Jay Thakkar has been in the entertainment scene for 20 years, starting as a child actor in shows like Devrani Jethani, Laagi Tujhse Lagan, Uttaran, and Pavitra Rishta. Now, he's gearing up for a big role in the comedy drama Bhool Chuk Maaf, featuring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi. In a chat with Hindustan Times, Jay shared how he got the part, his long friendship with Rajkummar, and a touching moment from behind the scenes.

Jay, who has appeared in over 500 commercials and 30-40 TV shows since 2004, mentioned that his extensive experience helped him forge strong relationships with casting directors, many of whom watched him grow up on set. One director, who started his own casting agency, remembered Jay from his childhood and invited him to audition for Gullak at the TVF office. He said, 'During the Gullak audition, I was also tested for Bhool Chuk Maaf.

I filmed my audition on the set of the series. Coincidentally, my show UP65 had just come out, which also featured a Banarasi storyline. The director wanted someone who could authentically speak the Banarasi dialect, as he dislikes when actors fake accents. Since I have a good grasp of North Indian languages, I received a call two weeks after my audition, inviting me to meet with a director at Maddock Films.'

Jay Thakkar talks about his significant role in the film

After making brief appearances in Ram Setu and Dream Girl, Jay is really looking forward to taking on a bigger role this time. He mentioned, "In this film, I have a significant part that drives the story forward. It's not just a side character; it actually influences Rajkummar's character. Plus, it's a fun role that includes a love story. I'm not just doing it because it's quirky or comedic; it also has elements of sadness, surprises, and great jokes in the Banarasi dialect. Karan sir is such a wonderful person, and he told me he enjoyed my character in UP65, which felt like fate was on my side without me even knowing it."

This isn't the first time Jay has worked with Rajkummar Rao. He reminisced about filming a short movie called Uss Din with Rajkummar back in 2007, saying, 'I was just seven then. Rajkummar bhaiya played my dad in that film. We've had a great bond ever since. At that time, he was still Rajkummar Yadav, and we were both trying to make it. He was doing a ton of short films, and he had seen my TV shows and commercials. Fast forward to now, and I'm portraying one of his closest friends in Bhool Chuk Maaf. It's not just a casual friendship; we go way back. My mom used to come to the sets when I was a kid, so we really connected. We filmed at night, and the atmosphere was pretty intense because the story was serious. But in between takes, Rajkummar and I would play Mario and chat a lot. Those are some of my favorite memories with him."

He mentioned, "So, while we were filming Bhool Chuk Maaf, Gullak had just come out. I went to Mumbai for the screening, and when I returned to the set, he was super excited, saying, 'Oh wow, you're in Gullak!' My mom also visited the set to meet him. He congratulated both me and my family about Gullak. He was really cheerful. Even though he's become quite famous, he's a really grounded actor. He enjoys when others get to improvise and have fun. He's such a nice guy and loves to recognize other people's work. Even though Gullak wasn't his project, the atmosphere on set felt like a big family gathering."

How Rajkummar Rao made Jay Thakkar feel like part of the team

Thinking back to his favorite BTS moment, Jay shared, "During our dance shoot, I wasn't part of the song at first. But Rajkummar and Karan sir were super kind; they noticed how much I was enjoying the music and the moves, so they invited me to join in. The choreographer was a bit unsure since I hadn't practiced, but in the end, he agreed. He said the other dancers would do one step while I would be up on a tree branch doing my own thing. So there's this scene where everyone is dancing, and I'm just up there doing my own quirky dance. When it was released, everyone was blown away and thought it was a great choice."

All about Bhool Chuk Maaf

Directed by Karan Sharma and produced by Dinesh Vijan at Maddock Films, Bhool Chuk Maaf tells the story of Ranjan, a guy who's all about love and lands a government job to marry his sweetheart, Titli. However, right before their big day, things take a twist, and he gets stuck in a time loop. The movie is set to hit theaters on May 9.

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