EXCL: Konkona Sensharma and Manoj Bajpayee on working in their Netflix series 'Killer Soup'
Come to think about it, actors Konkona Sensharma and Manoj Bajpayee have a lot in common. Both have left indelible marks on our minds with their acting prowess every time they appear on screen. Both finally work as often as their loyal fan base has always wanted them to. And both have this humble and understated demeanour that makes you feel at ease when you sit down for a conversation with them.
Unless you are living under a rock, you must have come across some news related to the just-released Netflix series Killer Soup. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the series follows the story of Swathi Shetty, a talentless home chef who dreams of opening up a restaurant and in the process, whips up a bizarre plan to replace her husband with her lover, played by the impeccable Manoj Bajpayee. However, when an inspector and a villain enter the plot, things do not go as planned and misadventures ensue.
To find out more about the recipe behind the story, we caught up with Konkona and Manoj for, what we thought, would be a quick chat. As the two actors joined us over a video call from Mumbai, we found that their sizzling chemistry was even palpable through the metallic, rectangular screen. What followed was an hour-long conversation, replete with Konkona’s signature spunk and Manoj’s infectious humour — as the duo delved into what went behind the making of the series, their ever-evolving fashion choices and New Year plans! Excerpts from the interview:
Can you tell us about your role in Killer Soup and why you said yes to the project?
Konkona Sensharma: How could I not say yes to the role? It’s with Abhishek Chaubey, whom I adore and want to work with; it’s with Manoj Bajpayee, whom I’ve been wanting to work with for so many years. And it’s an amazing story. In Killer Soup, I play Swati Shetty. It’s a bit of a grey character — in fact, we used to call her Swati ‘Shady.’ She wants to create a lovely restaurant and live a certain kind of life. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles in the way and that leads to some deaths. The story is about all the misadventures that ensue and how Swati negotiates everything.
Manoj Bajpayee: I’ve been with the project almost since its inception and we were very hopeful that Koko ( Konkona) would say ‘yes’ to it. But in terms of my role, which role do you want me to talk about? (laughs) Mine is a double role but I call it a triple and you will know why am I saying this once you watch me on screen. The first role is one of a patriarch — somebody who’s a complete alpha male. He is a misogynist, very controlling, a loser and an opportunist. The second one is my favourite — he is a total romantic and a casanova. It was a difficult job.
Manoj, you’ve worked with Abhishek in Sonchiriya in 2019. What do you like the most about him as a director?
Firstly, he knows so much. I’ve seen only a few people in my career whose company is a delight. The first one is Shyam Benegal, the second is Bary John and the third is Abhishek Chaubey. He knows everything in this world; he reads so much and keeps himself updated about everything that’s happening in the world. I also appreciate the way he guides his actors. Many times, I would be quite confused on the set — completely indecisive as to which direction I should go in because I was playing three characters in a day. But once I sat with Abhishek, everything would fall into place immediately. You’ll hardly see him losing it with any unit member — so nice, so democratic.
Konkona, is preparing for a character in the thriller genre any different from preparing for a character in any other genre?
I’d say it’s not, because as long as I know my character’s motivations — where they come from and where they want to go — it doesn’t matter whether they want to kill somebody or open a restaurant. Just that the character needs to be well-written.
Manoj, you have been working on OTT projects quite often these days, can you tell us the merits and demerits of that as an actor?
The disadvantage is that sometimes I get exhausted. But still, I have to fulfill the commitment. Even if I said ‘yes’ to some project three years ago, I will never go back on my word. Although, it has worked out in a good way for me — there are so many good projects to choose from now. That seems like a problem but it is a good problem to have (smiles). I have been working in this industry for the last 29 years but it’s only since the last five years that things have been working for me. I have been getting a lot of good offers and I don’t want it to stop — I want to make really good use of the opportunities. There used to be a time when I used to have a 10-month gap between two projects but now the situation is changing for all actors. So, yes, I wish I would have a three-month gap between two projects but if I need to put in extra hours for a good project, I’d do that. New talents are emerging and good projects are being offered — all in all, it’s a great time to be working in this industry.
Konkona, do you think these merits of the OTT boom will not get carried over by the perils of stardom, now that stars are also beginning to work on these platforms?
While it’s true that streaming platforms are providing a lot of work to a lot of actors who may not have had similar opportunities in mainstream cinema, it’s also true that some people have more work than others. There was a great demand at the start (of the boom) but now, perhaps, things have slowed down a little bit. I find it problematic that there are only five major streaming platforms despite a lot of content. It puts an undue amount of power in the hands of a few, which is never a very good idea. Stars working on streaming platforms is a wonderful thing. The problem sometimes is that when you get a star only then do you get the budget although the budget should ideally be as per the requirements of the film. But it is the way of the world. Even earlier, studios had a lot of power, right? Now, certain streaming platforms have a lot of power and in the future, somebody else will have a lot of power. So, you have to keep adapting to changing technology formats and the like. There are two sides to everything.
Konkona, in the last couple of years, not just your work but your style also seems to have changed. What inspired that?
Well, largely, I have two things. One is that I have a very good stylist — that’s very convenient. The other thing is, I remember in 2006-2008, not a lot of sartorial choices were available. But it has become a bit of a hassle as well because it has contributed to an unnecessary focus on Instagram. How many followers do you have? Are you posting pictures enough? How sorted is your social media game? I think these are not my real concerns. My real job is acting and filmmaking but I’m spending an unfortunate amount of time on this. So, you know, it’s a little good, a little bad (laughs).
Manoj, shifting focus away from acting and the industry, how do you relieve your stress from work?
Spending time with my family — that’s the only way (smiles). I’m always looking forward to leaving the city with my little one and Shabana (his wife). Like this time for New Year, we went to my village. I know it’ll completely distress me because once I am there, it will become my responsibility to take them for a personal sightseeing tour — like I would show them the places that I am attached to. This time, I took them for a tiger safari near the Nepal border. The list was endless but I was looking forward to leaving the city for that.
Finally, what can we expect from the two of you, next?
Konkona: I am trying to develop a web series myself. Apart from that, you will also see me in the sequel of Anurag’s Life… In A Metro (Metro… In Dino). We have almost finished filming it.
Manoj: You can see me in the sequel of the film Silence...Can You Hear It? Killer Soup is now streaming on Netflix.
Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa
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