In an exclusive interview with IANS, the cast of the upcoming OTT show 'Chumbak' Sumeet Raghavan, Sandeepa Dhar, Neena Gupta, Deven Bhojani, Sumeet Vyas and Manasi Parekh opened up about their characters, experiences, and journey with writer-director Aatish Kapadia. Deven Bhojani spoke about exploring his role and shared memories from 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar', while Sumeet Raghavan talked about his experience working on the iconic show 'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai'. The cast also discussed their respective characters, their experiences on the sets and shared several interesting anecdotes and stories from their journey.
#Chumbak #SumeetRaghavan #SandeepaDhar #NeenaGupta #DevenBhojani #SumeetVyas #ManasiParekh #AatishKapadia #SarabhaiVsSarabhai #JoJeetaWohiSikandar #OTT #OTTShow #WebSeries #EntertainmentNews #BollywoodNews #CelebrityInterview
#Chumbak #SumeetRaghavan #SandeepaDhar #NeenaGupta #DevenBhojani #SumeetVyas #ManasiParekh #AatishKapadia #SarabhaiVsSarabhai #JoJeetaWohiSikandar #OTT #OTTShow #WebSeries #EntertainmentNews #BollywoodNews #CelebrityInterview
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00:00My first question is open to the floor, working with JD sir, Atish sir, you too have worked with him,
00:06like you have shared a long history with him but for the rest of you and all for all of
00:09you, what was that like when he was narrating the show to you, your characters, when he pitched the premise,
00:14what was that like, the first thoughts that initially clubbed your mind, anyone can take the lead and start.
00:18For me, I was amazed because when he narrated it, he played all the parts, he played all the characters,
00:24so he was changing voice from one character to another, tonality, everything changed, so he did the mannerisms, he fully
00:32became that character and within like five minutes, he had done everything, he had done the background music, he had
00:39done each character and I was just looking at him like, oh my god, what is this person?
00:44I had not met Atish before that and I was like, just by the virtue of this, I would want
00:50to work with this person to learn because he is just so fantastic and then, you know, once I read
00:57the script, I was like, oh my god, this is just, I was just laughing, it was so funny and
01:04I think it's got the heart of, you know, of Atish in terms of his wit and humour and everything
01:10and it was just, I felt like any part that you would give me,
01:14I would just do it, I would just do it, even if they didn't give me Kiran and they would
01:17give me something else, I would do it because, you know, I think it's every actor's dream to kind of
01:22work in this kind of a set up, so it was amazing.
01:26And for you, Nina Ma'am?
01:29Script and my character, I was just blown off, so there was no need to think about it, just immediately
01:38when it started and I did it, it was amazing.
01:41Were you not awestruck by the way he narrates the story as she mentioned, his narration or the way he
01:46pitches the character?
01:47It's something else, he comes from another planet.
01:51If he goes on, it's five hours and he does improvise so much.
01:57I have never seen this, I have never seen this, I have never seen this, I have never seen this,
02:00I have never seen this, I have never seen this.
02:03And he's a woman's man which is a very interesting part of it.
02:07Can you elaborate that, I want to touch more on that.
02:10We have a very different kind of relationship, Mia baby, he's not well, whatever, whatever, but it's a lot of
02:21music, loud music, and it's sensitive.
02:27When we say small things, it feels like it.
02:37It feels like it's a lot of music, but it feels like it's a lot of music, it feels like
02:45it's a lot of music, it feels like it's a lot of music.
02:50And sir, for you, if you could explain to me your character, the world that he comes from, what value
02:54system is?
02:54No, because J.D.A. Atish has worked for many years for TV shows, sometimes as a director, sometimes as
03:03an actor,
03:05so we have a rapport, and personally, we are a very good friend.
03:09So, when they approached me for the show, so, yes, it was first that we have to do it, we
03:15have to do it, we have to do it.
03:18But finally, I was on board, and I was so happy that, okay.
03:22So, here, of course, most of the people have worked for the first time, atish and J.D.A.
03:29So, they are so happy, and they are so happy.
03:31But I am so happy that, if the J.D.A. or J.D.A.
03:36behave not like this, in the same way, because they are like this.
03:42Atish, the J.D.A. set has so much energy in that person,
03:48and that's why they are so happy that they are so happy that the whole unit is energetic.
03:58And after a few scenes, when I go to home,
04:04I was walking on the car, and I was like,
04:07this is what I am going to say.
04:08And yes, that's the J.D.A. last one, that's an improvisation.
04:13It was very nice.
04:14Or, yes, I did it, and the J.D.A. said,
04:16that I am going to say that I don't do this, I don't feel good.
04:18So, no, that alertness in the J.D.A.
04:23and our own tuning.
04:25Sometimes, we only understand that
04:27that's what we want to do in the 44A,
04:30or 37B.
04:32So, we know what we are referring to.
04:34So, we know what we are referring to.
04:35So, that's the tuning.
04:35So, it's fun.
04:37And I have to ask one more thing, related.
04:39Since you have worked with him for so many years, both of them,
04:42Brotherhood, how will you define this word
04:44in terms of the context of your professional equation
04:47with him, or your working equation, with both of them?
04:49Yes.
04:50We are personally very good friends.
04:54But professionally,
04:55we have a lot of tuning.
04:57No doubt about it.
04:58But we don't always do one another.
05:02Let me elaborate on that.
05:04So, if there is someone who seems to me
05:07that I can sit in this position,
05:08but why did they not approach me?
05:10So, it doesn't bother me.
05:13It doesn't bother me.
05:13If there is something happening,
05:14then I can approach some other actor.
05:17At the same time,
05:18it is not so necessary that
05:19I only work with headstop.
05:21I also work with other producers.
05:24And, plus,
05:26if they do the same approach,
05:27then,
05:28sometimes, it will happen
05:30that I have convinced him to do it.
05:33That, for you, maybe, I suit the part,
05:38but I don't think that
05:39that I will do it.
05:40So, I would not like to do this.
05:42So, there is openness in us.
05:44Or there is another reason.
05:45Or whatever.
05:46So, we don't do one another.
05:48You know,
05:49that there is personal bonding,
05:50that professionalism.
05:51We don't do one another.
05:56And for you, Mansi,
05:57with regards to your character in the show,
05:59I mean,
06:00I know how he must have pitched it to you.
06:02But when you were in the mindset of your character,
06:05how did you navigate that path?
06:07Actually,
06:08my character, Priyanka,
06:10he says so much,
06:12that he doesn't stop.
06:14And there are such people in life,
06:15who say so much,
06:18that they don't give the other person a chance to speak.
06:21And he also says,
06:22say, say, say, say.
06:24And he always says.
06:25So, it is very different from what I am as a person.
06:30So, when they first said,
06:31you know,
06:32that it is a show.
06:32So, obviously,
06:33I was very excited.
06:34And when he said,
06:35you have got Priyanka's character,
06:37he will say so much.
06:39And then,
06:39his husband,
06:40he will kill something.
06:42He will explain everything.
06:44So, I was so excited to work with all of them.
06:48And of course,
06:48Sumit, I love as a co-acker.
06:50But was it exhausting?
06:51Because your character speaks so much.
06:53Did it take a lot of energy?
06:54It did take a lot of energy.
06:56It did take a lot of energy.
06:56But that's the thing.
06:56Aatish Bhai is the source of our energy.
06:59Because all these artists are so clear in his mind.
07:02I tell Aatish Bhai,
07:03he is a genius.
07:04If he is in Hollywood,
07:05he has 3-4 stars on Hollywood Boulevard.
07:08He is that level of a maker.
07:10And his makers are very low.
07:13I think all of us are so lucky,
07:14that we are with a writer-director,
07:16who is such a great maker,
07:17that he has already put our characters on paper,
07:22that it becomes very easy for an actor,
07:23to bring it to life.
07:25If the character is not written very well,
07:28then the actor gets more pressure.
07:30But here, everything is so clear,
07:32that you literally just have to follow it.
07:34You know?
07:34So,
07:35that's the experience for me.
07:37So, Chumbak has been amazing.
07:39Did it spoil you in any way as an artist?
07:41Absolutely.
07:42Because where will you get a director-writer combination?
07:45So, it's a very rare chance.
07:47we've all jumped onto this.
07:50It's the heart behind this whole vision,
07:53that is in the right place.
07:54Yeah.
07:55And that's why,
07:55this show is the right place.
07:58Okay.
07:59And Sumit,
08:00your performances,
08:02I have seen this one thing,
08:03observed rather one thing,
08:04please correct me if I am wrong,
08:05that your expertise lies in dry humor.
08:08You know?
08:09Kuchha victim say bowling,
08:10and then it clicks,
08:11all of a sudden.
08:12From that,
08:13to getting into this,
08:14more of this space,
08:16you know,
08:16where things are so,
08:17at the forefront.
08:18What was that like for you,
08:19that switch?
08:20Yeah, that was,
08:21quite a thing.
08:24This is a very different brand of comedy.
08:26You know,
08:27and in fact,
08:28in the beginning,
08:29when the first time,
08:30Aatish Ji had narrated,
08:33the character of Sumit Ragwan,
08:34the character,
08:35they said,
08:36would you like to try this?
08:39But I thought,
08:40that my temperament,
08:41it's not.
08:43I don't know why,
08:44I was scared,
08:44that I might not be able to do that.
08:47And it was to be a jump,
08:49for me,
08:50because that also required a special skill set.
08:53Which Sumit has,
08:55you know,
08:55he's extraordinary at that.
08:57Amazing.
08:58And this character,
08:59when I heard,
09:00I immediately vibed with him.
09:02I thought,
09:02that this is my temperament,
09:03and that I could reach here,
09:06and I could reach here.
09:07And,
09:08the most important thing,
09:09on the set,
09:10I saw a second,
09:12that I saw a woman,
09:12that I was directing,
09:14and the JTP's,
09:15the monitor,
09:16and the other shot,
09:17they were discussing all the other,
09:19and I thought,
09:21you know,
09:21I feel stressed,
09:23I've seen them.
09:23I saw them and I saw them,
09:25and they were relaxed.
09:26They were like,
09:27it was their own day.
09:28Yes,
09:28new people,
09:29it was like,
09:29it was a joke,
09:34It is so refreshing because it shows that they are so committed to doing what is good
09:44for the show.
09:45It's not coming from a personal way, it's coming from, you know, a sheer passion to do something
09:50and their conviction is that I would rather surrender to their vision.
10:04And Sumit sir, for you, to recalibrate your performance as per the demand of the character,
10:09as per the demand of the show, what was that like?
10:14Well, you can be intimidated by Aatish's brand of humor, or you are in awe of that.
10:22So, whoever is in awe, we all are in awe.
10:26Including me.
10:27Yes.
10:27It means that you have to take your fingers.
10:33If you can't bring anything to yourself, just follow him to the team.
10:37Yes.
10:37Correct.
10:38Because that's what everyone has said, that all the players are within him.
10:42You know, he's actually like a chameleon.
10:46He's changing the color of the racket.
10:48So, you need to just follow Aatish.
10:52And he knows every one's plus point.
10:56Even Jedi.
10:58Jedi knows how much money he charges.
11:00So, they can't raise that charge here.
11:04So, that's why he cares about someone.
11:06He's in awe.
11:08Yes.
11:10What a preocupative is in awe.
11:12He is taking advantage all this one.
11:13Yes.
11:13But, it's going to be a good actor after him.
11:17Next time he llega again.
11:18Yeah, we'll hungry again.
11:19We'll lose 40% in awe of that game.
11:20Huh?
11:20They're making servicios.
11:20Come on in awe.
11:23Danke.
11:24Make sure which product is understood the price.
11:27He's jaki loose and thatkor.
11:39So they know me well, I know them well, I know them well, so I know that when I call
11:47them,
11:47I know them well, I know them well, so I know them well, I know them well, I know them
11:49well.
11:49And he always puts you up and pushes you, that you just have to take off.
12:12And after working with them, we work outside on other projects.
12:19So the first day, it's not fun. It's like a feed.
12:25Of course, then very soon we enjoy that place.
12:29For first impression, it's like, you know,
12:33because I have worked with them all the time, and we are also friends.
12:37So this is what happens.
12:40And my next question is for you, sir.
12:42There are many memorable performances.
12:45But in my 4-5-year-old child,
12:46she only got a performance pad, which is Jojita.
12:51One of the best sports films from India.
12:53And your character particularly lends a lot of depth to that film.
12:56I'll explain why.
12:57Because that film is pure testosterone.
12:59You know, competitiveness, intensity.
13:01But your character comes with innocence, that little mischief, that softness of the teenage or the childhood.
13:07If you could share your fondest memories of working on that film.
13:10I was also working as an assistant director.
13:16Toh jaha par my director banne ki ek neev bhi vaha hoi.
13:21Or as an actor bhi, woh meri pahli film thi.
13:24Uh-huh.
13:24Uh-huh.
13:25Uh-huh.
13:31Uh-huh.
13:32It was a major break for me.
13:36Uh-huh.
13:36Uh-huh.
13:37And it was a turning point of my life.
13:39Because before that, I wanted to become a C.A. and I wanted to be a C.A.
13:44But after working in the second time, my life turned into a turn and I felt like some offers came.
13:52So, I felt like this is my life. You know, this is my calling. So, that was the turning point
13:59of my life.
14:00And Neenam, I am with regards to your working with Artesha and J.D. sir.
14:06Are they both from theatre background? Because the way they narrate their stories, it seems like, you know, they have
14:11a lot of knowledge of the backstage and what goes on stage.
14:14Considering that, what was your experience like to bring your expertise from the theatre and then these two schools of
14:20thought coming together?
14:21I didn't have any expertise. I didn't do anything.
14:26I didn't do anything. They told me that they told me that they told me.
14:31Control C, Control V.
14:32They told me what they did. They told me everything. They told me what they say.
14:44Why does all actors themselves give themselves?
14:48If it's my scene, why do they give themselves?
14:51Because the person that tells me what they do?
14:55Why does not give this scene?
14:57Why do they give themselves?
14:58If it's my scene only then they don't give this scene?
15:01They have to give themselves candidacy.
15:02Why is it 3 lines?
15:03Why does it give 50 lines?
15:05Until you get emotional and reaction.
15:08I mean, I have no expertise, no expertise.
15:12I have everything in my house.
15:14And what I said, do.
15:16That's why episode 5 hours.
15:20And a great thing about it.
15:22After shooting, I don't know much about J.D.
15:26I'm talking about J.D.
15:27That's right.
15:30So, I went to the award for the award.
15:35So, J.D. also sat with me.
15:37By chance, I sat with Bajun.
15:39So, he called my name for the award for the award.
15:43He was like my godfather.
15:45I mean, he became a godfather.
15:49He said, I took my purse.
15:52He went up.
15:53There were other people.
15:54I went to the stage.
15:55He got up.
15:58I took my purse.
15:59I didn't like to give him a purse.
16:01I took my hand and took my hand.
16:05And when I came back, I went to the stage.
16:09I didn't know that much.
16:11So, this is a project.
16:13So, there is this whole family feeling
16:16with them also personally.
16:19He is one of those kind of people.
16:21If you have a problem, you can go to them.
16:24Yeah.
16:24Actually.
16:25I have to share a story about J.D.
16:27Sir.
16:28My mother-in-law was unwell in the middle.
16:32She was getting treated in Punjab.
16:34So, in the middle of the day, there was such a thing.
16:35I probably took him to Mumbai.
16:37And I didn't know many people.
16:39Out of the blue, I have never had any interaction with J.D. Sir.
16:43For some reason, I thought that he would know someone.
16:46Yeah.
16:47Out of the blue, I called him.
16:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:49And he didn't know.
16:50And then, he spoke to the hospital.
16:53And then, hospital, I told him that your appointment is this or that.
16:57Then, three times, he followed up.
17:00What happened or not?
17:02What happened to him?
17:04And he had no business doing all of this.
17:07Such a fine human being.
17:08Amazing.
17:08And never mentioned it.
17:10It's not that after that, he went back to the set.
17:12He never met him.
17:13So, in that case, he never said that.
17:14I thought that you were telling him.
17:16Yeah, that's right.
17:17That's right.
17:19It was between me and him.
17:20And I learned a lot.
17:23Absolutely.
17:23I wish I could be that person to someone else.
17:26He's a problem solver.
17:27He's always there.
17:28Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:28For any issue.
17:29In the hospital, I need a passport, ticket.
17:34In the hospital, I need a job.
17:36J.D.
17:37In college, I need admission.
17:38In school, I need admission.
17:40My child's school, I need admission.
17:41My society's secretary is giving me.
17:43J.D.
17:46Perfect.
17:47So, with that, we have reached.
17:48So, in the shoot, we have a lot of fun.
17:51Of course, he's a creative man.
17:53But he has a lot of fun.
17:54He has a lot of fun.
17:56So, J.D., let's do it on the mic.
17:59And also, not only that.
18:02Sometimes, many a times rather.
18:04Creatively, also, he will come up with such nice input.
18:07Absolutely.
18:08But if we do it, we'll do it.
18:09But if we do it, we'll do it again.
18:11So, after she wants to do it.
18:12Yeah.
18:12So, after she said, yeah, J.D. is right.
18:14So, let's do it the other way around.
18:16So, creatively, J.D. has a lot of interesting inputs.
18:26And very quickly, my last question is for you, Sumit, sir.
18:31There's this one episode from Sahara Bhai.
18:35I'm in love with that particular episode wherein the three of you get drunk and then you're
18:39reading out of Rosh's poetry.
18:41If you could share your fondest of memories or any anecdote while shooting that scene.
18:45Oh, there are a lot of issues.
18:48And especially, that one, that one, Satish Kaka is not in our midst.
18:52But when we remember Sahara Bhai, we remember Indra Baden Sahara Bhai.
18:57So, in that episode, especially in this scene, it was absolutely hilarious.
19:04Fantastic.
19:06Kuch toh hoota hai ki, insurance is the best.
19:13Oh, aisa koi a client thi na.
19:15Insurance is honest.
19:17Something to that.
19:19It, it was, it was fantastic.
19:21I mean, Sahara Bhai is different.
19:23Yeah, absolutely.
19:24Cult.
19:24Perfect.
19:25So, with that we have used to.
19:26And, tabi bhi Sahara Bhai ke dauraan bhi, you know,
19:28jho, I'm saying that Satish ji, Sumit, or Rajesh,
19:33that Satish hoota hai, to aapas me itni sararat karte hai ki kaam rog jata hai.
19:37And, you know, ki mujhe kaam khatam karna hai or achcha kaam karna hai.
19:40To, baut daantna padhta tha, insatko.
19:43I can't imagine you daanto-ing him for a while.
19:46Oh, you know, Devin, I can daanto very well.
19:48Yeah.
19:49I haven't seen it yet.
19:51The way he explains the text and everything as Dushyant, like phenomenal.
19:55Amazing.
19:56Perfect.
19:56So, with that we have reached the end of this conversation.
19:58If there's anything.
19:58Please watch Umbak on 10th of September.
20:01100%, 100%.
20:01Thank you, Acharya.
20:02And, I wish you all the best.
20:03Please take care.
20:04Thank you so much.