Based on a medical malpractice suit, Ankur Arora Murder Case stars PAOlI DAM and KAY KAY MENON. By K BHARDWAJ
On April 1, 2011, Bengali actor Paoli Dam got a call. “Hi! This is Vikram Bhatt. I want to speak you regarding a film,” the voice on the other end said. Because it was All Fool’s day, Dam couldn’t believe it was Bhatt offering her the movie. “It was funny! I was taken aback. Why would this big director call me directlyIJ I made him prove it was him. Then I apologised. And that’s how I got introduced to Bollywood,” she told us.
The actor, already a well-known name in Bengali films, flew down to Mumbai to meet Bhatt. “They were really helpful. They treated my like a princess. I didn’t know anyone in Mumbai, but they made me feel comfortable and arranged things,” Dam shared.
Soon she featured in Vikram Bhatt’s Hate Story. Two years later, she is gearing for her second release, Ankur Arora Murder Case. Produced by Vikram Bhatt, the film is inspired by a real-life incident and deals with flaws in the medical profession. It stars, Arjun Mathur, Kay Kay Menon and Tisca Chopra.
Talking about her character, Dam said, “I play a lawyer. She is fighting the case against a hospital on behalf of a mother who lost her kid due to medical negligence. I am playing an advocate for the first time. There is an interesting twist to my character which I cannot reveal now.”
To prepare, she visited courts in Kolkata. “I wanted to absorb the ambience of the place, how people behave there, especially lawyers. Suhail Tatari (the director) wanted to make the courtroom drama real. I watched Sunny Deol’s sequence in Damini. Paresh Rawal also stood out in OMG Oh My God! I had several sittings with the writer and director,” she shared.
During the shoot, it was like family. The actors would sit for food and chat. “I am acting with Kay Kay Menon for the first time. Despite appearance, he is really very funny. . Though we had separate vans, we sat and ate lunch together. I got comfy. Tisca is also nice to work with. We both are members of So Gakkai International (Buddhist organisation). So we chanted every evening for 10-15 minutes,” she said.
Dam signed the film feeling close to the subject. “When we are not well, we trust doctors. But there are irresponsible practitioners who play with your health for money. A close friend lost someone special due to medical negligence. She is fighting her case.”
The actor has two more offers, but will only divulge details next month.
Unlike her, Kay Kay Menon has no bitter experiences with doctors, but found the subject relevant. He plays a doctor. The actor began his career with Naseem (1995). He shared “I don’t regret anything. It’s a waste of time. I am happy with how my career shaped.”