By Kusumika Das
Anurag Basu’s Metro In Dino finally hit theatres on July 4, with a powerful ensemble featuring Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Konkona Sensharma, and Pankaj Tripathi. The film is a spiritual sequel to Life In A… Metro (2007) and tells new interconnected stories of urban life and emotional longing. One of the new entrants to Basu’s world is actor Pranay Pachauri, who plays a pivotal role opposite Darshana Banik and Anupam Kher. In the film, Anupam Kher plays Parimal, a retired man who lives alone and is looked after by Jhinuk (played by Darshana Banik), the widow of his late son. Pranay enters this emotional equation as Rohan, a character who brings fresh complexity and romance to the narrative. Unfiltered Pranay Pachauri Speaking to Zoom exclusively, Pranay shared details about his character, saying, “I play the character Rohan, who comes back for the love of his life Jhinuk (Darshana Banik), who was earlier married to my character Rohan’s best friend. But after the death of his friend, they reconnected, and it’s a beautiful story of coming of age and finding love even when life knocks us down. Anupam Kher sees himself in my character and encourages me to fight for my love. All in all, it’s a beautiful story to be part of and pure raw emotions on display.” Reflecting on the shooting experience and what it meant to be part of a sequel to Life In A Metro, Pranay revealed, “Life In A Metro set such a good benchmark for Indian cinema that it’s purely a blessing to be part of Metro In Dino. I was nervous to shoot with such legends of our industry, be it Anurag Basu or Anupam Kher. I was shooting my first scene with Anupam sir and it was emotionally a very layered scene. After we started shooting, I got into the zone and Anurag dada complimented me saying, ‘Ladka achha kar raha hai.’ Post which Anupam Kher sir told me, ‘Mark this day and write a journal entry because getting a compliment from Anurag Basu is a very big thing,’ and Anupam sir congratulated me. I felt like I was in a dream but it made me feel so much more confident and loved. I had an absolutely enriching experience.” The actor also shared how Anupam Kher guided him during the shoot, “Anupam sir and I improvised on set and he gave me the space and a few tips on how to project the internal energy, which was quite refreshing. Legends like Anupam Kher and Anurag Basu come with so much wisdom and knowledge. They never make you feel like you’re any less—in fact, they always encourage you, and it’s the best environment for any actor to thrive in.” Being part of a large ensemble cast with such industry veterans was an emotional moment for Pranay, “I am full of gratitude as such opportunities are rare to come by and I thank my stars for being part of such a wholesome special project. It definitely feels special to receive love and validation along with the star cast, as it reinstates your faith in your childhood dream despite all the obstacles.” Did you like our brief chat with Pranay? Let us know by tweeting at @TimesNow!