In conversation with Juhi Chalwala and Hitesh Bhatia on Sharmaji Namkeen and how they miss the fact that late actor Rishi Kapoor, the protagonist of the film, was not there to complete it. The film deals with life after retirement. Rishi Kapoor plays the role of Sharmaji, a man struggling to cope with this beast called retirement.

Excerpts:

Why is the film called Sharmaji Namkeen

Hitesh: Deciding the title of the film took us very long. The main protagonist of the film is Sharmaji and the food really plays an important role in the film, almost like a character. And also, the personality of Sharmaji is Namkeen and spicy and the combination of the two factors led us to name it Sharmaji Namkeen.

Juhi, tell us about your preparation for the role and working with Rishi Kapoor.

Juhi:  I have worked with Chintuji (Rishi Kapoor) earlier. For this particular film, when Hitesh came over and narrated it to me, it was wonderful. But I was a little envious mainly because the role of Chintuji was made for me. When I heard the script even for the first time, I could hear Chintuji saying the lines. The role was just made for him.

My role is beautiful too, but I had to tone down my mannerism because generally, I am a loud person. So, for my role in Sharmaji Namekeen I had to do a lot of readings with Hitesh. And all in all, it was wonderful to be a part of this delightful film. It didn’t take long to say 'yes' to the film because, at the end of the narration, I was sure that I was in it. The challenging bit of the role was that Hitesh kept reminding me that I need to be calm on-screen. Considering the loud and animated person I am, I had to be a little in control.

Sharmaji Namkeen releasing on OTT.

Hitesh : It is a very special film and it is Rishi Kapoor’s last film. We are more than happy to release it on OTT because of the kind of audience that we get in Amazon Prime is huge. And most importantly, the film will travel worldwide. So, that kind of exposure for Rishi Kapoor’s last film is like a dream come true for all of us on the team. So, the medium matters to me because we can now open up to so many people across the globe and now the world has opened up to this new experience.

Juhi : I think it is a very exciting time that we are living in terms of entertainment reaching people. It’s a family entertainer so wherever you are, you can watch this wonderful film with your family and friends.

Rishi Kapoor in Sharmaji Namkeen

Choosing the cast for Sharmaji Namkeen. 

Hitesh: For the main role I must say, Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla were my first choice. I knew they were going to be there almost when we started writing the script of the film because I felt they were best fitted for the role. I wrote the role keeping them in mind and I was lucky that both of them said ‘yes’ to it. When it comes to Paresh Rawal, it’s a different journey altogether. Rishi Kapoor passed away and we wanted an actor who can come on board and help us in finishing the film. And Paresh Rawal was very gracious. He said that it is Rishi Kapoor’s last film and it has to finish. So, it was a very organic process because we wanted a certain type of cast and we got lucky with it.

Juhi: It was such a charming script that I couldn’t refuse it. We all believed in the script because, if you don’t believe in the script, it just becomes difficult to play your roles and pull off something like this.

Juhi, you have worked with Rishi Kapoor in the past, how was your experience working with him for his last film?

Juhi: When I was a newcomer, I always looked up to him because he was brilliant at his craft. Then I got a little comfortable in my craft and did a few films with him. Then we did ‘Luck by Chance’ where we played a Punjabi couple. He was an absolutely effortless actor and most importantly not self-obsessed. All of us are conscious about the way we look and we keep checking on our hair and outfit, but Rishi Kapoor is always comfortable with any role that he plays.

What was your special moment with Rishi Kapoor during the shooting of Sharmji Namkeen?

Juhi: During the shooting of Sharmaji Namkeen, there were many moments. But I did not like the fact that his shots were superb. He was just sparkling in every shot. I remember a conversation in the car and in between takes, he asked me, “I don’t know how you people do advertisements because there is no emotion in it.” Whatever time I spent with him; I was like a student of cinema trying to absorb his acting skills.

How roles have changed with the coming of OTT?

Juhi: Now we are telling human stories and every character is important. We don’t have the restriction of time that we have to finish the film in two hours. In a web series especially, you can take your time to develop and explore each and every character and understand the nuances.  The kind of stories that are being told and the way they are being told, it is like the entertainment industry has opened a lot of avenues for all the actors, not just heroes and heroines.

What inspired you to do a story on life after retirement?

Hitesh: The story is very personal because it is inspired by my father. The entire genesis of the idea happened when my father retired from a job which he had done for more than thirty-plus years in the same organisation. He is a workaholic and that is the way he is even now. But after retirement, he suddenly has nothing to do. So, he used to get annoyed in the way our neighbours used to park the car and something or the other always bothered him. My elder brother and mother, then literally had to think of ways to keep him busy.

Gradually we understood that he is going through a crisis that we did not really understand. And that realisation just started me with the process that it is an important story that needs to be told. And we should give a voice to people who retire and have nothing to do. When I started doing the research on the film, I spoke to a lot of people across the board and then I started seeing this common pattern in most retired people. It is not about working and making money, but it is about being relevant. That is why I feel it is a very universal story and people across the globe are dealing with it. Another facet is you should really truly find your passion, you should not wait for anybody to give the green signal, but you should just pursue it. If a sixty-two-year-old person is wanting to follow his/her passion and wants to do something, then why not?

On missing Rishi Kapoor.

Juhi: Every single time. Ideally, it would have been so much fun, had he been around to complete the film. I miss him as an actor, artist and as a part of the Hindi film industry.

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