Shreyas Talpade: Working with kids on Teen Do Paanch gave me a glimpse into what my future as Aadya’s dad would be like

Actor Shreyas Talpade has been entertaining audiences, first on stage and then on the big screen, for over two decades now. Creator of Nine Rasa, India’s first OTT platform for the performing arts, Talpade is all set to star in an episode titled Teen Do Paanch in Disney+ Hotstar’s short-format web series called Quix.

Teen Do Paanch is the story of Vishal (Talpade) and Priyanka (Bidita Bag) who are unable to have a child of their own. The young couple decides to adopt three siblings, but life surprises them with Priyanka’s pregnancy.

Discussing the scope of a short-format series in India, the Golmaal actor tells OTTplay, “Considering the kind of attention spans we have, these quick-bites will work brilliantly across all age groups. People would love to try this new format since it’s shorter, sweeter and will definitely bring a smile on your face and keep you happy throughout the day - especially in times like these.”

On what prompted the actor to take the role, he says, “First and foremost is the story. I think it’s a brilliant and a unique story about a couple who is not able to add kids and they end up adopting three. Why do they adopt three and what happens next is what the story is all about. The story in itself is very relatable across all age groups in India. The character, being the protagonist with Bidita, has a superb graph. I have not portrayed this kind of character on screen yet. For me, it was challenging but also great fun.”

The actor, who has a daughter named Aadya, had to share his time on set with three young co-stars for Teen Do Paanch. Elaborating on his experience of shooting with children, he says, “When we shot this, I had my daughter. To play someone who hates kids in a way and to have a kid and love them in real life was quite amusing and challenging. I had a great time shooting because these kids between the ages of three and four, and I got a glimpse into what my future as a father of Aadya would be like. They were very sweet kids, all three of them. I enjoyed shooting so much and I am hoping the audience equally enjoys the series.”

Teen Do Paanch will stream as an episode of Disney+ Hostar’s Quix from May 7.