‘Abhishek is more like a son than a costar’

Actor Neelu Kohli, who is seen playing actor Abhishek Bachchan’s mother in the recently released movie Manmarziyaan, also played his mum in Run (2004).

And Neelu shares that when she first met him on the set of Anurag Kashyap’s latest movie, she was surprised that he instantly recognised her.

Neelu says, “Abhishek greeted me like a son and came up to hug me. I wasn’t expecting that, after all, 14 years is a long time. Run was one of the first few films that I did, and I was nervous. But like always, Abhishek is confident, cordial and humble.”

She adds that while Abhishek has always been a prankster, but given her age, he stayed away from playing any pranks on her. “But the ADs (assistant directors) were not spared. I remember that he made sure all of them were smeared in haldi when we were shooting the scene in the film,” says Neelu.

The actor confesses her desire to work with Abhishek again in the future. “He is a supporting co-star and I would love to work with him again and again. He is such a good actor; I loved watching him in Guru (2006), Happy New Year (2014), Housefull 3 (2016)… I always thought he should be doing something different, and it was not that he was waiting for my advice, look at what he is done with Manmarziyaan. I think intense roles suit him quite well, his eyes are also very expressive,” she says.

Neelu also praises Anurag and says that he brings out the best in actors. “His style of working is unique. He explains the scenes well and encourages as well as pushes actors to give their best. He will give you the lines but that does not mean you will have to stick to them, you can modify and make it better,” says Neelu, who is busy with her Punjabi film now. The actor is also doing a few web shows and considering the TV offers she has at hand.

Neelu Kohli plays actor Abhishek Bachchan’s mother in Manmarziyaan