Meezaan on teaming with Priyadarshan for Hungama 2: Experience has allowed me to loosen up as an actor

After showcasing an intense side in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s home production _Malaal_ , Meezaan will be seen in a comic role in Hungama 2 , directed by Priyadarshan. Being cast in this film was not the main hurdle he faced: “It was a random call. I knew nothing about the character or my role, I didn’t even know anything about the story. I only knew that the film is directed by Priyadarshan.” For Meezaan, who is still finding his feet, performing comedy and perfecting his comic timing was a whole new ball game. “Comedy is something people undervalue in terms of performance. I now realise how difficult it is to do comedy. I have always heard it from my father (Jaaved Jafferi) and grandfather (the late Jagdeep)," Meezaan tells Firstpost. Besides, facing the camera alongside seasoned actors like Paresh Rawal, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Joshi and Rajpal Yadav was equally nerve- racking. [caption id=“attachment_9818341” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Paresh Rawal and Meezaan[/caption] “My grandfather was good with comedy, and so is my dad. I try not to think whether it comes easy to me because the more I think about it the more it would leave me stressed and nervous. It’s a difficult genre in itself, and then there are these expectations from me because of my father and grandfather. I was worried initially but I just went with the flow and let Priyan sir guide me,” explains the actor, who took a crack at the genre during his theatre days in school and college. It was Akshay Kumar who advised him follow Priyadarshan’s vision to get the scenes right. “I met Akshay on the sets of Sooryavanshi and he told me that whatever he has learnt it is all because of Priyadarshan. Akshay told me to just follow whatever Priyan sir says. I didn’t understand what he meant at that point of time but I realised that when I was on set,” says Meezaan. [caption id=“attachment_9818331” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Meezaan, Paresh Rawal and Shilpa Shetty in a still from Hungama 2[/caption] Priyadarshan would often enact the scenes to Meezaan and all other actors before approaching the shot. It was a completely new experience for the actor, allowing him to “loosen up as an actor.” The director also had a spontaneous approach on set, where everyone was just briefed about a scene and not given a script. “I was given a narration but there was no script, dialogues were written in the morning and it was given to us a few minutes before the shot. Priyan sir locks everything in his mind and the key is to just trust him and follow him. Since his films are situational comedy, nobody is actually doing comedy. We are all playing our part so there is room for improvisation. We had a lot of impromptu moments and I was happy as I had no homework to do. We have to be within those boundaries and not get influenced or try to do comedy and try to be funny because the minute you start doing that it falls flat. So you have to just stick to your character and maintain the situation that is going on because that is what makes it funny for the audience,” reveals Meezaan. [caption id=“attachment_9818321” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Meezaan and Shilpa Shetty in ‘Chura Ke Dil Mera 2.0’[/caption] Another highlight from his Hungama 2 experience is shaking a leg with Shilpa Shetty to the reprised version of 1994 song ‘Chura Ke Dil Mera’. “Who would have thought that I would be dancing on this iconic number with the leading lady of the original song?,” says Meezaan, clearly still awe-struck at the thought of sharing screen space with Shetty. “I had to match Shilpa’s energy while doing the song because she has killed it,” he adds. Meezaan also switched looks for Hungama 2, and was almost unrecognisable to some, he says. “When I met some industry people, for a second or two they couldn’t place me. Then I went to Salman Khan’s last birthday party and he, too, didn’t recognize me. When I told him I was Meezaan, he was like ‘What?!’ It is a good thing for an actor to be able to transform and camouflage and completely change yourself. I know where my talent lies and what my forte is. People don’t know that yet and it is my job to show them gradually." While Hungama 2 will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar, Meezaan says he would have preferred a theatrical release. “The film was made for theatres, but now we have all adapted and evolved around the situation. It has already been about a year from the original release date of the film. But it is good that people will be sitting and enjoying themselves at home. At least the purpose of the film is served in such difficult times. I am excited,” he concludes. Hungama 2 will release on Disney+ Hotstar on 23 July.