Lara Dutta breaks the stereotypes of being a single mother in her latest show Hiccups & Hookups

Lara plays the role of a single mother who signs up on a dating app, after her brother coaxes her to do so
Hiccups & Hookups
Hiccups & Hookups

Just a few days before the release of her latest web series, Hiccups & Hookups, a fake profile of Lara Dutta went viral on a dating app. The actress posted a video on her Instagram page earlier this month to clarify that it wasn’t her and that she is not on any dating app. But in the new show, she delves into the world of online dating through her character.

Lara plays the role of a single mother who signs up on a dating app, after her brother coaxes her to do so. It’s quite an unusual and new topic for Indian audiences, but the actress says she was quite confident of taking on the role. “When Kunal Kohli reached out to me with the script, I thought it was very interesting for an international studio like Lionsgate to foray into the Indian market with a subject that has a 40-year-old single mother as the protagonist. It is the story of a woman who is trying to find herself again. Most people think that your life has come to an end after a divorce and if you have an 18-year-old child, they expect you to make the child your priority above everything else. I liked how the show normalises many topics that are considered taboo to be discussed with family. In this day and age, it’s a very relevant and contemporary story. As a 43-year-old actress, I felt it was a fantastic role to portray,” she explains.

Age no bar
This isn’t the first time Lara is playing the role of an ambitious single mom. In the 2007 Salman Khan- and Govinda-starrer, Partner, Lara played a similar role. It will be interesting to see how differently she has portrayed the role of Vasu. But more importantly, it’s an interesting project because of Lara’s collaboration with Kunal, who is directing the show. “I had worked with him many, many years ago when I did a guest appearance in his movie Fanaa. I was very young and was terrified of him because of the reputation that preceded him. That film also had Aamir (Khan) who is considered a perfectionist, so I did what I had to and got out. What I love about Kunal is that he is extremely clear and sound as a director. He is also open to suggestions that actors bring to the table. We have built Vasudha Rao, my character from the ground up,” shares Lara.

Prateik Babbar plays the role of Akhil, Vasu’s brother, who is an expert at dating and flings. The chemistry between Lara and Prateik as siblings is quite crackling. But since the series was shot in between lockdowns, the actress says they didn't get a chance to do rehearsals or table-readings before the shoot began. “I think we were just lucky. We understood our characters so well that we had gotten under the skin of Vasu and Akhil. So when we met on the sets, the chemistry was effortless. I was extremely impressed with him . We were playing off each other,” says Lara, adding, “Akhil and Vasu are not just siblings, they are best friends. Everyone who watches the show will perhaps relate to the relationship,” says Lara.

Keeping it private
While the show explores new-age dating and relationships, Lara says she’s happy that she doesn’t have to navigate these issues. “I am quite happy that I have been married for 11 years now and I don’t have to deal with online dating. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with dating sites. They give people a lot more options and level the playing field. A lot of times I feel even if you swipe right and hope for a romantic alliance, you may just end up becoming friends for life,” says the actress who is married to ace tennis star Mahesh Bhupati and has a nineyear-old daughter, Saira. Both Lara and Mahesh are quite private and rarely share details about their personal lives. “We are an incredibly private and a close-knit family, and both Mahesh and I are not people who party or network. Our daughter is our biggest priority and our life revolves around her. We are achievers, we have our own ambitions and passions and support each other. Life is kind of busy and the time we get to spend together is fiercely guarded,” she signs off.

Premieres today on Lionsgate Play

ayeshatabassum@ newindianexpress.com
@aishatax

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