AMOL PARASHAR, SMRITI KALRA, and KEVIN DAVE reveal that they had a lot of fun during the shoot of their recent satirical and witty film, Cash, in a heart-to-heart with Khushbu Kirti
With the recent release of the film Cash, my mind was transported to 2016 when we had queued up in long lines in front of ATMs under scorching heat. Many might say it was a terrible time, the remaining might recall it as a petulant move by the government. But as director Rishab Seth mentioned, the filmmakers or the actors are not here to pass judgement on it or their stance on it, even today, remains very neutral. They want to take people back to that time and remind them that we all got past this together. And when you go back in time — even if you thought that it was dark time then — you can always, in retrospect, laugh it off. The idea behind the film was to use collective consciousness and evoke laughter instead of pain.
Cash, directed by Rishab Seth and produced by Vishesh Bhatt, stars Amol Parashar, Smriti Kalra, Swanand Kirkire, Kevin Dave, and Gulshan Grover. The light-hearted dramedy, that centers around the period of demonetisation and rising entrepreneurship in India, started streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
Read on for excerpts from a heart-to-heart with the young actors, Smriti, Amol and Kevin:
Tell us a bit about your characters.
You’re a street smart entrepreneur (Armaan), Amol. Let’s start with you.
AP: Yes! (all pumped up) Armaan Gulati is a street-smart entrepreneur and that kinda encapsulates his whole personality because he’s a hustler and keeps brimming with new ideas. He is always thinking and wants to become a wealthy person like Elon Musk, wants to succeed in life. His wild dream is to create a successful start-up. Demonetisation is the trigger of a new idea because a lot of businesses failed at the time and he realised he could take advantage of their failure. He decided to help people convert their money. Armaan is joined by Neha and Soda to culminate his plans.
They try various ways — funny and bizarre — to convert this money and that was what might’ve happened at the same. People to desperate to save their black money. So, you know, the guy is a bit of an opportunist, in a way. I’m saying this because his heart is clean, even if his ideas are twisted.
Smriti, we’ve loved the character of Suvreen Guggal you’ve played before. How was this new avatar you donned?
SK: Thank you! (cheerful) Since you just mentioned Suvreen, Neha — the character that I play in the film — is 180° opposite (laughs). So, Neha is sassy, she's feisty, she's independent, confident and extremely jugadu. She is a natural fixer and someone who can double-cross you for her own good. So, Armaan and Soda approach Neha and while Armaan is smart and has a lot of ideas, Neha has tons of contacts up her sleeve. And, so, they’re the perfect fit — for a start-up.
She's someone you would want on your team, because she’s so jugaadu, she’ll find one way or another to do her job. In a way, she orchestrates things so that is Neha, something I'm completely not, something I've completely never been, and a very, very different character that I've played and have thoroughly enjoyed.
KD: So, I'm playing Soda in the film, who is Armaan’s best friend and is, thus, always stuck with him. In the name of the said friendship, poor Soda always ends up in trouble as Armaan’s accomplice (chuckles). First, he denies all of Armaan’s ideas but eventually gives in. Soda is loyal, however, Armaan and Soda are poles apart. Like Amol said, Armaan is a hustler, while Soda is a coward. He finds problems in everything, while Armaan finds opportunities in the same. Smriti’s character sort-of balances the two, you know. So, the trio sets on this new endeavour.
We know Cash is a satirical take on a very serious event, how do you think the drama and comedy mingle into the seriousness of it?
AP: Kevin had rightfully said it in the last interview, ‘tragedy mei bhi comedy hoti hai’. At that time, none of us would've wanted to have a funny take on this. But, now, from a distance once you've crossed the event, you can laugh about even the bitter parts. Now that it is in the past, that is an advantage we have, people now remember it as a memory. We’re now laughing on how these people that are trying to convert their money in all the stupid and bizarre ways. We're not laughing at people that have probably faced real misery. These are people — the people who had black money on them and were running from here to there to somehow save themselves — we cannot have sympathy with. We would sympathise with other people who, in the process of because of your money laundering, had to face difficulties.
SK: You know, the script is so well-written by Arsh Bora, the writer, and Rishabh Seth, the director, that I was just smiling all through, so the comedy, drama and satire were well-blended, served to us on a plate. It's a fast-paced situational comedy, based on the chaos created in the situation.
Our job was, thus, made easier. We just had to imbibe the script and live the characters.
What do you feel about the shift from home viewing to OTT? Has the shift given an impetus to stories based on real events?
AP: Um, I believe we used to have stories from real events earlier, too. OTT has a wider audience and so, yes, people watch this stuff there.
SK: The thing is that the content on OTT platforms is at the tip of your fingers, you're empowered to pause/play.
AP: Yes, and there’s more responsibility in OTT, to write better. Because in theatres, you’d buy a ticket, would be entitled to stay because you’ve paid so much for one film. Here, OTT is cheaper and you have the liberty to watch so much more content.
KD: And there is luxury of having this audience in OTT, but also there’s the responsibility of entertaining them also. There are so many options and that puts pressure, of a good kind, on the stories you choose and tell.
SK: Which is why films and television will up their game because of healthy competition. Every genre has expanded, one of which is real-life based content. People are experimenting on this medium. (pauses and adds) Which is good!
What is one thing that this thing (portraying social reality) has taught you, Kevin?
KD: We should not hoard black money... (everyone breaks into laughter).
(He chuckles and continues) As actors? We learnt what limits people can go to, to save themselves, to get out of trouble when, clearly, they are in the wrong.
SK: I think, I learnt the importance of contacts, something that I don’t have. Also, that there’s always a way out, you know.
You recently worked in Sardar Udham Singh, and the genres are poles apart. How was the experience?
AP: Exactly, opposite genre from Udham Singh which was a very serious film. Cash was fast-paced comedy that I fully enjoyed. To be open to other's ideas of funny, as an actor, there are four-five ways of approaching the same scene and being funny and the greed was that we wanted to shoot everything. So, a lot of sweat and tears.
I came out a different human being, I had fun, I worked with lovely people and got to make a fun film.
What was the most exciting part of the film, Smriti?
SK: It’s my first film, man! (pumped up) I’m so excited.
I went for different paths in life — I was a science student and then some time later, an RJ before stumbling upon acting. I’m grateful to the director for having faith in me.
KD: It was real nice to have a good relationship with the writer and producer and the entire team. And felt youthful and fun to be a part of this story.
Choked is yet another film on demonetisation. How is it similar to or different from Cash, Kevin?
KD: Um, there’s no similarity whatsoever except that the concept is demonetisation.
What is one thing that the audience should look out for?
AP: Have fun and enjoy the humour. It is a very tightly written screenplay, there’s not a single dull moment, so, sit back and enjoy, fellas! The film doesn't preach, it’s simple.
SK: Also, the topic is such, with very relatable main characters that it makes for a great family entertainer. There’s something there for everyone!
KD: Basically, each and every character is written so well, you might have not seen these, and that will be the freshness of the film people will look forward to.