As told to Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 9, 2019)

The first time I ever faced the camera was for Chachi 420. I was five at the time of shooting and didn’t understand what being on a set meant. I was just happy to be on a holiday with my family in Madras (Chennai), where the film was shot. When you are the only child on a set, you inadvertently become the apple of everyone’s eye. I remember being pampered a lot by everyone on the set, including Kamal Haasan sir and Tabu. Between shots, they would bring me treats and treat me like royalty.

We were filming the court scene on my first day and for the shot itself, my brief was to cry when the judge announces that my parents are being divorced and that my father will be able to meet me only on Fridays under supervision. I was sitting next to Om Puri sir for the scene and Kamal sir told me where to look and what my expression should be like. I had to cry and then smile when he gestured me to, breaking down when he finally looks away and breaks down at the judgement himself. We also filmed the other scene, where I ask my ‘papa’ to button up his shirt before going on the stand, giving him a thumbs-up before he proceeds. I had to look jubilant while doing it, and appear sheepish when my mother in the film glares at me, placating her with a thumbs-up too.

My mother was also around, behind the camera, somewhere I could see her. But I wasn’t nervous at all. It was like play-acting. Children have no inhibitions; they are completely open and natural. It is when you grow up that you become conscious of yourself and wonder what you will look like on screen. Back then, I just wanted to enjoy whatever was happening and then go out to play.

For Dangal, however, I was a nervous wreck during my first shot because it was with Aamir Khan. It was the scene where Geeta comes back from the hostel, rebelling with long hair that her father always protested against and insisted they chop it short. Her father only makes a remark about it in the scene but he knows it is an act of defiance. We had rehearsed it well before, but I was sure they will regret casting me for the film. Luckily, we canned it in two-three takes. While Aamir didn’t say anything, Nitesh sir walked up to me and offered some words of encouragement.