Kamal Haasan would come 4 hours early for Chachi 420 shoot, Amitabh Bachchan stayed in water for one day in heavy armour: ‘Didn’t get tired’

'Even you mess up and give ten takes, Aamir Khan will still give you the cue, with the same emotion and cry every time even when he's not on camera,' Fatima Sana Shaikh said.

Fatima Sana Shaikh talks about working with Kamal Haasan and Aamir Khan. (Photo: IMDb)

Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh feels “blessed” to have begun her career as a child artiste working on the acclaimed film Chachi 420, which was headlined by Kamal Haasan, who also wrote and directed the film. The 1997 film also starred Tabu, Amrish Puri, Om Puri and Presh Rawal.

Fatima recalled how Kamal would come at least four hours early on set to get into his “chachi” makeup and also supervise the entire production as he was the director. Fatima told Filmfare how the icon would multitask efficiently during the shoot.

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“He would come four hours before to do his makeup for chachi. He was also the DOP, he had written the film, he was directing it as well, helping every actor with their performances. I am sure he worked on the music as well as sat on the edits. That man is so talented and extremely hard working. I am so fortunate that I got the opportunity to work with Amrish Puri, Om Puri, him when I was a baby!”

Something similar, Fatima Sana Shaik noted, was superstar Aamir Khan, with whom she made her acting debut in Dangal and later starred in Thugs of Hindostan.

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“Aamir comes on time and is extremely collaborative with his work. Even you mess up and give ten takes, he will still give you the cue, with the same emotion, cry every time and give his hundred percent even off camera. Something similar again with Manoj Bajpayee, on time, punctual and sincere with his craft.”

Fatima also recalled working with Amitabh Bachchan in Thugs of Hindostan, which was a period action adventure which bombed badly at the box office in 2018. The actor said all the legends in the field of acting are considered so because they also have tremendous discipline and gratitude towards their work.

Amitabh Bachchan in a still from Thugs of Hindostan. (Photo: IMDb)

“We were doing a scene in Thugs where Amitabh Bachchan sir was in the water for one full day. He had worn a heavy armour and was giving a monologue. That man did not get tired! He would himself ask (the director), ‘Sir should we have one more take? Did you get what you wanted?’

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“That humbleness at level…. is when you realise that whether it is Aamir, Amit ji, Kamal Haasan, they are there because they have this attitude towards their work. They are grateful every day. I want to be that person. I take my work very seriously and sincerely. I have to respect what I get and be thankful,” she added.

On the work front, Fatima had a packed 2023 with Taapsee Pannu-backed Dhak Dhak followed by Vicky Kaushal starrer Sam Bahadur, in which she played former Prime Minsiter Indira Gandhi. She will be next seen in Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino, which also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi and Konkona Sen Sharma among others.

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