Manasi Parekh is enjoying the response to her latest web series, Chumbak, and one of the show’s most entertaining moments involved her stepping into the iconic world of Bollywood nostalgia.
In an exclusive conversation with Zoom, the actress spoke about recreating Deepika Padukone’s Shanti Priya look from Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om. Manasi, who plays Priyanka Khanna in the Netflix comedy series, revealed that recreating the much-loved look was a fun but time-consuming experience.
Manasi Parekh Recreates Deepika Padukone’s Om Shanti Om Look
Talking about the sequence, Manasi said she thoroughly enjoyed getting into the Bollywood-inspired look.
“Bahut maza aaya because Bollywood code tha and all of us have grown up on Bollywood with these amazing iconic characters and styles that inspire so many,” she told Zoom.
The actress recalled how the vintage aesthetic associated with Om Shanti Om and Deepika’s portrayal of Shanti Priya became an instantly recognisable part of popular culture.
According to Manasi, recreating such an iconic character gave the cast an opportunity to play with a style that many viewers have grown up watching and admiring.
“These are like iconic bits which we got to play,” she said.
‘It Took a Lot of Time But It Was Worth It’
Manasi also revealed that transforming herself into the character for the sequence required considerable preparation.
She recently shared a reel showing her transition into the Shanti Priya-inspired look. While the process took time, the actress said the effort paid off when she saw the final result and received compliments from viewers.
“I today only put up a reel of me transitioning into the character. It took a lot of time but it was worth it. And everybody told me that I look really amazing as Shanti Priya. It was super fun and bahut maza aaya,” she said.
The sequence allowed Chumbak to tap into the nostalgia surrounding one of Bollywood’s most recognisable cinematic styles while giving Manasi an opportunity to put her own spin on it.
Manasi Parekh on Playing Priyanka Khanna in Chumbak
Beyond the Om Shanti Om recreation, Manasi also opened up about her character Priyanka Khanna and the similarities and differences between the two.
She described Priyanka as a “chatterbox”, although she admitted that she is quite different from the character in that regard.
Manasi said she considers herself a good listener and can remain quiet for long periods. However, she has observed people in her own life who are constant talkers and drew inspiration from them while developing Priyanka.
How Manasi Found a Part of Herself in Priyanka
Although Manasi does not identify with Priyanka’s talkative nature, she found another important similarity between them.
“And the quality that is similar about Priyanka and me is the fact that she is a mother with hundred things in her head and so am I,” she explained.
The actress said she is accustomed to having numerous tasks and mental checklists running through her mind.
“I have like a hundred to-do lists. Ek khatam hua toh accha ye ek mental checklist (hoti hai) ke accha ye iske baad ye karna hai,” Manasi said.
She believes this aspect of her personality helped her understand why Priyanka can sometimes appear reckless and hyper.
“I have that personality,” she added.
Rather than completely separating herself from the character, Manasi decided to use this part of her own personality as a reference point and incorporate it into Priyanka.
About Chumbak
Written and directed by Aatish Kapadia, Chumbak premiered on Netflix on September 12. The comedy series features an ensemble cast that includes Manasi Parekh, Neena Gupta, Deven Bhojani, Sumeet Vyas, Sumeet Raghavan and Anant Joshi, among others.
