(7
January 2005 2:00 pm) |
When actors turn pranksters…. |
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By NATASHA HAVEWALA |
Working 12
hour shifts may be taking a toll on their physical and emotional selves, but
that ain't stopping our telly stars from playing the occasional gag on their
colleagues.
We
scoured the sets to find a smattering of them giggling into their cuffs while
remembering the odd incident where they played harmless practical jokes on
co-artistes; and found some still smarting from the effects of a prank played on
them, but smiling nevertheless.
Director's cut
It was Rucha Gujarati (aka Kali in
Kkusum) who's had the latest and most rocking surprise on Christmas Eve. "I had
to shoot a suicide scene and my director, Jassi asked me to lie unconscious with
my eyes shut. As usual he was calling the shots, 'zoom, close up, lights' and I
was giving my best. It was a 10 minute shot, but even after that, my director
wasn't giving a cut signal. I was lying tranquil as if unconscious for quite a
while, and only then realised that the entire unit was laughing into their
hankies. I was taken aback but burst out laughing subsequently. It was just so
hilarious and funny. And then we wished one another Merry
Christmas."
Ghost on the
run "We had gone
to the Mukesh mills compound at Colaba to shoot for Kahaani Ghar Ghar
Kii, a spot that's believed to be haunted,"reminisces Chetan Hansraj aka
Sasha. "While shooting we suddenly heard some creepy and unusual noises that
made us all sweat through our nerves. Suddenly, there was an image of a ghost in
front of us and everyone was petrified and holding onto one another. At last,
the cameraman started laughing. He had tricked us into believing the existence
of the ghost with the help of his camera. Eventually, all had a hearty
laugh….."
Letting the dog out of the
bag "My Saara Aakash co star
Shakti Anand (aka Vikram) and me went to meet his friend at his residence as we
were shooting in his neighbourhood," remembers Sai Deodhar. "On the way, Shakti
warned me that his friend had three ferocious dogs at his place. I was so
scared; I just wanted to back out. But he convinced me saying they would be tied
up and I need not worry. When we reached the house, I started looking for the
dogs. I kept mum as Shakti, prompted me not to mention the dogs. I was at my
weirdest behaviour, sitting still without a word on the edge of my seta, and
keeping an eye for the dogs.
At
last, my host asked me, "Is there a problem?" I lost my patience and asked,
"Where are the dogs? I am too scared, are they tied? The lady, herself amazed,
said, "But we don't have any dogs!" That's when Shakti split up into laughter. I
wasn't very amused at that time, though!
Snaking up One
guy who loves playing pranks on his co-stars is Anuj Saxena, the savvy doctor
turned actor. "I am too smart to be fooled," he says laughingly. "I keep playing
pranks on my co-stars every day, like screaming in their ears or shocking them
by jumping in front of them."
Recollecting one such incident, Anuj says, "We were shooting for
Prratima for Sahara One at Madh Island recently. One of the helpers was
carrying a wooden snake. I used the snake to scare my co-star and producer Jyoti
Mukerjee and another colleague, Rekha. Both were so shocked and shaken, that
Rekha ended up crying and Jyoti was too scared to even speak. It was a blast,"
he grins. Well, we are yet to get Jyoti's and Rekha's version of the incident,
but can be sure they won't be laughing as much over it!
Rucha Gujarati Pix by Vicky
Ahuja
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