Abhishek Bachchan has a charming and endearingly precocious co-star in Anurag Basu’s Ludo. Eight-year-old Inayat Verma matches the actor beat for beat in the four-in-one film that’s now streaming on Netflix. The Telegraph caught up with Abhishek and Inayat — whose on-screen chemistry spilled over onto this interview — for a fun Zoom chat.

Abhishek, you’ve always expressed the desire to work with Anurag Basu. Was that the primary reason why you signed Ludo?

Abhishek Bachchan: That was my only reason. I’ve always wanted to work with Dada (Anurag Basu), and that is something that we have been trying to do for a very, very long time. We somehow never managed to get those films made. With Ludo, there was an opportunity and I had time on my hands, and so I told Dada, ‘Let’s do it!’ I said ‘yes’ even before he told me the script. I was purely driven by the desire to work with him.

The chemistry between you and Inayat Verma in Ludo is very heartwarming and natural. Did it happen organically?

Abhishek: To be very honest, Inayat and I can’t stand each other! (Makes a poker face) We had severe problems on set, to the extent that Dada had to shoot our portions separately. She’s very demanding as an actor, she has a lot of starry tantrums. She doesn’t listen to anything, she always wants to play... she doesn’t want to work.

So what you see in the film is all special effects. I am shooting with a green person and Inayat would come in later and shoot her portions. She said, ‘Get me a better actor! I can’t shoot with all these young stars!’ (Laughs) Ultimately, in the film industry, it’s the big stars who decide. Inayat is a huge, huge star and we had to pander to her ego and her conditions. Theek kahaa na maine, Inayat?

Inayat Verma: Nahin bhaiya! (Laughs) I would play on set but I would also work. Aur main itni badi star nahin hoon, abhi main child actress hoon...

Abhishek: I am not talking about your height, Inayat. When we shot the film, you were six and now you are eight years old. I am talking about how huge a star you are...

Inayat: Nahin, main itni badi star nahin hoon!

Abhishek: That means you are admitting ki tum star ho... itni badi star nahin ho (laughs).

Inayat: I am a child star, bhaiya!

Abhishek: You will become a big star one day. But what do you have to do before that?

Inayat: Study....

Inayat, what was the biggest learning from working with Abhishek bhaiya?

Abhishek: That the street food of Mumbai is far better than the street food in Punjab! Whether it’s vada pav, misal pav, misal fry....

Inayat: No I like the food in Punjab!

Abhishek: The food in Punjab is better but the street food of Mumbai is better.... But if you really want to taste the best street food in India, then you have to go where Priyanka didi lives. In Calcutta... on Park Street, you will have to go and have Nizam’s kathi rolls....

Inayat: We did go to Calcutta to shoot Ludo but didn’t eat any of the street food there....

Abhishek: That’s because Dada didn’t take us to Calcutta... we shot somewhere close to Santiniketan. Even before the lockdown, I was in Calcutta and I will go there again in a few weeks. And Inayat, with winter coming in, Calcutta will also have nolen gur now... it’s mind blowing... you get it in rosogolla and sondesh....

Inayat: I will go to Calcutta and have nolen gur! Also, to answer your question, what I have learnt from Abhishek bhaiya is that no matter how big you get, you must always remain down-to-earth and humble. And along with acting, studies are also very important. I’ve also learnt to be caring and cute from him.... Lekin cute main waise bhi hoon! (Laughs)

Abhishek, you have said that Inayat is one of the best actors you’ve worked with and that she cut you ‘down to size’ during the shoot. What was that about?

Abhishek: That’s because she makes you realise how under-accomplished you are and how much more hard work you need to do. She makes you realise how much scope for improvement you have.

Abhishek Bachchan on the sets of Ludo near Bantala in 2018. B.Halder

What was it like being on an Anurag Basu set?

Abhishek: It’s a system of working that I am quite used to. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. I really love his perspective on life, I love his vision for films and the way he likes to tell his stories. He likes to tell his stories through a lot of innocence and I really enjoy that. I loved being on his set... and you get great food!

Given the conversation that you just had with Inayat, was food a major factor that bonded all of you?

Abhishek: Inayat doesn’t eat so much on set because she’s scared she will put on weight... she has to be careful about maintaining her figure! (Laughs) Actually, I would keep dropping into Dada’s office a lot. He thought I was very dedicated in coming in to do costume trials. He cooks for his office, so I was only going in for lunch! (Laughs) So yes, Dada and I do bond over food.

Abhishek, how much did being a father yourself make you more empathetic and patient with Inayat as a co-star?

Abhishek: At the end of the day, one is an actor. We have to create a moment through emotions. Does being a father make it easier? I don’t know. I’ve played a father before I became a father in real life and I would like to believe that I did that convincingly. But yes, if you are a parent, then you don’t have to create that emotion, it’s already present within you. But I don’t think it makes the job any easier. For example, I don’t need to be a serial killer or a kidnapper in real life to portray that on screen.

You are a lousy kidnapper in Ludo...

Abhishek: I had help. Inayat was a great teacher.

Inayat: And Abhishek bhaiya was a good student.

Inayat, what else did you teach Abhishek on set?

Inayat: Maine unko sikhaya ki masti kaise karte hain. On set, I gave him tips of how not to get distracted between shots. Abhishek bhaiya has the tendency to play games on his phone between shots. I told him not to because he will lose focus on his work.

Abhishek: Inayat, maine kaam achha kiya na movie mein?

Inayat: Bahut, bahut achha!

Abhishek: Toh phir meri pol kyun khol rahi ho?! Even I will complain about you now!

Did having Inayat as a co-star make you inhibition-less?

Abhishek: It can do the opposite, actually. You can become even more aware because you are then conscious of making a child not too aware of the surroundings and what’s going on. But then look at her... she’s so confident... she’s such a great actor. She actually made my job very easy.

Abhishek, you’ve just clocked two decades in the business. If you met the Abhishek of 20 years ago on his first day on the sets of Refugee, what will you tell him?

Abhishek: I’d tell him a lot of things! Twenty years of experience teaches you a lot. If after so long you don’t have a lot to tell yourself, then you’ve wasted the last 20 years. I am a completely different person now. There is so much I could and should have done better. There’s so much I could have changed. But I am grateful that I still get to do this job.

And what will you tell the Inayat of 20 who has completed her studies and wants to get into acting full-time?

Abhishek: I think she’s already a wonderful actor. She should complete her studies for sure. I also want to tell anyone getting into acting that this is not a fly-by-night thing. If you get into acting, you be all in... otherwise don’t become an actor at all. But finish your education and then train in your craft.

In general, I also feel all of us have to better define what happiness and success means to us. I think, of late, we have grown to define them by materialistic gains. Don’t get me wrong, that can make you happy. But I think the definition of success is not just by making money... it’s about genuinely being happy. These last few months have changed this perception for me. During the last few months, people have picked up skills and been overachievers. I am asked what I did... I just spent quality time with my family. And that gave me immense happiness. That we could just be in a room with each other and be happy... we didn’t need anything else. That means success to me.