Lara Dutta recalls Deepika Padukone filming Housefull despite malaria (Photo: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment)Following last year’s reports of her strict 8-hour workday demand, Deepika Padukone’s work ethic has been questioned repeatedly by a few sections of the Indian film industry. It also allegedly led to her exiting major projects, including Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and the Kalki 2898 AD sequel. And now, in a recent interview, her Housefull co-star Lara Dutta recalled Deepika shooting the film with her despite high fever, due to malaria. Lara opened up about Deepika’s ‘professionalism’ and revealed that she continued working despite shivering.During a chat with NDTV, she shared that Deepika fell really sick during the film’s shoot. “But a lot of people don’t know this, that during the filming of Housefull, Deepika actually felt really sick. She had malaria. And she was absolutely wiped out. So they had to get her a doctor and put her on medication. And she was a thorough professional because she was running a high fever all night.” The film was directed by Sajid Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.The actor further added, “She was shivering and would have to take these meds. And then the next morning, because we had this fixed schedule, there were 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.” She added, “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.”ALSO READ | ‘Akshay Kumar never took advantage of Priyanka Chopra or me’, says Lara Dutta: ‘He saw two young girls with stars in their eyes’She also praised the Padmavat actor’s focus on set, adding that she is not shy, but reserved. “She’s also a very, very clear and focused on what she needs to do, and when each actor knows exactly what they’re supposed to do, they bring their craft to a set, that’s when the magic happens.”Housefull, which released 16 years ago, also featured Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal, and Lillete Dubey. Sajid Khan launched the Housefull franchise, which went on to become one of the biggest Bollywood comedy film series. The sequels of the franchise released in 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2025.While speaking at Prime Video’s O Womaniya 2024 Roundtable, Ananya praised her Gehraiyaan co-star Deepika’s professionalism and called her inspiring. She said, “When I started out in the industry, I didn’t really know that one could really stand up and reinforce what they want. I used to simply do what I was asked to do. Deepika is a woman who stands up for every person on the set, in a very polite way. Because whenever a girl speaks up she is called bossy, or difficult to work with, but she used to convey her needs in a very polite and empathetic way, which made me realize that there is a way in which you can do this.”Story continues below this adShe added, “Deepika inspired me as a younger female actress to go on further to make a change. Now, I do speak up when I am not comfortable doing certain things or saying certain things because I don’t want a young girl to be spoken to in a certain manner because I am being shown like that on-screen. So now I am way more conscious about my choices, more than I have been in the past.”On the work front, Lara Dutta will next be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film, Ramayana. The actor is set to play the pivotal role of Kaikeyi. The film, also starring Ranbir Kapoor, will hit the theatres in October 2026.Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Deepika PadukoneLara Dutta