'Deepika Padukone Was Totally Drained': Lara Dutta Recalls Actor Filming Housefull On Fixed Schedule With Malaria

Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with malaria while filming, but she persisted in working despite being severely ill, revealed Lara Dutta. As Housefull marked its 16th anniversary on April 30, the actor reflected on the film's production. Lara Dutta disclosed that her co-star continued filming for the movie despite having a high fever.

Deepika Padukone was completely exhausted but completed her work without sacrificing her performance, claimed Lara Dutta in an interview with NDTV.

"And then the next morning, because we had this fixed schedule, there are multiple actors, and we were shooting scenes during that time that were quite emotional. So she would show up on set, and you could see that she was totally drained and wiped out. But she was an absolute professional. She got her work done. There was absolutely no drop in her performance," Lara Dutta said.

Lara Dutta added, "And as an actor, you have to give another actor credit for that because I know how difficult it is when you're completely wiped out, and something like malaria absolutely wipes you out. It's not like you just have a cold or you just have a fever. And she was an absolute professional, and she's not."

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Lara Dutta also regarded Deepika as quiet rather than bashful and commended her for her commitment. She claimed that Deepika is quite clear and focused on her work.

About Housefull

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The multi-starrer film, which had a budget of Rs 45 crore, starred Akshay Kumar as the world's unluckiest man who believed his luck would improve when he married and discovered true love. With its ensemble cast and comic timing, the film went on to become one of Bollywood's most well-known comedy franchises.

The ensemble cast of Sajid Khan's film Housefull included key roles for Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal, and Lillete Dubey. 

Housefull marked the start of the franchise in 2010, and subsequent films were released in 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2025. Sajid-Farhad was the director of Housefull 3. Farhad Samji directed the fourth section. Tarun Mansukhani is the director of Housefull 5.