Like doing films meant for families, says Ankush Chaudhari on Lochya Zaala Re

Director duo Paritosh Painter and Ravi Adhikari’s Lochya Zaala Re is adapted from Suresh Jayram’s play of the same name. The trailer gave an indication that the film starring Ankush Chaudhari, Siddharth Jadhav, Vaidehi Parshurami and Sayaji Shinde is an out-and-out comedy, but it didn’t reveal the basic plot.

Chaudhari, too, is tight-lipped about his character as he feels revealing it would kill the fun. “I won’t be able to speak about my character,” he told Cinestaan.com. “But I can say that this film is a family entertainer. It is about how, to hide one lie, one is required to tell 100 more lies. And then we keep involving our near ones and friends in it. So the matter just keeps on increasing.”

Chaudhari agreed to do the film as he hadn’t done a comedy for a while. “Just before this film, I had done Dhurala (2020). It was an intense and sensitive film. So I wanted to do something funny; something that entertains people,” he said.

Sharing some of the other reasons for doing the film, he said, “It is based on a famous play, which has done well in Marathi, Hindi and English. People had already liked it. [The film is] written by Prasad Khandekar, who writes and acts in [the television show] Maharashtrachi Hasya Jatra.”

The trailer for Lochya Zaala Re makes it clear that the film is shot in a bungalow. So the story could be set anywhere. So why was the film shot in London? “The producers’ reason for shooting in London was the subsidy,” said Chaudhari candidly. “My reason was that this story can take place anywhere. They had written the film based in London. My character in the film is staying far away from his parents in London; he has been brought up by his kaka [paternal uncle, played by Sayaji Shinde].”

Chaudhari has done quite a few films with Siddharth Jadhav and they share a personal rapport. This, along with the subject matter of the film, made shooting fun. “There was Siddhu on the sets, so there is dhamaal masti. The topic itself was so funny that we used to be in splits always. This was the first time I worked with Sayaji Shinde and Vaidehi Parshurami. It was fun improvising a scene with them,” he said. 

It is not often that you see a comedy directed by two people. Asked about their working style, Chaudhari said, “Paritosh has already written a few Hindi films. He used to look after the dialogues as he has a good command [of the language]. Ravi Adhikari used to look at things technically. Both are intelligent.”

Over the years, Chaudhari has been seen in films of different types. Explaining how he chooses a project, he said, “The story and my character shouldn’t be the same [as what I have done before]. I also try to find films that can be seen with the family. It should entertain people, even if it has a serious subject like politics.”

Many of Chaudhari’s colleagues from the Marathi film industry have entered the web space, but he is yet to sign up for his first web-series. “I have had a few offers," he said, "but I am waiting for something good to come my way. It would be fun to do something different and surprising.”

Lochya Zaala Re is set for release on 4 February when four other Marathi films — Panghrun, Faas, Law Of Love  and Gaav Aala Gotyat 15 Lakh Khatyat are also slated for release. About the clash, Chaudhari said, “All Hindi films have been postponed. So that isn’t a problem. At the end of the day it is the producer’s decision. Around 300 Marathi films are made every year. So there is every chance of films clashing every Friday.”

Currently, with no new Hindi films being released, Marathi films are being released in a flurry. But will the going get tough for them once big-ticket Hindi films start storming the theatres? “I don’t know much about this,” said Chaudhari. “Producers have been waiting for two years. The ones whose money is involved will take decisions accordingly. Both Hindi and Marathi films have been waiting. But if a multiplex has five or six screens, they can release three or four films, including Marathi.”

However, Chaudhari believes the situation with film exhibition is better now as compared to the past two years when things weren’t in anyone's control owing to the pandemic and the shutdown of theatres. “The situation I was in was the same for all. We all were being calm. There was no option other than to be patient. It also gave some time for us to think about ourselves. Right now I am only looking at the positives in the new year,” he said.

This year, Chaudhari has quite a few other films lined up for release in the form of Luckdown, Maheshcha Badla [remake of the Malayalam hit Mahishinte Prathikharam] and Dagadi Chawl 2. “I am very excited for the new year," he said. "All the films have different subjects. We have been waiting for two years. So I am looking forward to them being released soon.”

Coming back to Lochya Zaala Re, Chaudhari said, “The film is made in such a way that you can watch it anytime, anywhere. After the theatres, you can enjoy it on OTT [over-the-top platforms] too. Even if you start from the middle, it will entertain you.”