Ever since the erotica-laced, volatile trailer of Mukesh-Mahesh Bhatt multi-starrer ‘Begum Jaan’ has been launched, the actor Chunky Pandey has been receiving an avalanche of social media reactions. “They just can’t believe that’s it’s the same Indo-Italian restaurateur laugh-riot ‘Aakhri Paasta’ (of ‘Housefull’) who is now looking so menacing,” said Pandey.
When quizzed about his ‘prep’ for the wicked role, Chunky goes off at a tangy tangent.
“Strangely, even though I am not playing one of the voluptuous sex-workers in the ‘period’ movie, just before I started my shoot I chilled out the whole day, on my own, inside this infamous ‘Dolly’s brothel museum’ in Alaska.” The glib Pandey then unveils the layers of his ‘Begum...’ role with a wisecrack.
“From Aakhri Paasta to villainous vaasta. Ironically, my sadistic character is called ‘Kabir’ and his mercenary profession is to instigate and incite inter-communal riots. Due credit goes to my director Srijit Mukherji who compelled me to ‘lose-my-identity’, with my creepy, almost-bald look, which was ‘hair-raising’ for others. Gosh, I was ‘morphed’ into someone, who was not recognised, even by my own staff. My wife was so shocked that she kept a safe distance from me,” said Pandey, who is still remembered for his riveting ‘Babban’ role in yesteryear musical jubilee-hit movie ‘Tezaab’ which had Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit in it.