. The character or the show was not on my mind for three months because we were worried about the pandemic. So when we began shooting again I was shocked because I didn’t know what was wrong. The director told me to calm down because everyone including he himself, was facing the same problem. Because everything looked different also. Everyone was in masks and PPE Kits. It took us 2-3 days to get back in the groove and accept the new normal.

6. How have you been dealing with the lockdown, especially when no shoots were allowed?

I was mostly happy actually. In fact, when I go on a holiday for more than three days I feel guilty that I am not working. The lockdown made me feel like everything was on pause so this is the only guilt-free holiday I can enjoy. I was reading, watching shows, talking to relatives. I became a part-time maid at my house. I even tried cooking, which was a disaster. The only depressing stuff was when I used to hear what was happening in the world outside. I tried my best to help migrant workers, poor people, animals in every way I could. So I think I made good use of the lockdown.

7. From being saved by an army officer in Commando to playing a police officer yourself. Are you committed to doing more powerful roles?

You know, honestly, I am committed to playing characters that are more powerful. I am a lot like my character Simrit Kaur in Commando. She is fun, bubbly and spunky just an overall breath of fresh air. When I play more powerful characters I get satisfaction knowing I am playing a character that is nothing like me. I am so happy because I had a certain way I wanted to portray Isha and it is coming off exactly as I hoped. I saw a few rushes and I am excited for my fans to see me in this new role.

8. As an outsider in the industry, do you feel web series are giving chances to artists who were not getting the right opportunities in films?

I think there are opportunities for artists in films. What I am excited about is that now there is a whole new industry for actors to explore. Before we only had films or TV and apart from this, there was ads and endorsements. With web series, there’s not just a new window but a huge door of opportunities to tell new stories.

Watch the entire interview here.

Rapid-fire questions

What is the worst thing you’ve done to get revenge on someone?

I would just stop talking to them. I believe in Karma and I don’t like taking revenge. I also think not having my company is proper revenge.

From the cast of Poison 2, whom did you connect with the best?

This is a tough one because 80 per cent of the cast I was friends with before meeting them on set. I have known Aftab for 5 years, I even know Raai Laxmi and Asmita Sood for more than 3 years. I made friends with Zain (Imam) and Vin (Rana) too. So I cannot choose one person really.

5 reasons why people should watch season 2 of Poison?

Firstly, this is a treat for people who like to watch espionage and thrillers, you literally cannot guess what is going to happen next. Secondly, the casting is so apt. I mean everyone fits in the moulds of their characters perfectly. The third is, of course, our director who has done a fab job. He is a master of the thriller genre. It’s a great show to binge-watch in one go because the suspense is that good. The fifth is it’s on a great platform, ZEE5. I want to give the sixth one. I’m going to be a little selfish and say that this is something I haven’t done and I would want people to see me in this series.

Catch the music from Pooja Chopra’s latest film Babloo Bachelor on ZEE5.