Tushar Pandey on how theatre background helped him perform in his upcoming film
Dhaval Roy (DNA; September 5, 2019)

For Tushar Pandey, Chhichhore — toplined by Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor — is not just his big ticket to mainstream Bollywood but also a movie that has helped him showcase his training as a theatre artiste. “Approaching a character is serious work for me. I want to do my homework and detailing,” he states, referring to his days of studying at the National School of Drama (NSD), followed by London International School of Performing Arts and acting in drama in the British capital before moving back to India. Tushar tells us about the process of playing a 20-something college student and then a guy in mid-40s and why he will never give up theatre.

Generation leap
Tushar’s character’s journey in the Nitesh Tiwari directorial begins in college as an overprotected simpleton, Mummy. “He understands the world in a simple manner and his mother is his best friend. When he joins the institute, he comes across people who are worldly wise. One part of the role is that it’s a coming-of-age and figuring out life. The other part is a 45-year-old man, who has completed IIT and moved to a different part of the world,” he elaborates.

Approaching such dichotomous parts wasn’t cakewalk for Tushar. He explains, “I’ve studied in three different colleges and lived in a hostel, so, I could go back in time. The challenge was playing the middle-aged married guy with no hair.”

Tushar gives the credit to Nitesh for giving the actors a freehand to prep the way they wanted and allotting them two-and-a-half months for the transformation — in the psyche, physical appearance and voice since Tushar’s character moves abroad and so on. But this is where his theatre training helped. “I could give it everything I had to make the portrayal real and layered; because stage teaches you to do just that,” says the actor who has directed approximately 15 stage productions and acted in about 25 — like Shikhandi, Romeo-Juliet (with Kalki Koechlin), The Dumb Waiter and King Lear.

Best place to be
Tushar, whose indie film Beyond Blue (2015) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and fetched him the Best Actor Award in Rome, says that he is in the best place at the moment. “This is the best opportunity for me — to play characters on the big screen to the best of my abilities, while not forgetting my roots in hardcore acting. Theatre will always be with me,” emphasises the actor who has also featured in Pink (2016) and Hum Chaar this year. He hopes Chhichhore will do for his career what Vicky Donor (2012) did for Ayushmann Khurrana, Masaan (2015) for Vicky Kaushal or Trapped (2016) for Rajkummar Rao. “It’s not a hero-heroine and supporting cast set-up but actually the story of seven friends,” he avers.

A special project
The film is also special to Tushar because of Nitesh and the confidence the director instilled in him for his work. “Actors are always a little worried, insecure and they always question themselves. So, when you meet someone who gives you a boost, you come out thinking you’ve done well,” he smiles. Tushar is waiting for the release of the movie, post which, he will be seen in Shikhandi, a play that’s been showing for two years. “I was busy with Hum Chaar and Chhichhore since 2018, so I couldn’t take up much work on stage. But I am in talks for directing and acting in a production next year. I’ll make sure I keep doing something in theatre,” he signs off.

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 9, 2019)

With his quiet demeanour and soft-spoken nature, Sooraj Barjatya in a way epitomises the values that his movies espouse. The filmmaker, who has given cinegoers blockbusters like Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999), Vivah (2006) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), is known for making clean, family entertainers that cater to audiences of all ages. The 54-year-old, who has played an instrumental role in taking Rajshri Productions to the masses and classes alike, talks to us about being a creative producer for Hum Chaar, mentoring his younger son, Avnish, who will soon make his directorial debut and helming movies that he believes in...

Hum Chaar is a different take on friendship
My last production was Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP) in 2015. My films are family fare and I know my audience is 35-plus. For a while, I was thinking about making a movie where we could talk a bit about our values. But the language had to be different from mine.

Abhishek Dixit, who has been a creative director in marketing, came to me with the concept about how today, friends are more like family. These are the people who come in to stand by you. I asked him what made him think so. He wondered how many people spend time with their parents on birthdays, anniversaries… Not many of them. We’re at work and indifferent, so we celebrate by ourselves… Then he explained that in his family too, he can’t call up anyone anytime to discuss his problems or share something. If his bhabhi is busy, he has to ask her to make time for him… There is aupcharikta (a certain formality) now.

Also, when I look at my kids and nephews jo Gwalior se Mumbai aaye hain... Their parents are worried, ki inke dost kaise hain, whether they are drinking and partying. So, they are judging... but these boys say, when we lose our mobiles, these are the guys (our pals) who come with us to the police station. So, if we are not judging chacha, chachi, etc, why are you judging our friends? When you see this, you feel this is a nice subject to make a movie on. Abhishek has done it in his own way. I’m looking forward to this film.

It’s a story of pure friendship, but told in a different way. I was involved as a creative producer throughout, because I wanted the correct launch for Abhishek and the actors. Also, I was keen that I wanted one film that doesn’t have my trademark style. I was certain that the director should not follow my way. He wanted some of the old songs, but I asked him to retain his own language.


Maine Pyar Kiya; Hum Saath-Saath Hain; Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!; Prem Ratan Dhan Payo; Vivah; Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon

Taking the tradition forward 

I was supposed to start my film with Salman (Khan) and I had spoken to him, too. But my younger son Avnish, who wanted to pursue CA (chartered accountancy), gave it up. He told me he wanted to become a filmmaker and assisted me on Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP). Since the last one year, he has been working on the script and this month, we’ll lock it.

The love story is a bit complicated; that’s his zone, it’s his choice. Like my father allowed me to make films my way, I’m guiding Avnish, in case he requires anything from me, I’m always there for him.

I’m happy that both Avnish and Abhishek have kept the sur of Rajshri Productions because anyone going to see our film will be satisfied with it, that’s important for us.

I told Salman that once it’s done, I will start working on our film. That’s why there’s been some delay. But, it’s also after 30 years that we have another director from our family. So, it’s a big moment for me, for us.

I just realised that I’m more nervous this time than when I was starting my journey.

‘I must make what I believe in’
The family values remain the same, they will always be important. I made Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003), where I tried to do something different. Then I realised that you should make what you are, irrespective of what the market says. You create your film, ussi sur mein you experiment. You don’t need to ask anyone else what to make and how to do it. That’s for the next generation. I must make what I believe in and I will find my audience.

For example, PRDP is a huge hit in the Hindi belt and even on TV as it represents Bharat. In fact, all my films cater more to Bharat than India (the metros). So, I’m happy in my zone and I must be at peace. With age, I feel more responsible about how to tell these stories in an entertaining way because it’s important.

When our film releases, people say ki dadi ko dikhana hai, dada ko dikhana hai etc... The younger generation comes with that idea because they feel that they must show it to their grandparents. Even with PRDP, it felt nice to see old people coming to watch a movie, trusting that it’s a family film. It had its core values.

I told Avnish that this should be there in his film too, in his own way and space.

Hum Chaar caters to Bharat’s youth
I hope this film reaches everywhere. It’s a youthful Bharat because the director has stayed in Lucknow, Kanpur and Noida. I told him to make this film the way he led his life because that is what I trust. I told him not to worry about what works or sells but to keep the humour because he has a good sense of humour and he, himself, is a writer. If it caters to India, it is good; but, otherwise, it will surely cater to the youth of Bharat.

These are not the times to aim for certain things like how we did during Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (HAHK, 1994) when it was like let’s make a number one hit. Having said that, I didn’t make it thinking like that, but it did become a huge hit. It’s going to be 25 years since HAHK, but I haven’t planned anything yet.

DNA (February 8, 2019)

Rajshri Productions was one of the first banners to base a film on the concept of friendship way back in 1964. Dosti, which was about the bond between a disabled person and a visually-challenged boy, was a roaring success. Since then, Rajshri’s movies have revolved around the concept of friends and family.

Over the years, they have given audiences blockbusters like Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! (1994), Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999), Vivah (2006) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). In 2019, Rajshri is back with a film that showcases the importance of dosti, but with a twist! Hum Chaar is based on the concept that in today’s world, friends become family. It upholds the values that the production house has stood for since 72 years.

Debutantes Prit Kamani, Simran Sharma, Anshuman Malhotra and Tushar Pandey play the lead roles. Producer Sooraj Barjatya says, “When I look at my kids, nephews, nieces and their bonds with their friends, what inspires me is the non-judgmental attitude that friendship has! If this purity, this unconditional love that friends have for each other is not family, then what is?”

Rajshri Productions’ Hum Chaar: Friends Bhi Family Hai is slated to hit the screens on February 15.

MUMBAI MIRROR (November 13, 2018)

Three years after the release of the Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor-starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Rajshri Productions announced their next film, Hum Chaar. And according to its director Abhishek Dixit (pictured right), it will redefine the word ‘family.’ “It has been a great experience being a part of the Rajshri family and making this film which will redefine the word ‘family’. In this golden age of content-driven cinema we have tried our best to come up with a story which is relatable to everyone who shares a close bond with friends,” Dixit was quoted as saying in a statement on Monday.

According to the writer-director, shooting for the film has already wrapped up and it is currently in post-production. “We shot the film in March-April this year in Uttar Pradesh. The story is about four friends for which we have cast newcomers. It’s slated to be released in the first quarter of 2019,” Dixit informed, while remaining tight-lipped on the film’s cast.

About his banner’s 58th production, Sooraj Barjatya (seen above) said that it is always a proud moment to welcome a new film into the fold. “Hum Chaar is based on friendship and in line with our banner’s philosophy of ‘family first’. The film explores the idea that in a world where families are nuclear and joint families are rarely seen, friends become family too,” he was quoted as saying recently.

The banner introduced Hum Chaar to the audience in a unique way, with a series and sequences from their previous hits in a video. Neil Nitin Mukesh, who played Salman’s younger brother in the Barjatya-directed Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo, also joined in the celebrations. “Celebrating the Rajshri legacy, 71 years of entertainment, values and family. This year, time to add friends in family,” he noted.