Mumbai: In an exclusive interview, actors Neil Nitin Mukesh and Divya Khossla, along with director Umesh Shukla, discussed their film ‘Ek Chatur Naar’. Umesh emphasized the importance of research in storytelling, drawing from his experiences. After that, Neil highlighted Umesh's collaborative approach, allowing actors freedom to interpret their characters. The film blends humor with complex themes, showcasing Umesh's ability to balance relatability and universality. In the last, the actors and director shared insights into their creative processes, character development and the challenges of comedy in film.
00:00While you are making the film, the logistics of it, how it all trickles down the local culture,
00:05the way the people speak and how do you improvise it along the way as you go forward telling the story?
00:10See, because it is based in Lucknow. So, definitely we will work towards, you know,
00:19that type of language and everything. But subject has to be universal. That shouldn't be like
00:26completely UPUP. You should relate. Every state should relate to the subject matter.
00:33It should be as global as it is.
00:34Yes, definitely. So, it has to be very, it should be globally, you know, relatable.
00:39So, that's the, it should appeal to all. Because the use of technology is everywhere right now.
00:46Whether if you see abroad or here, I mean, people are here because of Gazettes.
00:51And so, that is the idea ki, even technology kithna bura bhi ho sakta hai.
00:58Or kitni hat tak aapko alag taraf pe leke ja sakta hai. So, that was the idea.
01:04So, I think all the language and body language, these all are ornaments.
01:09But the real thing is the story and soul. Yeah.
01:14And he said this one thing that, you know, you humanize your characters very much.
01:18Yeah. And want to know, what's the trick for doing that? How do you humanize?
01:21I think it's not a trick. It's, I think, a bringing up, I would say.
01:24That's a bringing up. You know where, like how, I mean, you see relationships
01:30while you are growing up. You know, you can't be just like, you know ki,
01:35I am absurd at all. We are not like that. We are not like that. We are growing up.
01:41So, we always see people from human angle only. So, this is the thing, you know.
01:47And Neil sir, as a director, how would you describe his directorial style, his voice?
01:53Is he the one, someone who feeds into your mind the character or the voices of it or lets you fly?
01:57Or is it the other way around, very categorical directorial person?
02:00You know, I just, I joke about it all the time. In fact, Divya has already complimented that style of his working.
02:06But I'll elaborate on this, that I've experienced multiple kinds of directors.
02:10In fact, just before I started this film, I experienced also a director who would not want even a comma changed.
02:18You know, so that kind of restricts an actor.
02:22But the freedom that sir has given, especially when it comes to such complex characters,
02:28Abhishek is a very layered, very complex character.
02:31Of course, can't really talk much about it because of the nature of the film.
02:35But, you know, it's so refreshing to see a filmmaker say,
02:42You know what Neil, just play it your way.
02:45You know, so it gives you that much more strength as an actor to go on and completely.
02:52And then, of course, he understands that, yes, sir, I like that.
02:55And because it's a comic,
02:57So, in comedy, you have to depict someone with a great attention of a character.
03:04Whether it's Divya Ji or my character.
03:06It's a situation.
03:07So, you cannot go over the top.
03:10You have to make sure that your audience is making, is relating to your character.
03:14And sometimes it's like, sir, this situation is not a comic.
03:19But to find comedy in that,
03:21For example, for example,
03:23There is a panic attack.
03:25And in that panic attack,
03:27I know it's going to be known.
03:28But maybe my audience is going to be going.
03:30You know,
03:31To implement that,
03:34That's one of the related factors.
03:38And I will give them all of it.
03:39Because it's the only thing that you make a character naturally.
03:45And not fake.
03:46Yeah.
03:47And Divya, I am talking about the film and the overall narrative.
03:51It has a healthy dose of humor.
03:53Now, it's generally said that,
03:55It's very difficult to make a comedy in the film.
03:58At the end of the day, it's on your shoulder.
04:00It's a dramatic scene.
04:01It can be enhanced with the background score.
04:03Lighting can enhance anything.
04:04You can check it.
04:05In comedy, it's just about your timing.
04:07If you miss the pulse,
04:09If you miss the beat,
04:10The joke won't land.
04:11In that sense,
04:12Did this film demand a lot from you
04:15And put all your skills to test as an artist?
04:17Actually, you know,
04:19I have always,
04:20I don't know why,
04:21Felt that comedy is my genre.
04:23And I have always longed and wished and prayed
04:25That I get to work in a comedy film.
04:27So when this came,
04:28I was like,
04:29Yeah, fine.
04:30I'm getting to do what I wanted to do.
04:32Maybe people don't know that side of me.
04:35Because in real life,
04:36Also,
04:37I have that comic bone in me.
04:39So,
04:40So,
04:41I think
04:42Maybe that's why I enjoyed it more.
04:44And I feel when you enjoy it and don't take that pressure
04:46To then,
04:47You know,
04:47It's,
04:48It's,
04:48It's all the journey is really nice.
04:50Yeah.
04:51And what's the kind of humor that all of you like?
04:53Uh,
04:54Is it dark, dark comedies, slapstick or something else?
04:56Uh,
04:57What I,
04:58Uh,
04:59Actually,
05:00See,
05:01See,
05:02I think all comedies are comedies.
05:05But,
05:05I mean,
05:06It's not like that slapstick is bad.
05:07Or,
05:08It's not like that.
05:10It's not like that.
05:11From silence here,
05:13We have seen Charlie Chaplin.
05:14Correct.
05:15To Mr. Bean and if you see Jim Carrey.
05:18We all have,
05:19We all have,
05:20I mean,
05:21If you see here,
05:22We have seen Mehmud,
05:23Mukherjee,
05:24Johnny Lever,
05:26Ashrani.
05:27Ashrani.
05:28What a matter.
05:29All,
05:30I mean,
05:30It's not like that.
05:31It's not like that.
05:32It's comedy.
05:33But,
05:34In this film,
05:35It's not a very situational.
05:37It's not slapstick comedy.
05:40It's not a film.
05:41But,
05:42That doesn't mean that the other people have slapstick is bad.
05:45I would say comedy is a comedy.
05:46I agree.
05:47If you do it,
05:48Then do it,
05:49Then do it.
05:50What would be your personal taste?
05:51In this film?
05:52In totality.
05:53In general.
05:54In general.
05:55In general,
05:56I always prefer situational,
05:57Like,
05:58Hira Firi.
05:59And,
06:00Gol Maal,
06:01I always loved that type of cinema.
06:03Padosan also.
06:04Yes,
06:05Padosan also.
06:06A girl,
06:07A girl,
06:08A girl,
06:09A girl,
06:10A girl,
06:11A girl,
06:12A girl,
06:13A girl,
06:14A girl,
06:15A girl,
06:16Chalbaz,
06:17And,
06:18That film.
06:19I always,
06:20Sita Gita.
06:21Chalti Ka Naam Gadi.
06:22Chalti Ka Naam Gadi,
06:23Where we always enjoyed such films.
06:27Such films.
06:28Yeah.
06:29Yes.
06:30I think like Sir rightly said, you know, situational.
06:37At time, you do enjoy slapstick also.
06:39Sometimes it's damn funny.
06:40So it depends.
06:41You know,
06:42It depends script to script,
06:43Film to film.
06:44Yeah.
06:45And he said for you.
06:46Well,
06:47Situational for sure.
06:48But I like dark comedies also.
06:51Only for a reason because you get the best of both the worlds.
06:55And then we have a lot of that.
06:57We've,
06:58You know,
06:59Our film boasts of not just comedy, but also a great amount of thrill.
07:02Yeah.
07:03And, you know,
07:04Keeps you on the edge and keeps you guessing all the time.
07:07So when you,
07:08And what happens is,
07:09It just gives you the opportunity of exploring characters in totality,
07:13That are all multilayered.
07:14So the one upmanship,
07:16The,
07:17The battle,
07:18You know,
07:19Within the characters,
07:20That makes the fun of,
07:21Of a film and a narrative go on.
07:23Yeah.
07:24And my next question is for all three of you.
07:26Ek Chaturna,
07:27The title,
07:28It also represents a very strong legacy.
07:31The song itself from Colossan.
07:32You mentioned first.
07:33Right.
07:34Does at any point,
07:36Do you feel the pressure kicking in during the promotions or while you were making the film?
07:39Not at all.
07:40I think we,
07:41He and I were having this discussion right now.
07:42Yeah.
07:43That a lot of the youngsters probably don't even know of that song,
07:46Which is,
07:47Yeah.
07:48You know,
07:49Scary and sad.
07:50But we,
07:51At least I come from a generation who's grown up with that kind of music.
07:52So when I heard the title for the first time,
07:54I said,
07:55Oh my God,
07:56Sir,
07:57This is,
07:58What a brilliant title.
07:59Yeah.
08:00And we have created a song also around our situation.
08:03Like our content.
08:04So it's,
08:05And really,
08:06It's really working.
08:07It goes really well with the film.
08:08With the film.
08:09Yeah.
08:10And while you were working on this character,
08:13You said that, you know,
08:14You have to,
08:15Basically acting is how you react to your co-stars and more so in comedy,
08:18Because that's where the timing,
08:19Yeah.
08:20Pulse of the moment comes from.
08:22I want to know what,
08:23What is the camaraderie between the both of you?
08:25On the camera,
08:26So we would see in the film eventually,
08:27But off the camera,
08:28While the cameras were not rolling.
08:30The entire set was,
08:31You know,
08:32Its own element in its natural space.
08:34What was the give and take?
08:35Yes, you like.
08:36I think on the camera,
08:37It was a lot more fun.
08:38Off the camera,
08:39It was serious.
08:40Because you know,
08:41We both are very hard working into our work.
08:43Or either,
08:44It's always calm,
08:45Calm,
08:46Calm.
08:47But on the,
08:48On screen,
08:49It was very fun.
08:50Because,
08:51It was about Nagin and Nevala.
08:52And I had the most fun time of my life.
08:55Bullying him.
08:57Yeah,
08:58Bullying him.
08:59I also get bullied easily.
09:07And for my last question Neel sir,
09:08Your debut movie,
09:09Johnny Gaddaar,
09:10One of my favourite films.
09:12From,
09:13Mine too.
09:14Who doesn't love it?
09:15Working in,
09:16In your debut with,
09:17A director,
09:18Like,
09:19Sripamraak Vannoy,
09:20Working with him,
09:21Both titans of their own.
09:22Right.
09:23From Johnny Gaddaar to now,
09:24How has the actor in you evolved?
09:27Oh well,
09:28I've,
09:29I've seen a great evolution in me as an actor.
09:30Of course,
09:31I've,
09:32I've,
09:33I feel that there's never,
09:34Never a moment that I can say,
09:36That I have learned everything.
09:37Because,
09:38Every day is generally a learning process.
09:40And that,
09:41I think everyone says it,
09:42Whether a director,
09:43You know,
09:44An actor,
09:45Writer,
09:46In any,
09:47Any way forward.
09:48But,
09:49From then,
09:50The kind of maturity,
09:51Or,
09:52Which I have experienced personally,
09:53In my life.
09:54And,
09:55That,
09:56Personal life experiences,
09:57Of course,
09:5820 years ago,
09:59So,
10:0020 years ago,
10:01My journey,
10:02My everything,
10:03And,
10:04That,
10:05That,
10:06That,
10:07Point of view,
10:08That,
10:09That,
10:10That,
10:11That,
10:12You know,
10:13That,
10:14That,
10:15That,
10:16That,
10:17That,
10:18That,
10:21That,
10:22That,
10:23Shriram sir, he is also a national award winning film maker and he has worked with over a dozen national award winning directors.
10:32I have worked with 30 films on the top of the 30th, regional, you know, all kinds of languages, especially in Hindustan.
10:41So, just from there, when Umesh sir came to me, there was a manifestation of his first film.
10:52I said, I will never get a chance in my life, and when I get a chance, I will not get a chance.
10:57So, he has worked on the manifestation and maybe the ones who have spent a little time on the top of the 30th, but after that, he has given such a big character.
11:07That's why I thank them and thank them, that they have understood me the best.
11:12But what a fantastic director, technically outstanding.
11:17All the things, A to Z, technically, are very solid, but you know, it's a solid film, it's a stressful film, I can say it.
11:29Because it's a big film, there are so many actors, there are so many actors.
11:33But, in which way, they have kept our minds on the set, and so many actors, and so many actors, we have told them how to tell them.
11:39How to tell them, how to tell them, I don't know.
11:41I don't know.
11:42I don't know.
11:43I don't know.
11:44I don't know.
11:45I don't know.
11:54I don't know.
11:56But I don't know.
11:58Because I'm not pressuring, to get my job.
12:01I will ask you of course, my authority becomes my responsibility, my right.
12:06And I hope to get my job very quickly.
12:10But that experience, which I'm hungry, that experience will be very quickly in my life.
12:16We would all like to request our audience that please do watch our film Ek Chaturnaar
12:39in theatres from 12th September onwards.
12:41I'm sure the people will turn out and use them.
Be the first to comment