A day with Omi Vaidya, “Chatur the Silencer”

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Pink Magazine’s staff recently sat down with award winning comedian, Omi Vaidya the 4th Idiot from Bollywood movie “3 idiots” and he kindly answered all of our questions.
Pink: Omi, first tell me, how did the role of Chatur land in your hand in 3 idiots?
Omi: I was kind of on vacation and also I was writing a few scripts so I went to India to see what kind of interest I could find, very casually. And on my way back, just before leaving, my friend who works for Vinod Chopra, she told me there was an audition and I should go. And well they liked my demo reel, my American work. When I went in, I did something off the top, pretty randomly. And I was just very fit for the role, I guess, because of my language skills. I could do the part pretty well, I think they thought that. That’s kind of hard to come in by fluke and they were interested.
Pink: Tell me a bit about your director, Raj Kumar Hirani, how is he in person?
Omi: How is he…he is really cool person, his very relaxed, like very fun loving person, I guess. He knows exactly what he wants but at the same time he is very open to different ideas and enjoys the process. It’s great; it’s great. It was really fun to work with him. Such a learning experience of what a really good director he is in Hindi movies.
Pink: Tell me about Aamir Khan, who now for the past year has become very successful in acting in his movies? How is he as a person? Did he give you like any advice by long such?
Omi: He told me I should learn Hindi and then he’s like no Urdu and then he’s like you should learn Hindustani the kind they speak in the movies. It has all Hindi and kind of everything. So he was just saying that. I don’t know he seems pretty chilled in general, seems like….I don’t know, he’s very relaxed too; and a nice guy, very nice guy.
Pink: Great! So the movie is very full of life, you always have idiots, who just mess around and have fun and then you have a person like Chatur, who always wants to succeed in life and be on top of everyone, so has the movie helped you in any ways related to your life personally?
Omi: I don’t really chase…I’m not similar to Chatur in that way. I don’t chase success and I’m not nervous all the time. I, I just really try to do good job and I guess the only thing that I’m really good at it is memorizing lines.
Pink: I just want to congratulate you on wining 2 awards, the Star Screen Awards, one is for being the Most Promising Newcomer and other is for Best Comedian. Now tell me, after the success of 3 Idiots have you gotten any new offers from Bollywood that you can go ahead and tell us about?
Omi: Well, there is nothing new I want to tell you about, I feel awkward. (laughs). I’ve gotten an offer. But, yeah, I had to pick the right one and this is quite a slow process if done correctly. Because it’s not only people want me in their films, but do you get anything about it, do you really cast in someone. So that all comes in over the time, I’m looking at stuff. I’ll probably be back in India in February for some things, events and stuff. So it’ll be good, it’ll be good.
Pink: Lovely! So you have become very popular person from 3 Idiots, tell me the response when kids see you on the street? What do they say? Or what do they call you by? How about their parents because obviously kids have different mentality than their parents?
Omi: Kids are really…Kids responded more than anyone else followed by, sort of, I think women and then later on…I was at least recognized by children and women a lot. They were just like “Chatur, Chatur, you know it’s that Chatur from 3 Idiots,” and then they start whispering, they get really excited, they can’t believe it. Yeah, it’s just they get very, very excited. Some of them say, you know, “Silencer” like if they get a little bit bold or if I’m there for a little while. So they really respond to that because it’s sort of the easiest joke yet it’s something that can relate to them.
Pink: Let’s wrap this up real fast you have come a long way from having a small role in the U.S. television series, Arrested Development, to landing a comedian role in the Bollywood movie, 3 Idiots, how would you describe the journey so far?
Omi: How would I…it’s been like a very, very tall mountain but it’s fun to climb even though it can be very hard sometimes. It’s been a hard journey but it got its success and failures. It’s been a very good learning experience.
Pink: So any final message to your fans around the globe and to Pink Magazine? (Laughs)
Omi: (laugh) Meri Shadi Hogayi… sorry (with an accent, laughs). I’m just joking (Laughing). I don’t know like, it’s just… I think you should be safe with your money but not safe with your life. You should do very exciting things what you want to do in life, whatever it is. And just give it your all no matter what people say. I think anyone can really; not only Pink Magazine Readers, but everyone can do what they want.