Varun Badola might be the latest entrant in the cast of Undekhi, but he has been associated with the series as a dialogue writer since its origin in 2020. Shifting from behind the scenes to the screen was an easy decision for the actor. “I knew the show’s structure. Plus, Harsh [Chhaya, lead actor] and I have been friends for long. Deb [Dibyendu Bhattacharya] and I have known each other. So, I knew it’d be a comfortable zone. The character had a certain intrigue to it,” he smiles.

Choosing a story based on the script and characters’ merit are important to Badola, who has become a dependable actor in television and OTT. But selecting his projects is a luxury he can afford now, he points out. Earlier, there have been days when he struggled to put a meal on the table, forcing him to take up work he didn’t believe in.

“There comes a time when you are worried how the next meal will come to the table. Then you pick up [projects] that you probably dislike. I’ve done that three to four times. I did one show that I disliked personally, it’s the biggest hit of my life. I earned humongous popularity from it. I did it because I had no work; it was another opportunity to earn more money. I got everything from it except peace of mind,” he recounts, referring to a popular drama.

If his three-decade career has taught him something, it’s that an artiste has to choose between bank balance and peace of mind.

“You might [rarely] get both, but that’s like wishing upon a shooting star.” So, what does he have today? “I have returned from the shoot of a show, and there is a lot of peace of mind.”

Sumeet Raghavan also spreads the #NoMobileDuringPerformance message on social media, in reaction to unruly audience members
Anup Satphale (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2019)

Actor Sumeet Raghavan recently stopped a performance in Nashik midway, due to mobile phone interruptions from the audience, during the play Knock Knock Celebrity. He followed it up with a post explaining his stand with the hashtags #ZeroTolerance and #NoMobileDuringPerformance. The incident however, is not the first time an artiste has had to resort to such an extreme measure.

Actors Vikram Gokhale, Chinmay Mandlekar, and many others have had to do the same. A few months ago, Chinmay halted his play Sukhanshi Bhandto Aamhi, when a man used his phone. “More than 18 times I’ve had to stop performing and request people to stop using their phones. This is a problem of basic respect towards an artiste, which unfortunately some of people don’t have,” he says.

Some artistes feel that it is usually older people whose phones end up ringing mid-performance. Despite facing such issues, veteran dancer Shama Bhate says that she has never stopped a performance. “We can’t just stop the performance. We have to keep calm and continue as it’s our duty towards loyal audience members.” Shama’s solution to the problem is mobile lockers at auditoriums. “There are many religious places where mobiles are not allowed and people do not object. Auditoriums too, should have such facilities,” she says. Theatre-TV actor Imran Khan (left) says, “It’s so unethical. I haven’t faced a situation like that, yet, but if it ever happens, I wouldn’t stop the act, but would definitely make him or her apologize to every one after the show ends. Or, I would give a pause and stare at that person so hard that he gets up and leaves.”

On the other hand, veteran actor Vikram Gokhale (right) has gone to the extent of telling people not to come for plays if they are more interested in their phones. “I used to make announcements in Hindi, English and Marathi. But despite that, I had to stop my plays midway, several times,” he says, adding, “I suggest theatre owners or associations use jammers in halls.” Citing an example, actor Subodh Bhave says that jammers have been used in the past during one of his plays, Kala Ya Laglya Jiva. “It was based on a serious subject and had a cast of two artistes. Such things happened during some of the performances and I had to stop performing a couple of times. After that some theatres installed jammers when the play was being staged,” he says.

Popular theatre personality Salim Arif says, “In the midst of an intense scene in the silence of the auditorium, a phone ring can switch you off as an actor. You can even go blank, as it disrupts the flow of your thought process. The ring cuts you off from wherever you are in your created mindspace.

Sumeet is not the first one to do something like this. “Actors like Atul Kulkarni and Harsh Chhaya have done this in my shows, too. It is extremely irritating and rude on the part of the audience, who, after repeated announcements before the show and in interval, don’t bother to check their phones and put them on silent mode. Each actor reacts differently when a phone rings. While deal with it by making a humorous comment and moving on, some get worked up and react with frustration and anger. But it is difficult to be oblivious to such sounds and continue.”

Speaking from the perspective of his audiences, director Prajakta Deshmukh says that using jammers or not allowing mobiles inside auditoriums is not a solution. “When I go as an audience member, I would feel insulted if someone asked me to deposit my mobile at the entrance. It is upto the audience to ensure they do not disturb a performance.”

Actor Priya Bapat, who recently turned producer of Marathi play Dada Ek Good News, asserts that it is the responsibility of every member of the audience to maintain decorum irrespective of age. “Even my baba doesn’t know how to switch off or switch on his mobile phone. But when I go along with my parents to watch a play, I ensure that I put their phones on silent. Similarly, youngsters among the audience can help senior citizens and seniors can ask for their help.”

Classical singer Rahul Deshpande who has performed in sangeet nataks, says that it’s ultimately in the hands of the audience and organisers can’t do much. He says, “I too have had to stop performances, but the best we can do is hope for the audiences to start respecting us.” And going by the fact that Sumeet’s recent show in Nashik last Sunday went on without any mobiles buzzing, it looks like audiences might finally be getting the point.

— With inputs from Rishabh Deb, Preeti Atulkar, Sushmitav Jha & Soumya Vajpayee

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 18, 2018)

Sanah Kapur, daughter of actors Supriya Pathak and Pankaj Kapur, is happy that her parents never planned a filmi launch for her. The actress, who made her debut with half-brother Shahid Kapoor in Shaandaar (2015), will now be seen in Harsh Chhaya’s black comedy Khajoor Pe Atke. In an interview with BT, she talks about the nepotism debate, about carving her own identity and wanting to be unique.

Since you belong to a family of actors, did you ever feel the pressure of audience expectations? Do you feel your parents, Supriya Pathak and Pankaj Kapur’s image as actors will influence the kind of roles that are offered to you?
I only do roles that excite me. I am not thinking of what kind of expectations people have from me because it is futile to think about it so much. I am just trying my best like everyone else in the film industry. I literally grew up on film sets so doing a film was not something new for me. But just like individuals who don’t belong to film families, we too have our struggles, albeit in different ways. I admit that there is a certain vision filmmakers have, when you belong to a family of actors, and they might offer you roles depending on that. My growing up years were spent with friends who grew up to be pilots, engineers or doctors. Also, this nepotism debate does not hold true for me because my parents have never been in the centre of things in Bollywood. They have never picked up the phone and asked someone to give me a role. My parents have always wanted me to have my own struggle and carve an identity on my own. That’s why when people ask me, ‘why did your parents not launch you with a film?’ I honestly answer, neither me nor my parents wanted it that way. In fact, when I was chosen for Shaandaar, Vikas Bahl was not even aware that Shahid is my brother. He auditioned me and informed bhaiyya about it much later, when he came to know of my true identity.

Your film Khajoor Pe Atke is also a comedy like your debut, Shaandaar. What was new about this film and your role?
I play the daughter of Manoj Pahwa, who is the eldest brother of the family. While the whole family is worried about a relative’s health, my character has her own agendas and is trying to connect with a bigger city because she has always lived in a small town. It was a lot of fun playing this character because there was scope to do something different from what I had done before in my debut film.

Talking of Manoj Pahwa, it is believed that you are engaged to Manoj and Seema Pahwa’s son Mayank?
Really? I will keep my mouth shut on this and say ‘No comments’.

How was it working with actor-turned-director Harsh Chhaya, and sharing the set with actors like Manoj, Seema and Vinay Pathak?
When you work with a director who has worked in films as an actor, he understands the requirements of an actor. Harsh made us comfortable and was happy to let us explore a lot more than what we expected. There was a lot of freedom to improvise on scenes and I learnt a lot from all the actors. We were like one big, happy family on the sets.

Most Bollywood actors’ sons and daughters spend a lot of time and effort styling and grooming themselves. They’re all over social media too and are always present at the right place, at the right time. We don’t see you accompanying your parents or brother at public events though. Is it a conscious effort?
Like I said before, I was brought up like a normal child. Our work and family lives are different and though I take my parents’ feedback on many things, I have never been to any parties, especially when I grew up. It is only after Shaandaar, when I got invited, that I started attending parties. Most importantly, I am not a star kid. My parents are actors. I am acting because I am passionate about the craft and so I feel I should just go with the flow. Tomorrow, if I have to style or groom myself for a role, I will be happy doing it, but otherwise I believe in being true to who I am. I am proud of how I am conducting myself and I love myself. I did the role of a fat girl in Shaandaar, who doesn’t find a guy because she’s obese, as it offered me something different. I think it is important to be unique and enjoy what you do, rather than do something that everyone else is doing.

You mentioned before that Mira Kapoor does not like you calling her bhabhi…
(Laughs!) That’s a joke we share. Mira is younger than me and so when I started calling her bhabhi, she felt a bit odd and requested that I not do that.

Reza Noorani (BOMBAY TIMES; May 17, 2018)

From acting in iconic television shows like Hum Log to being relegated as the portly happy-go-lucky guy in films, Manoj Pahwa has seen it all. Despite being typecast as the ‘father of the bride’ or the ‘jolly boss’ in Bollywood, he has made the most of the roles offered to him. The actor will now be seen playing a pivotal character in the upcoming family comedy, Khajoor Pe Atke, written and directed by Harsh Chhaya. Manoj talks to BT about the middle-class mentality of his character in the film, the reason why he has been stereotyped and the experience of acting alongside his wife, Seema Pahwa, on the big screen for the first time.

What were your concerns while working with a debutant director in Khajoor Pe Atke?
I have known Harsh both professionally and as a friend for many years. When he told me that he is making a film, the first thing that I wanted to do was listen to the script. The reason I did the film was because it is written so well, but I did not know how Harsh would turn out as a director. There’s always an apprehension when an actor wants to be a director, because one has not seen him work in that capacity. Also, when an actor turns into a filmmaker, the ‘actor’ side of his personality is more dominant than the ‘filmmaker’ side and that can become a problem. Thankfully, we never had that issue.

You play the eldest brother in a dysfunctional middle-class family and your character is emotional and hyper. Do you relate to the character?
Khajoor Pe Atke revolves around a typical middle-class family. Just like in the film, I am the eldest in my family, too. The thing with elder siblings is that we become mature ahead of our time. Parents keep telling the older child, ‘You are the eldest. If you act childish, what will the younger siblings do?’ But parents forget that the eldest is also a kid at the end of the day. He is coaxed into feeling so grown-up that he actually grows up. He learns to dole out unnecessary advice. I have been the elder kid in real life, so I did not have a problem identifying with my character. We have all seen such people, mostly at weddings, where there is always that one guy who feels upset because the family did not ‘formally’ ask him to eat!

In the past, you have done some memorable work on TV in the ‘80s serial Hum Log and later, Office Office. Do you plan to return to the small screen?
Quality has overtaken quantity on Indian television. The reason is that one has to make 25 episodes in a month. If the ratings are good, then you have to keep churning out new material. Be it writers, directors or actors, you cannot bring in so much fresh material in such less time, which is why the quality suffers. Also, the working conditions on TV are odd. CINTAA (Cine & TV Artists Association) has now made a rule of 12-hour work days, but even then, actors end up working for 14 to 15 hours. The content, too, is the same — saas-bahu and naagin shows. That’s why, after Office Office, I did not feel like working on television. I have done TV for 15 years and back then, the subjects were good and the shows were aired once every week. If you had one weekly show where you played the main character, you could work for 10 days in a month and truly give it your best. I can’t do a hectic 25-days-a-month schedule.

Do you think that you’ve been typecast as a jolly character in most of your films?
Yes, people have typecast me as a fat, happy-go-lucky actor. But I also understand the way things work from the perspective of a producer or a director. If a filmmaker wants a funny character in an out-and-out commercial film, he will not experiment and cast an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He will cast an actor like me. I understand that. So, when I get the same type of roles — the father of the bride or the hero or a jolly boss — as an actor, I can at least approach it differently. I know that from the seven billion people on earth, there may be a few thousands who resemble me physically. But still, no two people are the same. So, I try to think and act in a certain manner that befits the character. My aim is to play a character that allows me to break my image and step out of my comfort zone, but there are not as many opportunities. Also, you have to survive in an expensive city like Mumbai. So, an actor can’t say, ‘Now that I have played the role of a cop, I will refuse similar roles’. From the seven films offered to me, I can select the two that I love and give it my all.

Though you have worked with your wife Seema Pahwa on TV and in theatre, this is the first time you are working together in a film. How was the experience?
We have travelled the length of the country while working together in plays. We used to travel in trains because there was no money in theatre. Jo dosti gareebi mein hoti hai na, woh lambi chalti hai. Humney toh shaadi bhi karli (laughs!) Our association goes back a long way. We didn’t get to work in films together because when we shifted to Mumbai, she was not offered any good roles. The reason was that she was already known as Badki in Hum Log and she had such a strong image of the character, that people typecast her. After 17 to 18 years, when she worked in Aankhon Dekhi (2013) and Ferrari Ki Sawaari (2012), that image finally shattered. People got to know that Badki was still alive. After that, she did award-winning films like Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017) and Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017). While casting for my character’s wife in Khajoor Pe Atke, Harsh thought that she’d be a natural in the role. Performing with her didn’t feel like a new thing because we have acted together for so many years.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 15, 2018)

As an actor, Harsh Chhaya has witnessed the highs and lows of the profession for over 20 years. Now, he has chosen to direct a film because he was not comfortable with the kind of work that was being offered to him as a performer. The film, Khajoor Pe Atke, which the actor has also penned, is a dark comedy that revolves around a family dealing with the failing health of a close relative. In an interview with BT, Harsh tells us why he is exploring a genre considered niche in Hindi cinema and the paucity of good roles for talented actors in showbiz. Excerpts:

You’ve been acting since the 1990s. What prompted you to take up direction after all these years?
I am a professionally trained filmmaker and have worked behind the camera for around five to six years. The acting bug was so strong that I decided to postpone film direction for many years. I wasn’t offered good roles in the last 10 years or so, and I did not want to do something that I didn’t enjoy. The last time I enjoyed doing a film was Jolly LLB (2013). Otherwise, the kind of roles I got made me feel like a glorified extra. It never helped me professionally and because I was choosy about films, I was suddenly out of work. I spent a long time feeling frustrated and so, it was important to put my mind to better things than just waste my energy.

Your directorial debut Khajoor Pe Atke is a dark comedy. This isn’t a genre that is easy to crack and it’s still being explored in Hindi cinema.
My film is inspired from a few incidents that I have experienced. When you observe peculiar things around a situation multiple times, you start wondering if there’s a story there. So many times, in a serious situation, people observe or say something that’s off the mark and that becomes funny. My film explores such situations in life. I have always been inspired by films like Chupke Chupke (1975), Khoobsurat (1980), Khatta Meetha (1978) and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983). They don’t make films like that anymore. I want to stress on the fact that there is a market for all kinds of films, whether it is India or abroad. I wanted to explore the genre of dark comedy because I won’t be able make a slapstick or sex comedy. I am no one to judge here because I just made my first film, but slapstick comedies in India are mainly about jokes forwarded on your phone.

You have an ensemble cast with talented actors like Vinay Pathak, Seema Pahwa and Manoj Pahwa in your film. Do you feel that there is a lack of opportunities for such actors in our film industry that’s always hankering for big stars?
In our industry, there is a general lack of opportunities for talented actors. We can clearly say that there is a lot of talent in the film industry, but unfortunately, good actors have to often play merry-go-round around the stars in our films. The comedy genre has taken centre stage for sure, but the ‘Yeh toh comedy actor hai’ kind of labels have still not disappeared. We have actors like Manoj Pahwa, Seema Pahwa, Vinay Pathak and Dolly Ahluwalia, who have great comic timing, but they are often labelled as comedians. They can deliver so much more. Also, I feel, once you have a script that works, it automatically finds its way to good actors.

Since this is your first film with an ensemble cast of good actors but not big names, was it difficult to get a producer on board?
I waited for a long time, and then I came across some incredible producers who did not ask me, ‘Poster pe kaun hoga’. They were keen to hear the script. We also toyed around with the idea of roping in a star to sell the film. A couple of stars we spoke to were even happy with the script and suggested some changes. But the producers weren’t keen on changing the script, so we let go of the idea of having a star.

What were the challenges of donning the director’s hat, after having been on the other side of the camera for so long? Do you want to continue making films or would you want to go back to acting?
Most of your job is done when you work with talented actors. When I used to act, it was all about being in your space and following the director’s instructions. As a director, I was not just handling the actors, but looking after an entire unit of 100 people. To me, direction was a happily tiring and satisfying experience for me. As an actor, you can emotionally switch off once you come home from the set, but as a director, it is an emotional process that keeps going on for many months. I have made an honest film and I hope the masses will like it. I would love to continue acting, too, if there are good offers.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 29, 2014)