"As great as it might look on screen, it is very uncomfortable experience for actors to do intimate scene"
BY REMMA KAUR | MAY 6, 2010
Q. How and why did you sign up to star in 'Badmaash Company'?
A. I remember when Adi called me about the script I asked him who is the director? He said I will not tell you who the guy is as if I tell you'll get influenced. He just told me that the director is also the person who has written the script, dialogues and the screenplay. And when I came to read it he had also removed his name from the first page! When I started reading it, by the end of ten pages I was hooked. I found it extremely fresh, young, entertaining, very simple yet very effective. Obviously the film is about con jobs, it’s called 'Badmaash Company'!
Q. What is 'Badmaash Company' about?
A. It’s about four characters – Karan, Bulbul, Chandu and Zing. These four are the four people who come together to form the 'Badmaash Company' and perform all the con jobs. They are an extremely relatable foursome. If you are a group of 5-7 people, each one of you will be able to identify with one of them. The cons are so simple, I was irritated that I did not see them! They are there in front of your face and you don’t see them. It takes a con artist like Parmeet Sethi to see them and come up with scams like that. I am so scared of him now, if he can think of such scams. It's a fun film and there was no reason why I shouldn’t be doing it. So when I went back to Adi I told him you know that you have given me a very very good script to read. He just smiled and we were on.
Q. You play Karan in the film, tell us abit about him?
A. Karan is from a lower middle class family, his father works in a regular 9 to 5 job. He always says “Meri mehnat ka fayda sirf mujhe hona chahiye”. He doesn’t want to lead a mundane, boring life, he wants to do something which is different. He wants to start his own business; he does not want to be employed by anybody else. He is quiet, he is an introvert, he is somebody who had a very sharp brain, but he does not show it. He can think of things that other people don’t. He also feels the burden of his father’s expectations and the financial constraints his family faces. That is the start of Karan. During the course of the movie, there is a big change in him. He turns from a boy to a man. He turns from an innocent boy to a bad guy, a Badmaash! Ya so for me the most challenging part was to be able to portray 4 years of the life of a simple guy who starts of as any guy next door and who later becomes very different.
Q. How close is Karan to Shahid?
A. Not much. Except that we are both ambitious.
Q. The film is set in the 90s. What kind of research was done?
A. We spent a lot of time deciding the look and styling of the film. We wanted it to represent the 90s correctly but at the same time we did not want it to look boring. It is also very important for a con job film to look slick, and we wanted to maintain that. So we researched on the scenario of the 90s, and used them in the film. For example we used clothes that were in fashion like high waisted jeans, simple t-shirts which used to be tucked in, the aviators, which were all in vogue. Also the calculator watch that was very much in fashion at that time, has been used in the movie. The film starts in 1994 and goes on for five years. I was about 13 years old in 1994 so I was old enough to observe things. It was quite memorable.
Q. How was it working with your co-stars?
A. I don’t think this movie would have been what it is without the other three. I have learnt so much from them even though they are relatively newer than me. Anushka has done 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi', Vir had a small role in 'Love Aaj Kal', and for Chang it is his first film. All of them have done an absolutely terrific job. The film would not have been complete without their contribution. Anushka is doing something so different from her first film, I am very happy that for her second film, she chose this script. Inherently, it is very easy to repeat something that has been successful but she is breaking the mould and I really appreciate that about her. She is a very natural actor, very unassuming, she just goes with the flow which really works for her. Chang was a revelation for me. He is really really good in the film. When he gives a shot, you feel like he has done nothing, but when you see it on the monitor, it comes across perfectly. I told him that he had found the right career for himself because he is really good. For Vir, I initially thought he was wrong for the film. He has this American accent, but is supposed to be playing a very desi character, so I thought he was totally wrong. But the beauty is that now I cannot see anyone else as Chandu. He has gone through a huge transformation, and pulled off the character of a boy who wants to be an actor brilliantly. Whenever he would come on set he would be wearing those waistcoats from 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun' and we would start singing “Dulhe ki saaliyon hare duppate waliyon”.
Q. How was it working with director Parmeet?
A. There are not many directors who write their own script, it’s pretty much his baby since he has written the dialogues, screenplay, the entire script. A huge credit must go out to him because its amazing to see how he has come up with these extremely smart, but simple con jobs. So I think he has come up with an awesome script. Any director who can write well, will definitely be clear about what he wants. He’s a person who wants honesty from his actors. If ever you give a shot that you are performing, and not being honest, he is very good at spotting it. And I as an actor love working like that, I try to find that honest moment, I believe that if I give a shot honestly, somewhere it will connect with the audience. He also has a great team working with him. For a first time director, who has acted for so long, he had a great DOP, great set of assistants, great production team, which made a huge difference and helped him better his work and talent. But at the end of the day, its his vision and his conviction, kudos to him for it.
Q. Which is your favorite song from the film?
A. It is difficult to choose one, but when I see the film, I like “Fakeera”. It is my favorite song within the film. Visually, it is the most emotionally relevant and poignant song in the film. But from the album, I like "Chaska" and "Jingle-Jingle".
Q. How was it working with YRF?
A. I have already said this, but YRF is made of a set of really professional people who know what they are doing. They have some very efficient people who bring in a lot to the film. For any new director, it is a great asset to work with a production house like Yash Raj, because you know that there is a certain amount of quality as far as production and organization is concerned. You also have the guidance of a person and producer like Adi (Aditya Chopra), who is a creative man. He is also a director so he understands the perspective of a director. I have always had a lot of fun working with Yashraj, I have no complaints (I hope they have none against me). I had a lot of fun during Hadippa, I had a lot of fun with this one too.
Q. This film has been shot extensively in 2 foreign locations. How was it working in those schedules in US and Bangkok?
A. I just remember that the schedules seemed very long, but only on paper. It was fun working with everyone. We got used to be with each other all the time. Even when the shoot got over, we always hung out, got to know each other. It took a few days for everyone to warm up to each other, but once the bonding happened it was all good. The good thing was that everyone got along. And that’s how it needs to be since it helps with the onscreen chemistry. US was fun, Philly was nice. The Bangkok schedule was fun, I love going to Bangkok. But we all were positive and motivated to finish the film despite the restrictions we faced every now and then.
Q. Did you gamble?
A. No, because we did so many shots of gambling that by the end of it we had had enough of gambling! I think we were there at Atlantic City for 7 days, but none of us gambled.
Q. Did you ever play a prank on anybody?
A. Yea, I had a fight with my friend and I told him that I'm shooting in Dubai so he should come and see me. But I was actually at home in Mumbai. And he actually flew to Dubai to see me but had to come back the next day obviously.
Q. Tell us something about your disguises you dress up in for the film.
A. The disguises are actually the best part of the film, I had so much fun doing them. We actually did all 8 or 9 disguises within 3-4 days. It was so exciting to do so many, by the end of it we actually ran out of ideas. Vidya dada who is on make-up, was responsible for all them. I just had to sit patiently and he made it all happen. He did a brilliant job, all the credit goes to him.
Q. How is it working with choreographer Ahmed Khan?
A. You always do rubbish in front of the camera and he always makes it look so good. That’s Ahmed Khan for you. He somehow manages to make things work in the worst of circumstances, he takes brilliant shots. He is also a team player, he brings so much positivity on the set and just brightens everything up. He is a great person, great at his job, great energy and very sincere. I have done so much work with him that as a professional, I have absolute blind faith in him. If he tells me to stand on my head, I will, because I know he will make it look good.
Q. You have an intimate scene in the film with Anushka. How comfortable are you doing such scenes?
A. As great as it might look on screen, it is very uncomfortable experience for the actors. There are many people on the set, but its just another day at work and that’s how you have to look at it.
Q. We know you all took late night swims in Pattayya, how was that?
A. Yea it was fun, Parmeet didn’t join us because he wanted to go back and work out and eat spaghetti and sleep because he was disciplined. But everyone else was in the water having fun.
Q. Lastly what was your favourite moment or shot in the film?
A. There is a scene in the film where I call up my mother after a really long time from a phone booth and I cry. That was my last shot in the America schedule and it was shot at 5 in the morning. To me that’s a special shot because it was a very honest shot.
'Badmaash Company' releases this week on May 7.
Click here to view more movie stills from 'Badmaash Company' in our GALLERY.
