Shahid: Playing dumb isn't easy
What is Chup Chup Ke like?
Entertaining. It is a typical Priyadarshan comedy. I play a guy called Jeet who tries to start various businesses by taking loans from the entire village, including his fiance and father-in-law to be. But all his businesses fail and, when he can't repay the loan, he decides to fake his death so his family can claim insurance. The film is about how he gets caught in a net of his own doing. Later, Jeet pretends to be deaf and dumb. The story takes a turn when he meets a woman (Kareena) who really is dumb.
Was doing a comedic role easy?
I wish it were as easy to do comedy as it seems, and I wish we could laugh more in life. I was perspiring after my first shot. It was a tough job but, after I saw the results, I was ecstatic.
Was Priyadarshan also happy with your work?
I don't think so. Once, when everyone was playing cricket and I was in my dream world, sitting and talking on my phone, he socked me very hard with a tennis ball (laughs). It may have been unintentional, but who knows?