Hats Off Productions is like my second home: Deven Bhojani

After a decade, Zee TV has made a comeback to the comedy genre with Hats Off Productions’ comical show Bh Se Bhade. And for this, they have also managed to rope in Deven Bhojani as the lead in this 52-episode long series. Deven, who is well known as Gattu from the show Baa Bahu Aur Baby, will now tickle the funny bone as Bhade. Interestingly, Bhade is a character taken from VP Kale’s short story. In a conversation, with Tellychakkar.com, Deven went on to elaborate how he and his team created this character with super powers. Yes! Bhade has superpowers!! Bhade can hold people’s hands, look into their eyes and solve their worries, irrespective of the problem’s magnanimity. Asked if this character would be more challenging than the characters he has played so far, he observed, “I feel all characters are difficult but as an actor one has to enact them. But yes, this one was definitely more difficult as I have played characters as old as 55-60 in age on stage, but not on-screen.” And how did he prepare for the role? “I usually have a lot of meetings with the creative team before taking up any character and this is exactly what I did even this time. Initially, I had constant meetings with producer JD Majethia and Atish Kapadia and Sachin Mote (writers) talking of how to develop this character. Later, I made it a point to observe people of this age group (55 to 60). But, I couldn’t have observed a person with such a power. Thus I spent more time with myself letting my imagination fly. I worked on the way he (Bhade) laughs, talks, walks and other gestures. We also worked on things like the way he talks to his wife or other family members. After this, we had a week-long workshop. Basically I had enough time to prepare for the character.” The actor gives a sneak peep of the show as he narrates the story of the first episode, “There is a man called Mittal who gets angry all the time and on one of the days he is about to get a heart attack due to his anger. But thankfully, Bhade takes away his anger. Now that Bhade has taken the anger off him, he becomes an angry man and starts taking everybody’s case back home or at his work place. This is exactly when humour takes over. However, he does not keep the trouble with himself; he returns it after a while but till then the problem gets solved.” Was he born that way? “Yes, the audience will also get to see a flashback story where little Bhade will hold a nurse’s hand in a hospital and take over the cold she has been suffering from. So, while the nurse stops, the new born Bhade starts sneezing,” says Deven laughingly. Reminding the actor that he is well known as Gattu, does he fear not overcoming that image? “I thank the audience for liking me as Gattu. But it does mean I won’t come out of it. I have to grow as an actor. The audience has seen enough of Gattu but now it’s Bhade. Moreover, this show is a family entertainer in a day and age when people use double meaning dialogues to make others laugh.” Talking about his association with Hats Off Productions, he avers, “It’s like my second home; we are all like brothers. Hence there is this comfort zone that shows in my work. I have worked with them as a director too in Sarabhai VS Sarabhai and Khichdi. In Baa Bahoo Baby, I was an actor as well as a creative director. And currently I am doing Bh Se Bhade with them. But all said and done, working with them hasn’t been a conscious attempt. After Mrs. Tendulkar, there was a big gap as I wanted a good show. And while I wasn’t getting anything, JD came up with Bh Se Bhade. I jumped to grab this role as I said to myself that this is the character I want to play.” The show airs from 26 October 2013 every Saturday and Sunday.