Anup Jalota’s latest avatar

After a stint on the reality show Bigg Boss

two years ago, the sixty-seven-year-old veteran Indian musician who’s fondly known as Bhajan Samraat was recently seen playing a politician, Bajpayee, in Paatal Lok, the web series produced by Anushka Sharma.

Seems like the acting bug has caught him well, for Anup Jalota is now making fullfledged appearances in not one but two films. The first of them, Satya Sai Baba, will release later this month while the other, made by one of his students, will release later this year.

Incidentally, the singer has starred in around twelve movies previously, albeit with smaller screen time. Satya Sai Baba will be the first in which he plays the lead role.

Interestingly, Satya Sai Baba, whom Jalota had met on several occasions with his father singer Purushottam Das Jalota, had apparently prophesised of him essaying the role of the godman. Stating that he was even fortunate to have sung once before Baba, the veteran vocalist, adds, “I was twelve years old when I first met Baba, and I remember he’d called me ‘Chhote Baba’. When I asked him why, he said, ‘You’ll know one day.’ Now, fifty-five years later, I realise it was probably because I play him in a biopic.”

Anup says playing the role was rather easy for him. “I had to mimic him, without caricaturing him so that people don’t think something is wrong. I won’t be modest, but when I saw the film, I felt I did well,” he adds.

Directed by Vicky Ranawat, the film has Jackie Shroff, Sadhika Randhawa and Kishori Shahane among others. Jalota’s confident that despite the fear of the coronavirus and the absence of mainstream stars in the film, it’ll do well. “Sathya Sai Baba is the biggest superstar. The film will be released globally and people will come and appreciate the movie,” he adds. (Sanskriti Media)