EXCLUSIVE! Mukul Chadda On Filming Sherni Amid COVID-19; Says Co-Star Vidya Balan Has This Amazing Quality

Mukul Chadda got candid about the release of his upcoming film Sherni and web show Sunflower with us at Filmibeat. The actor also shared his experience while shooting the projects and what made him miss the days before the pandemic.

Talking about his Sherni co-star Vidya Balan, Mukul praised the actress calling her a wonderful person, who is easy to get along with. Sharing what drew him to take Sherni, Mukul said that it was director Amit Masurkar. "I was drawn to the very honest and candid way he was talking about the film and what he was trying to achieve. And straight away I felt like I wanted to be a part of the film and work with him," he told Filmibeat.

Here are excerpts from the interview,

1. Sherni's trailer just dropped, how has the response been after the trailer release?
It's been great, so many people have watched the trailer and they have responded very positively. There is a lot of buzz and excitement for the film. I am also excited for the film's release, it is a special project in terms of the people who have worked on it and with the response that we have got, the excitement has gone up.

2. The trailer hints that the film has a theme of victorious women in a patriarchal society. Is the film's name also a spin on the same?
I am always a bit wary to say 'this is what the film is about', because films are about many different things but these two themes have definitely been explored. Like many of Amit's (Masurkar) films, Sherni is not about a singular issue. I think what he does very skillfully is he manages to talk about a variety of issues. Real-life too is about many things and Amit is definitely someone who goes on the path of exploring some of those.

3. What was your reaction when you first read the script about man-animal conflict? It is not a common topic that is explored in Bollywood, and if it has been it has not executed well or performed well at the box office.
You are absolutely right, this is not a common theme that we have seen. I am glad that someone, in a realistic manner is exploring this man-animal conflict that needs more attention. But what drew my attention to it was Amit Masurkar (director) himself. I had a meeting with him and I was drawn to the very honest and candid way he was talking about the film and what he was trying to achieve. And straight away I felt like I wanted to be a part of the film and work with him.

4. How was your chemistry with Vidya Balan on and off-screen while on set?
I want to let you watch the film and decide for yourself how the chemistry between my character and Vidya's character is in the film. It is very interesting, and what's nice is the way Amit has gone about exploring their relationship. In real life, all our relationships are complicated and there is nothing about these characters that you can put into a box and say that's how it is. Amit has also explored that very well in the film.

It was very wonderful to work with Vidya. We know that she is a wonderful actress, but she is also a wonderful person. Vidya has this amazing ability to make people around her feel comfortable. So, I never felt that I was working with and was in presence of a huge star. It felt like I was working with another co-actor, with whom I am trying to develop a scene and make it better. That's a great quality that she has, that she can make everyone else feel very much at ease. It was very easy getting along with her and working with her.

5. Can you share a memorable dialogue from the film or moment while filming?
The unforgettable experience about the film was that we shot it during the pandemic. We had all sorts of COVID-19 precautions to follow. We had to do a COVID test before going, another after landing there and had to immediately isolate ourselves till the time the results came. So we were all in a big bubble of sorts. But these things were important because then we had a freer mind when we were shooting, and didn't have to worry about these things that much.

I also got along very well with Ila Arun-ji. She was in the room next to mine at the hotel. We also had some common shoot days. We had also decided to visit the Kanha National Forest, but it was not possible because of the restrictions and the bio-bubble. At times we were just wishing that we could have shot this film at a time when there wasn't COVID. Despite everything, it was a pleasurable experience. The whole team felt like a fun-loving group.

6. Apart from Sherni, you will also be seen in Sunflower, which has been introduced as a unique genre-breaking show. What can you tell us about that project?
I don't think we have seen a show like Sunflower which is genre-defying. It will be very hard to put it into a box, and it is good because breaking things down into boxes is not fair to any show. Sunflower is unique because it is a murder investigation in a housing society, that has all kind of quirky characters. But it is a comedy also; I remember I was chuckling all the time when I was reading the episodes. Even on set, when we were shooting, as soon the director called cut, everyone would burst into laughter that they had been holding in. It is not something we have seen too much of, so I hope the audience likes it really well.

7. You have two releases coming back to back, both stories are unique. What more can fans can expect from you in future?
Not much is in my hands but I would like for it to happen more. I would like to play many different characters that people have not seen. I would like to be part of shows that are very different in their genre. I have worked in many comedies, I would like to be in thrillers, horror and dark-gritty noir films. As an actor I am greedy, so I would like to try anything.

I am not saying it's possible and it is not in my hand, but this would be my endeavour and I hope for more.

Notably, Vidya Balan's Sherni is set to release on Amazon Prime Video on June 18, 2021. Meanwhile, Sunflower starring Sunil Grover, Ranvir Shorey, Girish Kulkarni and others will release on ZEE5 on June 11, 2021.