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| Barun Chanda and Sonakshi Sinha in Lootera |
Are you a good dad to Sonakshi Sinha in Lootera?
I’m a very good, indulgent and loving father. I am both mother and father to her because my wife has expired some time ago, we don’t know when. I play Zamindarbabu. He is a Bengali. We shot the outdoors in Khannan Rajbari, the indoor bit was shot in Bombay. Lootera has a historical perspective. The entire film happens in the backdrop of when the zamindari system was being abolished by the Indian government and what it meant to the landlords of that period. One fine morning they find that they are bereft of everything.
What was your first reaction when you were told that you’d be playing dad to Sonakshi?
Do you think I was unhappy?! (Laughs)
Have you seen any of her films?
Na aami Dabangg dekhini! I don’t usually watch Hindi movies.
What kind of an actress is she?
Sonakshi is extremely well-mannered. I remember after my portions got over, I went to her room to say goodbye. She immediately got up and said ‘Barunda aap ja rahe hain?’ She gave me a lovely, big hug, told me to take care and said ‘see you soon’. Even Ranveer (Singh, Sonakshi’s co-star) is very well-mannered.
Have you seen any of Ranveer’s films?
Yes. I’ve seen Band Baaja Baaraat and Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. Ranveer is a very nice guy. If you SMS him he immediately gets back.
How did you get the offer?
There’s a friend of mine who got in touch with me. After the shooting was over I did ask (director) Vikramaditya Motwane why he had selected me. He said, ‘I wanted a Bengali look’. They looked for other actors too for the role which didn’t work out and it’s great that it didn’t work out with the others; it worked out with me!
Is Lootera your first Hindi film?
No. I had worked in Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Hindi film Woh based on Tagore’s Shey but the film never released. Very unfortunate!
You’ve played dad to many actresses on screen. How different was Lootera?
Yes, I have played Raima’s (Sen) father in Maach Mishti & More recently and in a couple of other films as well. But in Lootera my role is quite serious. The father and daughter are very close to each other.
Sonakshi is a very natural actress. I got the impression that she does act instinctively. Whereas Ranveer was being properly coached and briefed by Vikramaditya. I thought Ranveer was putting a lot of thought behind whatever he was doing. Sonakshi did it the way it came, very naturally. But both of them were so good. What I found very praiseworthy is that they are superstars from Bombay — not so much Ranveer but certainly Sonakshi after Dabangg — but they never complained even if they had to shoot till 3 in the morning. Not a murmur, not a word of complaint. And it was really, really punishing. We had minimum 12 hours shoot every day. They were extremely well-behaved and disciplined.
I think the new actors and actresses from Bombay are much more disciplined. They would work till late at night and were back in time early the next morning. They hardly slept two-three hours, which is exemplary. I have not come across anyone in Calcutta like them.
What about the director?
Oh, the director is mad. Vikram’s passion is incredible. He is like a man possessed. He would stand still just talking like a caged tiger. He doesn’t sit down. He is on his feet 16-18 hours! I have not seen anyone with this kind of stamina. God! I jokingly told his mother Dipa — she is also an old friend of mine — ‘Dipa, I’m never going to act in your son’s film again, no matter how hefty remuneration he offers me!’
Did Sonakshi pick up some Bangla from you?
No, not really but she understands Bengali. And she has a lot of Bengali friends. She looked very much a Bengali belle in the cotton saris, not those Bombay ishtyle Bangali meye!
Are you still in touch with her?
No not with Sonakshi but Ranveer and I often exchange SMSes. Though I had very intimate and emotive scenes with Sonakshi, like dad and daughter walking though the zamindari outfields, ponds...
What’s your equation with Ranveer in Lootera?
It’s very courteous on the face of it but things take a different turn later on. We are introduced to each other quite formally in the film.
