Casting director turned actor Abhishek Banerjee began his career with comic characters in films like Stree (2018) and Dream Girl (2019), and proved his mettle with antagonistic roles in Paatal Lok and recently, Apurva (2023). Having shot with actor Amitabh Bachchan for his new project, Section 84, the 38-year-old calls the experience a “masterclass” in acting.

“I never went to acting school. So, for me, Mr Bachchan is my Dronacharya. Just being around him showed me that no matter how big a star you become, you need to stick to the basics. He is always rehearsing his lines with so much excitement.”

Banerjee sheepishly admits he was “scolded” by the veteran during their first meeting: “When I tried to touch his feet, he scolded me like a teacher and said, ‘Don’t do that’.”

Worried that he’s ruined a good thing before it could begin, they went on to connect later. The Aakhri Sach (2023) actor asked Bachchan why he was averse to this traditional Indian way of showing respect to elders. “He said he wants to be an equal. Some might think this is a pretence, but as an actor, I can see that beyond the stardom, at the core, he’s an actor who wants to be respectful to his co-actors,” he ends.