What I have always loved about Bollywood is that it has a mixed bag of actors. While there are stars who we see playing meaty, glamourous, larger-than-life roles, many of them simply win our hearts with their earnest performances. Actor Abhishek Banerjee falls under the latter, I remember watching him in Stree and since then I was quite charmed. Recently, when I saw Abhishek in The Great Weddings Of Munnes that streamed on Voot on 4th August. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud throughout. And when I spoke to him a few days ago, I saw an actor who is here to genuinely win hearts and entertain.
Watch the trailer of The Great Weddings Of Munnes here:
Read Abhishek’s interview here:
What is the response you have been receiving for The Great Weddings Of Munnes?
People have laughed their hearts out after a long time, they have been kind with their reviews. It’s always overwhelming, especially because this is my first solo lead show, there was a fear that somebody shouldn’t just thrash it. You feel scared, because it’s a big step, but I am very happy that it’s been received well.
Can we say that since the project was coming from Raaj Shandiliya there was a conviction that it wouldn’t go wrong?
With Raaj Shandilya I usually don’t even go through the script. I know whatever he is going to come with is going to be funny, that’s how we worked on Dream Girl also. Comedy is also about the spontaneity of it, of course the writing helps us to get into the space, but it’s a collaborative effort. He has been writing comedy since so many years, and has written over 2000 scripts with a Limca book of records. So somebody like him, you just want to trust them.
Whenever a script is offered to you, what do you see in it?
For me the makers matter a lot, and also the story. If I am enjoying the story, it is very important at times for you to enjoy the story so that you can do it well. Every time a filmmaker is convinced about me being a part of his or her film, I have always read the script and if its appealing to me then I usually say a yes. I don’t really strategize much.
You started with casting and then became an actor, but if I would have told Abhishek in 2006 that he would be sitting with such an impressive body of work in 2022, would he believe me?
He would want to believe that. I came to this city to be an actor, and then I had find my own ways to run my kitchen. I was very sure that one day I will be an actor, when, was the matter. I always wanted to just keep on training myself, in fact, casting was also kind of a secret training for me because I would give cues to other actors so I was always in practice. Sometimes I miss that, giving cues from different scripts, play different characters, help other actors and learn a lot from them. Some actors are brilliant at auditions, I am very bad at them, I still don’t know how to crack a good audition. But I see actors kill it with every audition, sometimes just to be in that loop of acting I continued casting. But yes, I always believed that there will be a day when I will be an actor.
Was it easy or difficult playing Munnes?
It was easy being Munnes, the only challenge was to do this everyday for 12-14 hours and because I was in 90 percent of the scenes there was a big responsibility on me. To be tired or sometimes have bad days and still be able to do that kind of comedy, that was the tough part. I have already done film like Stree, Bala, Dream Girl, and have worked with Raaj Shandiliya sir before, so when you have worked with someone before, you also know the rhythm.
To what extent is the process for a film and a web show different?
The only difference is that in movies you have tight timeline, and you have to finish it in that. Also, you are shooting a film very fast, but in OTT you have bigger number of days, plus you have a longer story, so to develop the character while shooting is something which I have done in OTT shows. To keep a track on every episode, you have to keep your memory sharp. In films you have to be prepared before you come on set, there is no room for discussion, you cannot be not sure of what you are doing, but in web it happens. Sometimes you cannot keep track of all the episodes or dialogues said, so the process is a little longer and explorative.
Can we say that you choose roles that enrich your craft?
I have not picked many of the parts, most of them have picked me. Till today that’s the rule, I let the character stick to me. For me the character building is a very internal process. I like to take any character given to me, make the most important one given to me in life and then play it.
At what point in your career did you realize that you are famous?
After Pataal Lok, one day I was with my friend and we were driving, suddenly some bikers were following me. First we thought they were trying to be just funny, but later we realized that they were just chasing me to take a selfie. That was the day I realized, that when you get chased on the roads definitely you are famous.
Do you have a dream role?
It is yet to come. The role I have always envisioned myself doing is a guy in uniform. I have seen my dad wearing a uniform and going to work, I have seen the kind of discipline, honesty and passion the men in uniform have. So I just want to bring out the human side of them also, that is something I am looking for.
I am sure there is a long and fruitful journey that Abhishek has embarked on and I am looking forward to more projects coming from him.