Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has been busy talking about his upcoming movie, ‘The Bengal Files’. It’s set to hit cinemas soon. During a recent interview, he took a moment to reflect on working with the incredible, late actor Irrfan Khan. Their collaboration on the 2005 thriller ‘Chocolate’ clearly left a big impression.
Agnihotri shared his deep admiration for Irrfan in a chat with Mashable India. “I miss him a lot,” he said, calling Irrfan a “great person” and an “amazing artist.” He really enjoyed their time together. What stood out most was Irrfan’s unique acting style. He was incredibly spontaneous.
Vivek recalled that Irrfan never really mapped out what he would do on camera. He might practice one thing, then deliver something completely different when the cameras rolled. It was all about feeling the scene. Irrfan would grasp the core emotion and then bring his own fresh spin to it. This meant his co-stars were always on their toes, never quite knowing what he would do next.
A Dynamic Duo: Irrfan and Anil Kapoor
The director then told a cool story from the ‘Chocolate’ set involving Anil Kapoor. Anil is known for his high energy and sticking closely to the script. Irrfan was the opposite; when he was just sitting, you might think he had no energy at all. Anil Kapoor often wondered how Irrfan would approach a scene because he rarely rehearsed in the traditional way.
Despite their different methods, their scenes in ‘Chocolate’ were fantastic. Vivek described it almost like a friendly competition between the two. Each tried to surprise the other in their performances. Both were seasoned professionals, and their contrasting styles made for some unforgettable moments on screen.
About ‘Chocolate’
‘Chocolate’ was a thriller-mystery film released in 2005. Vivek Agnihotri directed it. The movie featured a talented cast. Besides Irrfan Khan and Anil Kapoor, audiences also saw Emraan Hashmi, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, and Tanushree Dutta. It was during this film that Vivek experienced Irrfan’s one-of-a-kind genius firsthand.