Locket, Bratya and Aniket at the adda over lunch at Afraa. Picture: Pabitra Das

They met to talk movies, but food easily scored over films. Over a lavish lunch at Afraa in City Centre Salt Lake, the Mahapurush O Kapurush (releases on Friday) team of Bratya Basu, Locket Chatterjee and director Aniket Chattopadhyay had a lunch-time adda with t2.

Bratya: I am dieting, trying to eat less these days. (Sips on cold coffee with a scoop of ice cream and nachos) I had eaten a lot while shooting for this film. I play four different characters in Mahapurush O Kapurush, but the main is Sadgajananda who has a voracious appetite!

Locket: Yes, I remember Bratyada’s sad face when my character Madhuri offered him phulko luchi in every scene!

Bratya: I hate luchi and prawns.

Aniket: Interestingly, prawns are there in all my films! Remember Locket, it was there in my debut film Chha-E-Chhuti and then in Bye Bye Bangkok and Goraay Gondogol?

Locket: Yes, Aniketda you’re forgetting that prawns apart, Locket Chatterjee, too, has been a constant in all your films! (Everyone laughs)

Aniket: Since I’m a foodie, I thought of casting Bratyada because he too is a foodie.

Bratya: Aniket is not a foodie, he is a glutton!

Locket: There has to be a lot of food in Aniketda’s shoot!

Aniket: We shot a portion of the film in Chaukori (Uttarakhand) and just ask Bratyada what arrangements I had made!

Bratya: It was grand! I was anticipating bajra chapatti. But I was surprised because we were served Pabda, Katla, Parshe, Bekti, egg curry...! Later I found out that Aniket had made the Mahapurush O Kapurush team carry all that along with them!

If you ever land up in the afternoon at Aniket’s house, you will find him in the kitchen, cooking meat and listening to Beethoven. But the various types of meat that I’ve tasted, I doubt if anyone else has. I’ve had crocodile meat, ostrich meat in South Africa. Snake and toad meat too!

Koneenica, Lama and Bratya in Mahapurush O Kapurush

Aniket: I cook mutton mostly...

Bratya: I am still learning... to make tea!

Locket: I can’t cook either. I tried making biryani one day and it was a disaster.

Bratya: Locket, have you ever tried the Chinese breakfast in Poddar Court?

Locket: No.

Aniket: Then the bhaar-er Mangsho Ghugni opposite Konnagar Ferry Ghat... awesome!

Bratya: Aniket is a passionate foodie. When he went to Rajasthan to shoot Goraay Gondogol, I was very worried. He was shooting with camels and I was worried if he would butcher one of the camels and cook their meat at night! (Everyone laughs) I’m a foodie too. I remember I had eaten eight eggs at one go once! But I think you get the best Mangsho Ghugni at Maidan and they serve it with eggs.... Not too many people are aware of the roadside food in Calcutta. Have you tried the Handi Pork in Ultadanga, near the station? I go there often. The curry is rich and yummy. There used to be a stall near Jamuna cinema which sold delicious beef curry.... I don’t think it’s there anymore. I have been to almost all the roadside hotels. I love Kasturi’s Chicken Muitha. I’ve been to Alimuddin Street in the morning for the Mutton Paya.

Aniket: Orey baba! So that was the first and last time you must have been to Alimuddin Street? (Laughs)

Bratya: Yes! (Laughs) The Halim near Statesman House? Out of the world.

Locket: (Makes a sad face) I haven’t really tried eating at roadside stalls. But since I’m from Dakshineswar, I’ve been to Mitra Cafe, Golbari...

Kushali Nag of t2 sat in on the chat

Which is your favourite street food stop in Calcutta? Tell t2@abp.in