Actor Divya Khossla, who plays the lead in Umesh Shukla’s film Ek Chatur Naar, spent a month living in a Lucknow slum to prepare for her role. The film, which tells the story of a slum girl’s relationship with a wealthy businessman, was releases across India on September 12. Khossla said she learned the local slang, performed daily chores, and adjusted to the difficult surroundings during her stay. “They made me do everything, including jhadu, katka, and pocha sab,” she said while promoting the film in a conversation with Archana Puran Singh, Parmeet Sethi, and Ayushmaan Sethi on the show Dabbe Mein Kya Hai?
Director Umesh Shukla explained that the team used a real slum in Badshah Nagar, Lucknow, as the shooting location. He confirmed that Khossla’s hut was built beside a gutter.
Living beside the gutter
Khossla recalled that her hut was next to a ganda naala (gutter). She said she eventually got used to the smell, though one particular scene left her shaken. “I was standing at the edge of an open naala and was very close to falling in, which made me extremely scared,” she said.
According to Shukla, some scenes were filmed without informing the actors about the location in advance. For the naala sequence, he said they took Khossla directly to the spot to capture her natural reaction.
Doing everyday chores
Khossla said her role demanded she handle routine slum chores. Reflecting on her childhood, she shared, “Growing up, I had this wish to do the dishes. Every year when I used to visit my grandmother’s house, I would immediately do all that and get a lot of scoldings.”
Responding to her story, Parmeet Sethi remarked, “When you are fated to do a certain thing, life makes sure to make you do all that in one way or another, irrespective of who you are.”
Khossla said she prepared by studying videos of influencers from Uttar Pradesh and learning local slang. She also asked colleagues from the region to teach her a few cuss words to make her dialogue sound authentic.
With Khossla’s intense preparation and the use of real locations, the makers say Ek Chatur Naar aims to bring an authentic portrayal of slum life. The film, starring Khossla and Neil, released in theatres on September 12 across India.
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Director Umesh Shukla explained that the team used a real slum in Badshah Nagar, Lucknow, as the shooting location. He confirmed that Khossla’s hut was built beside a gutter.
Living beside the gutter
Khossla recalled that her hut was next to a ganda naala (gutter). She said she eventually got used to the smell, though one particular scene left her shaken. “I was standing at the edge of an open naala and was very close to falling in, which made me extremely scared,” she said.According to Shukla, some scenes were filmed without informing the actors about the location in advance. For the naala sequence, he said they took Khossla directly to the spot to capture her natural reaction.
Doing everyday chores
Khossla said her role demanded she handle routine slum chores. Reflecting on her childhood, she shared, “Growing up, I had this wish to do the dishes. Every year when I used to visit my grandmother’s house, I would immediately do all that and get a lot of scoldings.”Responding to her story, Parmeet Sethi remarked, “When you are fated to do a certain thing, life makes sure to make you do all that in one way or another, irrespective of who you are.”
A surprise monologue
One of the film’s most talked-about moments is a monologue delivered by Khossla in the trailer. Shukla revealed that the performance was not scripted. He said, “Divya surprised me with it,” adding that the scene has already gained attention online.Khossla said she prepared by studying videos of influencers from Uttar Pradesh and learning local slang. She also asked colleagues from the region to teach her a few cuss words to make her dialogue sound authentic.
With Khossla’s intense preparation and the use of real locations, the makers say Ek Chatur Naar aims to bring an authentic portrayal of slum life. The film, starring Khossla and Neil, released in theatres on September 12 across India.
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