Abhay Verma made a big revelation about Irrfan Khan’s film

Entertainment: Abhay Varma is currently enjoying the success and love of Munjya. The film has turned out to be a surprise hit and with this film, the actor has worked with filmmaker Dinesh Vijan for the first time, who has produced the film. However, this was not the first time he got a chance to do so. The 25-year-old Abhay wanted to work with Vijan ever since he saw Cocktail (2012) and had another chance before Munjya, but he regrets missing out on the opportunity. He said, “I was offered to work in Angrezi Medium, but somehow it didn’t work out. I regret it a lot because this was the last film of actor sir and if I had got a chance to even stand next to him in a frame, it would have been the biggest reward for me.” Explaining the reason behind turning down the film, he said: “The role I was offered was a little small and I got another film with better screen space, but eventually that film never happened.” Before Munjya, Verma had played a terrorist in The Family Man, a transgender in Safed and a patriot in Aye Watan Mere Watan. However, none of the roles got him the recognition he is getting now.

When asked about this, he says, “One big positive that I got from The Family Man was that if you work for even five days in your life, it will get you recognition for 50 years. But I was really disappointed with the response to Safed.” The actor further explains how he transformed himself to play a trans character in Safed. “I was so immersed in that portrayal that on the day of the screening, my director came to me and asked if the boy who played Chandi had come or not. I had to tell him that it was me who played the role. He hugged me three times after that and that was my biggest victory that my director did not recognise me,” he shared, adding that his preparation for the role really impressed him a lot. “I went to Banaras a few months before the entire team came. I would dress up in salwar kameez and go out on the streets to see how trans people are actually treated.

I wanted to give a portrayal that even after 10 years if any actor is doing a trans role, their director asks them to look at my role as a reference,” he asserts. Verma reveals that he is now receiving love for Munjya, but it has come after a tough wait. “After completing Munjya, I took a gamble with my life for one and a half years. I wanted to wait to see what happens before taking any further steps in my career. I somehow managed that time with my savings but I also had to sacrifice a lot. I have not gone to a restaurant for more than one and a half years. In the last three-four months, I also started feeling a bit suffocated, but thankfully the wait proved fruitful else my bag to Panipat would have been almost packed,” he quipped.