The intimate scenes between Manoj Bajpayee and Richa Chaddha on the sets of Anurag Kashyap���������s next, became a piece of cake, thanks to the film-maker���������s competence and the co-actor���������s cool demeanour.Anurag Kashyap is not your regular director. Brave enough to be different, the film-maker is also braving the chill in Benaras and busy canning shots for his next, ���������Gangs Of Wasseypur���������.
Richa Chaddha, who is a part of the cast, swears by the rigorous shooting schedule that the unit has to go through, ���������Shooting is pretty hectic. It goes on till 11 pm and by seven, the next morning, we are back on the sets.��������� But the actor isn���������t complaining. When you bag a meaty role in a project by a ���������superb director���������, all else fades into oblivion. And being professional to the core is your only concern.
Hence, Richa too took the dropping temperatures in her stride and delivered her lines to the best of her abilities. ���������We had a few summer sequences, where I had to stand in front of a refrigerator and wear half-sleeved blouses. With the nip in the air, it was pretty challenging to shoot such scenes,��������� says the actor, who plays Najma, a gangster���������s wife in the film.
Interestingly, Manoj Bajpayee is playing her gangster husband, a coal mafia. And Richa has only good things to say about her co-star. ���������We both share theatre backgrounds. In fact, we had been coached under Barry John, though Manoj had done his classes much before I had. This is the first time that I am working with him and I must say that we have become good pals. The ice was broken during our workshop for the film,��������� adds Richa.
Ask her if playing husband-wife also means sharing screen space for some intimate scenes and Richa answers in the affirmative, ���������We do have a few such sequences. But it is nothing graphic. They have been tastefully shot and do not border on the vulgar. We were fully clad at all times.��������� But was she hesitant at any point in time, one wonders. ���������I was, initially and I would just blush, but like I said, the ice was broken during the workshop and I was super comfortable with Manoj,��������� clarifies Richa.
There seems to be mutual admiration club rampant on the sets of Anurag���������s film. While Richa feels that Manoj is ���������superb��������� as an actor and Anurag a ���������superb��������� director, the former too has minced no words in praising Richa. ���������Manoj said that I���������ll go very far. He keeps appreciating me,��������� Richa takes pride in her compliments from an actor as talented as Manoj.
As for Anurag and the look that he wants his Najma to be in, it is ���������simple and deglam���������, says Richa and adds, ���������For Anurag, no make-up means no make-up.��������� With the film-maker���������s concern and protective attitude on the sets, it is no wonder that he is lovingly called the ���������Papa bear��������� by the unit, Richa gives out Anurag���������s nickname.
Anurag, Manoj, Richa make for an interesting pairing. One wonders if shooting on outdoor locations raised inquisitive eyebrows and the crowd number around the shooting site. ���������Yes, kabhie kabhie bhir jam jati thi (Sometimes, there used to be a crowd). But it was mostly to see Manoj,��������� confirms the actor. What about people recognizing her? ���������Beech beech main koi ake poochta rehta tha, ���������Aaap Dolly ho? (At times, someone used to come and ask, ���������Are you Dolly?���������)������������������ Richa laughingly admits as a parting note.
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