Coming of Age

Though a prominent jawline has replaced the baby fat,the role also required Chitale to tonsure his head twice a week. “I did not mind since I like to keep them short. In fact I insisted on a haircut because a wig would not have looked authentic,” he explains.

The film— completed two years ago — tells the tale of a compulsive gambler Rahul (John Abraham) who discovers that he has three months to live. At the hospice he meets Chitale’s character (Govinda),who cheers him up and gives him courage to live life to the fullest. A comic-freak,Govinda predicts the future of the other patients based on what he reads in comic books. “I like to think of myself as a psychic who gives people a reason for hope in the film,” he says.

During the shooting schedule in Puducherry and Hyderabad,Chitale was accompanied by his mother Punam. “He is too young to grasp the role. I would guide him on how to emote,” says Punam.

And even as the film readies for release,acting has taken a backseat for Chitale. “Studies are more important for me at this stage. I have enough time to decide if I want to work in films,” he states.