For an actor who has always challenged the norm, Ram Gopal Varma’s next, Police Station Mein Bhoot, came as a surprise. The actor, who returned to Mumbai to promote The Family Man 3, began shooting for Varma’s supernatural comedy in July at a bungalow in Hyderabad’s Ameerpet. The film is currently in post-production.
Manoj Bajpayee
Police Station Mein Bhoot follows Bajpayee’s honest cop who kills a notorious gangster, only to get possessed by the criminal’s spirit. The haunting turns the disciplined cop into a maniacal force, spiralling into hilarious situations inside the police station. The film also stars Genelia Deshmukh as Bajpayee’s wife, and Rajpal Yadav.
For Bajpayee — who has worked with Varma earlier on Satya (1998), Kaun (1999), Shool (1999), and Sarkar 3 (2017) — the filmmaker remains a creative instigator. “Ramu makes me do things that others don’t,” smiles the actor. “I have never been a part of a horror comedy before and I really got to learn a lot from a master of horror. Ramu sees me differently from others. He sees an aspect of Manoj Bajpayee which others always fail to do. I enjoy exploring that aspect with him,” he adds.
Ram Gopal Varma
He notes that Varma’s filmmaking has evolved since the Satya days. “He is more independent, self-reliant, grounded, and deeper today,” he says. “This film will be a creative shock. He looks at life more as a modern philosopher and filmmaker. I enjoy his company on and off set. It is a challenging role and I was pushed hard as an actor, but I loved doing it.”