Actors sitting for a workshop before getting to the actual shoot has become a norm now. But
Harish Kalyan went a little further and learnt
cooking
to play a chef in his upcoming
Oh Manapenne
. Directed by
Kaarthikk Sundar, this Tamil remake of
Pelli Choopulu
saw Harish brush up his cooking skills before taking the plunge into his character. Kaarthikk says, “Harish had to cook and act, and that had to come out in a natural manner on screen. Harish didn’t know cooking before, so he was eager to learn for the film. The film is based on real-life entrepreneur
Siddhanth
’s life. We actually brought him on set and made him play a small role in the film. He even took time out to teach Harish some cooking.”
Harish tells us, “Siddhanth curated a lot of things for us. I learnt how to hold a knife properly and operate the stove, which is different from the ones we use at home. I also learnt cutting nuances, and how to barbeque. We had a small workshop before shooting these scenes. I learnt to make chicken dishes, fish fillets, fish and chips, burgers and fillings, samosa, and how to present the dishes stylishly. Actually,
samosa
has a special significance in this film, and I taught myself how to make it properly. I used to go before the actual shoot to learn how to make these dishes for the scenes.”
Harish says learning a new skill helped him perform better. “I was able to perform the cooking scenes confidently. Siddhanth, Priya (Bhavani Shankar) and my mother helped me with this. Even though the film doesn’t entirely revolve around me being a chef, I felt it was important to learn cooking to enhance the scenes. Also, thanks to the film, now, I know how to cook,” the actor signs off.
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