Is Sohum Shah's Bihari politician role in Maharani inspired by Lalu Prasad Yadav? Here's what actor has to say

By Shreya Tinkhede | First Published Jun 3, 2021, 10:41 AM IST

In an exclusive chat with Asianet News, actor-producer Sohum Shah spoke about playing a Bihari politician, Bheema Bharti, in OTT release Maharani, working with Huma Qureshi and more; read on.

Sohum Shah, in all his might is seen playing the role of a Bihari politician, Bheema Bharti, in OTT release Maharani. The series is already garnering praises for its storyline and direction. Sohum believes that this is the massiest character he has played to date.

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Maharani is enjoying a tremendous response, and many are calling it the 'queen' of OTT. Talking about digesting all the love pouring in, Sohum said, "I am feeling delighted. I have been trying to do a character like this for ten years. The films that I have done earlier catered to a limited audience, such as Ship of Theseus and Tumbbad. But with Maharani, I got to play a massy, larger than life character. My family members would often say, 'Do something more extensive, what kinds of films you do' (tells laughingly). I come from a place where we have grown up watching larger than life cinema. It's a dream come true moment for me."

Talking about how he seeped in the character of a Bihari politician and managed to adapt the lingo, dialect and detailing, Sohum said, "There are specific roles that require a lot of prep, while sometimes you crack the psychology of a particular role and essay it with precision. For the role of Bheema Bharti, I did not get much time to prepare. I managed to learn accent on-set with the help of director and writer. I also watched videos of Bihari politicians, such as Lalu Prasad Yadav."

"The dialogue in the series 'Jail ke taale tootenge, Bheema Babu chhutenge' made me understand the whole character. I recited this line over 100 times in my mind to get into the skin of Bheema Bharti," he added.

Fan's feel Sohum's character as Bheema Bharti has drawn inspiration from Lalu Prasad Yadav, shedding some light on the same he said, "It's a fictional story. I had all the freedom to play Bheema as I wanted to. Although I watched a few videos of Bihari politicians, I have not tried to copy anybody or take inspiration from anywhere."

"When we talk about a politician. Having a moustache, wearing a coast or a kurta comes naturally. So comparisons are bound to happen, but no, I did not copy anyone."

Looks and appearance serve a significant portion, especially in films or series that carry a specific regional dialect. Talking about how he aced the 'look' of Bheema Bharti, Sohum gives its credit to his mother, partially, "The director Subhash sir worked on the look of Bheema and also my mother. My mom made me gain weight by feeding home-cooked food during lockdown. I thought the first thing I'll have to do when I go to Bombay would be to get in shape, but luckily I got Maharani. My weight was perfect for this role."

Huma Quereshi is also garnering praises for portraying the lead character in series, named Rani Bharti. Sohum feels he learned a lot from Huma and believes she is an extraordinary actress who brings a perfect dose of emotion and peace to her role. "Huma is spontaneous. One minute she is cracking a joke on the set, the other moment, she would become Rani. She puts in a lot of hard work but looks uber cool in person. She knows how to nail a character with her ease and perfection."

Sohum feels, with the character of Bheema, he was able to establish a connection with the audience and amaze them with his craft, "I will always cherish playing Bheema on screen. It was indeed a challenging role to play, but the cast and crew of the series made it so easy. The story itself is so extraordinary, I am sure it will be celebrated for years to come," added Sohum.

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