Surprise Package

Das says it was the polarity that caught his attention when he went to audition for Parmeet Sethi’s directorial debut. “Usually response to an audition comes in about three week,but Parmeet took four minutes to audition and another six to sign me up for the role,” he gloats,adding almost like an after-thought,“It was meant for a big star,but I’m glad I got it.”

The initial response to the film has been good,and Das justifiably is,excited. “It’s my first major role under a big banner like Yash Raj. I was certainly nervous when the movie released,” he says.  For the role,Das had to tone down his urban appeal. “I watched a lot of movies featuring Mithun,Govinda and Anil Kapoor. I worked on the body language,the walk— Chandu’s shoulders slouch a little and he has a walk like the heroes in the 1980s— so I got inspired from their movies,” says the man,whose earlier Bollywood appearances have been in cameos in Namastey London and Love Aaj Kaal.

Shooting was a riot,particularly the several costume changes the characters underwent. “We had to wear various disguises to pull off cons in the film,and we shot them in four days. There we were,like little children having a blast at the costume party,” he recalls. In fact,Das modeled his looks on his family members. “I looked like my uncles,who are in IAS or IFS,” he grins. While he bonded with both the lead actors,it was his other co-star Chang,who has become a good friend. “I guess,it’s because it was big for both of us. We are both musicians and we spent a lot of time traveling together. In fact,I introduced him to the guitar in this movie,” he says.  

He has started a comic rock band called Alien Chutney—he claims it’s India’s first,replete with “retard lyrics and very sophisticated music”—but there are more Bollywood projects in the pipeline. “There are two projects slated for release in 2011 and one with Tanuja Chandra,but they will not be comedies,” he signs off.