Usha Uthup in LA, rocking the KKN Ananda Utsav. Picture by Ashok Majumder

Meet the new Hattori Hanzo of Bollywood. If the Japanese Samurai sword-maker played by Sonny Chiba had helped Uma Thurman’s Bride kill Bill and his associates, Usha Uthup as Maggi helps Priyanka Chopra kill her seven husbands in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf. She is also very much like Sweeney Todd’s Mrs Lovett, who mops up once the blood has been shed in the screen adaptation of a story written by Ruskin Bond.

Over a relaxed breakfast of bread and a thick omelette — “without mushrooms, please” — at the Sheraton Pasadena, the day after she rocked the KKN Ananda Utsav, Los Angeles, Didi spoke to t2 about the experience of a lifetime where she mouths the choicest of expletives, sings a Russian song and teaches Naseer and Priyanka to sing a Rabindrasangeet. Tune in…

How did the connection with Vishal Bhardwaj happen?

It’s strange actually. I got a call from Vishal Bhardwaj himself. He said, “Hi Ushaji, this is Vishal here.” I was so excited because I thought he is going to give me a song to sing. We spoke this and that and then he said that his assistant Honey Trehan would call me with details. Honey called me and told me that there’s this new film happening and that they would like me to play a role in it. I was unbelievably shocked. And surprised. I was really thrilled. Without even thinking twice, without even asking what my role was, I said yes. It was complete trust from my side. Blind trust as far as Vishal Bhardwaj is concerned. I asked how many days they needed from me. They said, 30 days at a stretch. I said, sure.

So you were a Vishal fan from beforehand?

Oh, complete! Complete! Like everybody else, my first introduction to Vishal was the music from Maachis. It was lovely. Then I did a song for him in a film called Godmother (by Vinay Shukla, starring Shabana Azmi). So actually when he called me, I was sure he was offering me a song. But it was this role. They sent me the script and I thought it was fabulous. Initially I did have reservations of my character being negative, but I later realised it wasn’t negative in spirit. More comical in the way it has been set up.

Tell us a little about your role.

I play Priyanka Chopra’s maid servant. Her name is Maggi. She is more like a governess, who has looked after her ever since her parents passed away. There are three of us in the house who look after her. There’s a butler played by Harish Khanna, who did a small role in Kaminey. He is a brilliant actor from theatre. There’s another actor called Shashi Rangeela, who plays the dwarfed jockey.

You clean up the mess every time Priyanka kills her husbands?

(Laughs) Sort of! Sometimes she plays a more active role in the killings (widens her eyes). She knows everything that is going on. It was great fun! Just that it took 65 days in place of the 30 they told me. It took a long, long time.

Apart from your cameo in Bombay To Goa, you have never really done a big movie…

I have, in fact. A couple of years back I did a Malayalam film (Pothen Vava) with Mammootty. I played his mother. That was another unbelievable experience.

Surely Vishal didn’t see that film. Did you ever ask him why he cast you as Maggi?

Of course. Of course. Straightaway. I asked, how come me? There are so many others in my mould… there’s Kirron Kher, there’s Farida Jalal. Any of them could have played my role. I asked, why me? They just said they wanted my kind of a persona… you know, large and big! (Laughs out loud.)

How was the experience of starring in a Bollywood movie?

I can tell you about a Vishal Bhardwaj film. It was a great learning experience. You just put on your make-up and you wait. Wait and wait and wait. It’s totally different from what our music scene is. Completely different. It was a very levelling experience. Everybody is treated just the same. For those whose stardom goes to their head it’s a great leveller.

You also sing in the film…

Yes, I sing a Russian song. One of the husbands is a Russian. I think the song will really become big when it comes out.

How was Priyanka to work with?

She is a 100 per cent professional. I think the younger lot, the new generation are really hard-working and professional. They work on their bodies, they work on their look, everything… with a lot of discipline. I was pleasantly surprised. Because one hears such gory tales about all of them. Not just her, Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Irrfan Khan… they were all so disciplined. Of course, there’s no need to even talk about people like Naseeruddin Shah and Annu Kapoor. Their levels of performance and professionalism are amazing. And everybody had come ready, knowing their roles and the script to the tee. So did I, actually.

How did you prepare to be Maggi?

I got into the character. Maggi is very protective about Priyanka. The excitement for me was the language. The kind of language I have spoken in the film, nobody will recognise it’s Usha Uthup. The lines are in Hindi but you have never heard Didi talk such foul language. For somebody like me who is so proper, it was difficult to do. But then Vishal spends time with his actors. He is an amazingly sensitive person and really helps the actors understand their characters.

Did you chat with Vishal about Calcutta, its music...

Absolutely. Lots and lots. In fact, I had the privilege and pleasure of teaching Naseeruddin Shah and Priyanka Chopra how to sing Tomar holo shuru. It was really nice. Naseeruddin plays a Bengali named Mr Tarafdar and hence he sings to Priyanka in Bengali.

Would you do more films?

Oh yes! I loved this. I would love to do more. Just not for 65 days.