Actor and Casting Bay founder, Abhishek Banerjee is once again the talk of the town after reprising his role as Jana in the latest Maddock Supernatural Universe film, Stree 2. We caught up with the Vedaa actor and got him talking about the beloved character that connects the Stree films with Munjya and Bhediya, his brush with success, sharing screen with Akshay Kumar, his roots as a Bengali boy and more.
Do you recall the time when you were approached for Stree?
Abhishek Banerjee: Yes, of course! It is still very fresh and new. Although I had just finished acting in Ajji, an independent film by Devasish Makhija, I was more focused on casting than acting. I was not in the limelight. Then, I got to know that Amar Kaushik was making Stree. I called him up because we have known and worked with each other for many years. I told him that I would like to be a part of the film and he asked me to audition for Jana. Though I’d wanted to do Bittu's character, I ended up giving the audition and realised that the role fit me better. But I did not get it immediately since somebody else was supposed to do the part. It was when things didn't work out with the actor that they called me for a reading. After that, I never looked back.
How did you prepare for Jana?
Abhishek Banerjee: I try to find some kind of relationship between me and my character. So, I wanted to get back to myself and my roots for Jana. As a Bengali boy, I have a nickname, Gola. Janardhan’s nickname is Jana, so I started imagining Gola as Jana. I brought in elements from my childhood and my relationship with my parents – I am an only child and so is Jana, he is a protected child and so was I. In fact, my mom still protects me. He loves his friend the way I do. He is innocent like I used to be before moving to the big city. He is also naive, which probably I was as a child. There are also a lot of my childhood memories that I have tried to inject into the character.
How is it working with Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi and Aparshakti Khurana?
Abhishek Banerjee: It has been an amazing journey. They all are fantastic human beings and collaborative actors. To shoot with them on any given day is an opportunity in itself.
Rajkummar is a friend. We laugh and perform the scenes, discuss what happens in the shoot and what we can do tomorrow. We always keep working. Shraddha has a different vibe altogether. She is a very nice and gentle human being. She always comes prepared for the scenes but has understood that we do a lot of improvisations. She keeps a free mind.
You waited for 25 years to work with Akshay Kumar! It finally happened with Stree 2. What was the experience like?
Abhishek Banerjee: It was essentially a teacher-student relationship between us. It’s important that we understand that humour is very subjective. It varies from region to region, from one language to another. I’m a Delhi boy because I’ve lived half my life there and the inimitable humour of the people in Delhi resides within me at this point. I’ve seen that element in Akshay Sir’s performance. As an audience, I’ve always observed that his comic timings have remained consistently organic. I knew if the two of us shot together, we’d be able to grasp each other's rhythm and work in tandem without having to rehearse.
Have you had any eerie experiences in your life?
Abhishek Banerjee: Bengalis have been associated with ‘kala jadu’ for the longest time. Our culture extensively features ghosts. Our writers and directors have used ghosts as metaphors in so many stories. I believe in the supernatural too – that ghosts exist in the form of spirits. We live in a universe filled with energy, which is otherwise unfathomable to the layman. I once saw a spirit at a very prominent ghost-spotting location in Delhi; she was dressed in white. I was in an auto and asked the auto driver to drive slowly to prevent any injury to her. But just as I craned my neck to see her again, she was gone. The auto-driver was petrified and kept referring to her as a ‘saaya’.
How do you balance your roles as an actor and a casting director?
Abhishek Banerjee: I’m a thorough professional. You give me any work and I will do it dutifully, with as much dedication. I don't consider acting to be a job. To me it is like breathing, having food and simply existing. So, I’m never in a hurry to go back home when I’m on set. But when I’m casting for roles at my company, it’s about empowering other actors, coming from diverse backgrounds, to find good roles in this industry. I feel good about contributing to this industry and not just taking from it.
What are your next projects as an actor and casting director?
Abhishek Banerjee: I’m very excited about acting with Amitabh Bachchan in the Ribhu Dasgupta-directed Section 84. Another film I’m working on is Vipul Shah’s Hisaab, which stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Shefali Shah. As a casting director, my upcoming projects include Paatal Lok Season S2, Rana Naidu S2, and Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par.
