Exclusive! Cirkus actor Anil Charanjeett: In Rohit Shetty’s team, everyone is equal, and chance is given to all

Cirkus, a comedy-drama by Rohit Shetty, is one of the most-anticipated Christmas movies of 2022. It stars Ranveer Singh, Pooja Hegde, Jacqueline Fernandes, Siddharth Jadhav, Ashwini Kalsekar, Vijay Patkar, and Anil Charanjeett, among others, and Deepika Padukone makes a cameo.

In a conversation with OTTPlay, actor Anil Charanjeett opened up about his character in the film, his experience working with Rohit Shetty, how working with Ranveer Singh is fun, and much more. Keep reading! 

What prompted you to say yes to Cirkus?

When it comes to Rohit Shetty sir, if you get a call from his team, you follow the orders because it’s for the team's happiness and the happiness of the nation. You are hundred  percent sure that audience will enjoy with family. It’s been six years since Golmaal was made again. Sir knows what’s best for me in the film, so there is no question of saying yes or no to the film. You just do it.

Please tell us something about your character in the film?

The name of my character is prem and he is a PA of Rai saahab played by legendary Sanjay Mishra sir. There is a great camaraderie amongst them, but at the same time, it’s a typical yet relatable owner-servant relationship. It’s funny, but not funny at the same time. Rohit sir has said a lot about this relationship in a funny manner, and that’s what makes it so interesting. We have given it all now and can’t wait for the audience's reaction.

You have worked with Rohit Shetty on a lot of films; how has your experience been, and how is he as a director because everyone speaks so highly of him all the time?

Yes there are many things that’s why people speak positive about him. His love for his team, work ethic, and ability to be a true team leader make him unique in the industry. When it comes to his direction Rohit sir knows what he wants and keeps the entire team with one single purpose. Everyone knows that he writes "A film by Rohit and team" in every film but I have seen him closely how hard his entire team works day and night. He is always working on the scenes till the time he is convinced that it will resonate with audience and they will love it. One more best thing about Sir is that, in his team every one is equal and chance is given to everyone. I’m lucky to be part of his family.

As the film involves a lot of amazing actors who are known for their comic timing, was it a challenge for you or did it make you nervous at any point?

Yes, with every character, there is a bigger responsibility to do better and different from the last performance. The initial few days are a little hard because you are discovering the sweet spot where you can play the part according to the script and at the same time have fun with it.

How was it sharing the screen space with Ranveer Singh again after Simmba?

Everyone knows that he is full of energy. He brings the same enthusiasm and dedication to every project, which is commendable. Our bond has become stronger since the first film, Simmba, followed by Cirkus and Chings ad. With him, work feels like fun. We had a great time working together. 

What is it that you look for in your characters when you choose a script, and what are the roles that you look forward to getting in the coming future?

You don’t look for the character; in fact, your character is looking for you to stretch and go beyond the limiting beliefs. Character should resonate with me or it should challenge me to try something new. For me, the character starts taking shape. While listening to the story and the contribution of my character in the story, it keeps taking shape until the last shot. It’s a fun process, and it amazes you sometimes if you are courageous enough to take the risk of going into unknown territory where you haven’t been or are too sacred to go.

The film is releasing during Christmas, which is a time of holidays, so do you think the film will enter the 200 crore club as it is a mass entertainer?

If this is today’s language of a film's success, then yes, but personally, I liked the old idea of a silver or golden jubilee. People used to take the characters and the story home rather than the numbers. Coming back to it, we are all very positive that this will break Rohit Sir's old record. Over to the audience now.

Meanwhile, Cirkus is based on William Shakespeare's classic play, The Comedy of Errors. It is slated to hit screens on December 23.