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EXCLUSIVE: Neeraj Kabi remembers anecdote from Talvar sets that show how giving Irrfan Khan was as a co star
In an EXCLUSIVE interaction with Pinkvilla, Neeraj Kabi fondly remembers his late co-star from Talvar, Irrfan Khan. Recalling an anecdote from the sets of the movie, the Paatal Lok star shared just how giving Irrfan was as a co-star.
The end of April 2020 was a dark period for Bollywood as we lost two gems in Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor. Over the past few days, their co-stars have spoken candidly about how they were as performers and what they learned from them through their work experiences. In an EXCLUSIVE interaction with Paatal Lok star Neeraj Kabi, we spoke to the actor about his working experience with Irrfan, when the two starred in the 2015 film, Talvar, which was based on the Arushi Talwar case.
Sharing a memorable anecdote from the sets of Talvar, Neeraj shared, "There was a scene that I was shooting with him in Kandivali, on the second floor in one of the colleges there. It was my first day of shoot with Irrfan. My character was very tragic in Talvar. I needed a quiet space where I can actually perform this character. I remember going upstairs and telling the AD to request everyone on set to be quiet when I come in because the character is very difficult to perform. I have to walk a very thin line because I can't even reveal whether the character is a bad or a good character. It had to be neutral because the case was going on in the supreme court. I couldn't take sides so it was very, very difficult as a performer to do this."
"And I wanted that complete space for myself, I remember going up to the second floor and I was excited that I'm going to be performing with Irrfan. It wasn't a nervousness but a great joy of meeting a fantastic actor. I went upstairs and I could hear him from the outside talking in raised tones with the director because he wanted to make a point across as to how he wanted to do the scene. But, the moment I entered inside, quietly in the demeanour of my character, he completely hushed down and his voice was whispered. He spoke in a low voice, giving me that respect and space not even knowing me and being very well aware that I was just about beginning my career in films and he had gone far, far away from me. Far ahead of me," Kabi added.
"Yet, he was sensitive enough to give me that space, to remain totally quiet for the scene. Not disturb me at all. Not posing his questions to the director at that time but allowing me because the shot was on me and over his shoulders. that is what struck me really beautifully. That little anecdote of his sensitivity. I could do that scene so beautifully simply because the ambiance that he created was so lovely and so sensitive," the 52-year-old actor recalled fondly.
However, shooting for Talvar was not the first time that Neeraj met the late actor. "I had already met him 20-25 years ago, on the set of a television serial and I was watching him. I didn't know him at all but I watched him as an audience performing a scene live and I even asked people where is this man from and they said he's from the National School of Drama. I was very intrigued and in awe of this man and his acting. I told myself that I wish I could become like this, this kind of an actor and if I could even act with him one day. I wasn't an actor in those days. It was 25 years ago. And, the dream came true," Kabi concluded.
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