Actor Charu Shankar is “full of excitement” as she gears up for the release of her next film, Binny and Family, on September 20. Since the release of Animal in December last year, Charu has been on a roll, acting in Crew and now this film. 

“It started with a huge fanfare around Animal. Then Crew was released, and people saw me in an out-and-out comic role. Both films were such different aspects of me, and I’m grateful both did well,” she tells Hindustan Times in an exclusive chat, talking about her bucket list, how she was convinced they were shooting on a haunted set in the UK and more.

‘I’m happy for the love I got for Animal’

In Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, Charu played Ranbir’s character, Ranvijay Singh’s mother, Jyothi, someone who sticks up for her son no matter what. “My character was so very different from me in both age and personality,” says Charu, who’s much closer to Ranbir in age, adding, “So I’m happy for the love I received for my work. As an actor, one often thinks, what if my film becomes a massive hit, what would that feel like? And when it does happen, it’s hard to put it in words.”

Charu is aware of the polarising opinions surrounding the film, after all, it isn’t all love that Animal got. “The debates around the film continue till today, and it will probably continue to inspire dialogue for a long time to come,” she opines. But looking back, one scene stays in her mind, encapsulating the film’s theme. “The first scene we shot together as cast while filming was the scene where they take a family photograph together. The inter-character dynamics there are so raw and tense without any hostility in words,” she adds.

‘I remember giggling for hours when I read Crew’

Charu says she’s happy she had such diverse experiences working with Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in Crew and the Rocket Boys web series starring Jim Sarbh. In Crew, she played Sudha Mittal, a woman who unwittingly gets the leads in trouble. “Crew was a laugh-out-loud comedy film. I remember giggling for hours when I first read the sabzi mandi chasing scene. Comedy is definitely the most difficult genre to crack as an actor and I’m glad I got a shot at that,” she says.

In Rocket Boys, she played the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “I was playing a well-known historical icon, but from the first day directors Abhay Pannu and Nikhil Advani were clear they didn’t want me to copy her accent, voice or body language. I was only asked to imagine the weight of the country’s decision on my shoulders and say lines with that awareness alone,” she reveals.

‘I was convinced we were shooting in a haunted house’

In Binny and Family, which stars Varun Dhawan’s niece Anjini Dhawan as the titular Binny, Charu might play the role of her mother, but it’s the child she relates with more. “Binny and Family is a story I absolutely resonate with because, just like Binny, I had a grandparent move in with me when I was young. My naniji stitched up my fashionably torn jeans, loudly did pranayam in our shared room and was perplexed by my life choices. As time passed, she made an effort to be a big part of my life. Like Binny, when I think of her now, she was equal parts a friend and family,” explains Charu.

So, when the actor read the script, she knew it was a film that would have her “whole heart” and said yes. And as for her “lovely” co-stars, as she describes them…“Rajesh (Kumar), Anjini and I bonded well. We cooked a lot together while shooting in the UK, and went shopping in those lovely supermarkets. She gave me a lot of makeup tips and even a list of products to purchase from duty-free,” recollects Charu, adding, “She was also my roommate on sets by default because I was convinced the house we were shooting in was haunted and begged her to let me stay in her room on set. I was too freaked out to be alone.”

Haunted houses aside, Charu is excited about the film’s release and is excited to do good work in the future too. “I always look at the script for good writing because of my background in literature. If the story is compelling, the role will be too. Any role that emerges from that is welcome, irrespective of the genre. But there’s few genres I’d love to explore - someone please cast me in a horror film! And a martial arts film! Always wanted to do one,” she rounds off.

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