The Actor Who Takes Your Breath Away In Paatal Lok 2

‘Life
does
not
change
in
such
a
way
that
everything
becomes
easy.
Struggle
and
hustle
is
there
for
everyone.’
‘The
difference
is
that
people
have
started
knowing
me.’

Prateek
Pachori
plays
the
street
smart,
smooth
talking
fixer
Bittu
Rahman
in

Paatal
Lok
2.
He
is
a
key
character
in
the
story
and
has
played
the
role
with
raw
sauciness
that
makes
him
stand
out.

The
dodgy
hustler
shares
most
of
his
scenes
with
lead
character
Hathiram
Choudhury

[Jaideep
Ahlawat]
and
carries
his
role
with
an
earthy
realism.

He
also
featured
in

Panchayat
and

Dabba
Cartel.

The
Jabalpur
native
who
turned
to
acting
because
of
Shah
Rukh
Khan
speaks
to



Rediff.com‘s

Archana
Masih
about
his
10
year
struggle
in
the
film
industry
and
the
experience
of
working
with
performers
like
Raghubir
Yadav
and
Jaideep
Ahlawat.

How
did
you
get
the
key
role
of
Bittu
Rahman
in

Paatal
Lok
2?

They
wanted
an
actor
from
UP,
MP
or
Bihar.

I
auditioned
for
it
and
had
to
enact
the
scene
where
Bittu
Rahman
and
Hathriam
Choudhary
are
talking
across
the
table
and
I
am
telling
him
my
life
story.

Mine
was
a
key
character.

I
was
told
several
actors
had
tried
for
this
role,
including
some
of
my
friends.

I
am
sure
many
must
have
given
good
auditions,
but
sometimes
luck
also
plays
a
role.

Have
there
been
times
when
you
have
been
locked
for
a
role
and
someone
else
finally
gets
it?

Many
a
times
actors
are
locked
and
still
don’t
get
the
role.

I
have
been
in
Mumbai
since
2015.
There
have
been
times
when
the
agreement
has
been
signed,
but
someone
else
has
done
the
character.

Bad
production
houses
do
that
—
not
the
good
ones.

What
was
the
experience
of
shooting
in
Nagaland
for

Paatal
Lok
2?
Had
you
been
there
before?

I
shot
for
15
days
in
Kohima,
Kalimpong
and
Darjeeling.
I
flew
in
and
out
according
to
the
schedule
of
the
shoot.

I
had
never
travelled
to
these
places
before.

The
cream
of
the
film
industry
was
in

Paatal
Lok
2.
Sudip
Sharma,
the
show
runner,
Avinash
Arun,
director,
Nikita
Grover,
casting
director,
Jaideep
Ahlawat
sir,
Tillotama
ma’am…

Sudip
is
also
a
good
co-actor.
He
does
rehearsals
with
the
actors
and
provides
constant
inputs
about
what
we
can
do
better.

What
are
some
of
your
experiences
of
working
with
Jaideep
Ahlawat?
What
are
some
of
the
memories
that
have
remained
with
you?

The
last
scene
where
I
am
getting
beaten
up
by
him!

The
temperature
was
4
degrees
and
the
scene
wasn’t
happening
because
our
bodies
were
constrained
due
to
the
biting
cold.

Jaideep
sir
suggested
how
to
go
about
it.
He
did
it
spontaneously
and
on
the
spot.
We
were
able
to
crack
it
in
3-4
takes
in
about
2
hours.

Jaideep
sir
is
involved
in
his
character,
but
is
equally
invested
in
his
co-actors
because
he
wants
the
complete
scene
to
be
good.
This
is
the
sign
of
an
accomplished
actor.

Jaideep
sir
never
learns
his
dialogues.
He
reads
and
rereads
the
script
over
and
over
again
and
when
the
take
happens
he
goes
with
the
flow.

Most
of
my
shoots
were
with
him.
I
spent
just
1-2
days
with
Ishwak
Singh
and
Tillotama
Shome.

What
did
you
do
off
the
sets
when
you
were
not
shooting?

We
used
to
watch
the
football
World
Cup.
It
also
gave
us
time
to
enjoy
Nagaland.

I
made
friendships
with
some
actors
from
Punjab,
Rajasthan
and
Nagaland.

I
got
to
spend
a
lot
of
time
with
Prashant
Tamang

[winner,
Indian
Idol
2007]
who
is
such
a
good
singer.
He
used
to
get
a
car,
take
me
for
a
drive
and
sing
songs.
We
would
sing
together.

We
also
shared
a
room
for
two
days.
He
is
a
fantastic
guy.

You
have
featured
in
two
popular
shows

Panchayat
and

Paatal
Lok.
How
have
perceptions
changed
towards
you
after

Paatal
Lok
2?

Life
does
not
change
in
such
a
way
that
everything
becomes
easy.
Struggle
and
hustle
is
there
for
everyone.
The
difference
is
that
people
have
started
knowing
me.
I
have
added
some
more
followers
on
Insta
and
I
got
the
film
I
am
acting
in
right
now
without
an
audition.

It
is
an
untitled
film
directed
by
Richie
Mehta.
We
are
shooting
in
Agra.

Rest
is
the
same
because
the
film
industry
is
unpredictable.
You
have
to
continue
looking
for
work.
You
may
be
a
star
or
a
small
actor,
but
the
struggle
is
the
same.

The
struggle
never
ends.

You
are
an
engineer
from
Jabalpur
who
went
to
drama
school.
How
did
your
journey
begin?

I
am
the
son
of
a
government
employee.
My
journey
began
in
Jabalpur.
After
drama
school,
I
got
a
grant
and
did
plays
in
Jabalpur.

I
made
the
film

Chausar
Firangi
in
Jabalpur
and
showed
it
to
my
parents.
They
were
happy
to
go
to
a
theatre
and
see
their
son
act
in
a
film.
The
distributor
promised
it
would
be
released
in
90
theatres,
but
it
was
shown
only
in
one
theatre.

After

Panchayat
people
recognised
me
when
I
went
to
the
market
or
the
bank
with
my
mummy,
but
she
used
to
say
‘

‘Life
does
not
change
in
such
a
way
that
everything
becomes
easy.
Struggle
and
hustle
is
there
for
everyone.’
‘The
difference
is
that
people
have
started
knowing
me.’

Prateek
Pachori
plays
the
street
smart,
smooth
talking
fixer
Bittu
Rahman
in

Paatal
Lok
2.
He
is
a
key
character
in
the
story
and
has
played
the
role
with
raw
sauciness
that
makes
him
stand
out.

The
dodgy
hustler
shares
most
of
his
scenes
with
lead
character
Hathiram
Choudhury

[Jaideep
Ahlawat]
and
carries
his
role
with
an
earthy
realism.

He
also
featured
in

Panchayat
and

Dabba
Cartel.

The
Jabalpur
native
who
turned
to
acting
because
of
Shah
Rukh
Khan
speaks
to



Rediff.com‘s

Archana
Masih
about
his
10
year
struggle
in
the
film
industry
and
the
experience
of
working
with
performers
like
Raghubir
Yadav
and
Jaideep
Ahlawat.

How
did
you
get
the
key
role
of
Bittu
Rahman
in

Paatal
Lok
2?

They
wanted
an
actor
from
UP,
MP
or
Bihar.

I
auditioned
for
it
and
had
to
enact
the
scene
where
Bittu
Rahman
and
Hathriam
Choudhary
are
talking
across
the
table
and
I
am
telling
him
my
life
story.

Mine
was
a
key
character.

I
was
told
several
actors
had
tried
for
this
role,
including
some
of
my
friends.

I
am
sure
many
must
have
given
good
auditions,
but
sometimes
luck
also
plays
a
role.

Have
there
been
times
when
you
have
been
locked
for
a
role
and
someone
else
finally
gets
it?

Many
a
times
actors
are
locked
and
still
don’t
get
the
role.

I
have
been
in
Mumbai
since
2015.
There
have
been
times
when
the
agreement
has
been
signed,
but
someone
else
has
done
the
character.

Bad
production
houses
do
that
—
not
the
good
ones.

What
was
the
experience
of
shooting
in
Nagaland
for

Paatal
Lok
2?
Had
you
been
there
before?

I
shot
for
15
days
in
Kohima,
Kalimpong
and
Darjeeling.
I
flew
in
and
out
according
to
the
schedule
of
the
shoot.

I
had
never
travelled
to
these
places
before.

The
cream
of
the
film
industry
was
in

Paatal
Lok
2.
Sudip
Sharma,
the
show
runner,
Avinash
Arun,
director,
Nikita
Grover,
casting
director,
Jaideep
Ahlawat
sir,
Tillotama
ma’am…

Sudip
is
also
a
good
co-actor.
He
does
rehearsals
with
the
actors
and
provides
constant
inputs
about
what
we
can
do
better.

What
are
some
of
your
experiences
of
working
with
Jaideep
Ahlawat?
What
are
some
of
the
memories
that
have
remained
with
you?

The
last
scene
where
I
am
getting
beaten
up
by
him!

The
temperature
was
4
degrees
and
the
scene
wasn’t
happening
because
our
bodies
were
constrained
due
to
the
biting
cold.

Jaideep
sir
suggested
how
to
go
about
it.
He
did
it
spontaneously
and
on
the
spot.
We
were
able
to
crack
it
in
3-4
takes
in
about
2
hours.

Jaideep
sir
is
involved
in
his
character,
but
is
equally
invested
in
his
co-actors
because
he
wants
the
complete
scene
to
be
good.
This
is
the
sign
of
an
accomplished
actor.

Jaideep
sir
never
learns
his
dialogues.
He
reads
and
rereads
the
script
over
and
over
again
and
when
the
take
happens
he
goes
with
the
flow.

Most
of
my
shoots
were
with
him.
I
spent
just
1-2
days
with
Ishwak
Singh
and
Tillotama
Shome.

What
did
you
do
off
the
sets
when
you
were
not
shooting?

We
used
to
watch
the
football
World
Cup.
It
also
gave
us
time
to
enjoy
Nagaland.

I
made
friendships
with
some
actors
from
Punjab,
Rajasthan
and
Nagaland.

I
got
to
spend
a
lot
of
time
with
Prashant
Tamang

[winner,
Indian
Idol
2007]
who
is
such
a
good
singer.
He
used
to
get
a
car,
take
me
for
a
drive
and
sing
songs.
We
would
sing
together.

We
also
shared
a
room
for
two
days.
He
is
a
fantastic
guy.

You
have
featured
in
two
popular
shows

Panchayat
and

Paatal
Lok.
How
have
perceptions
changed
towards
you
after

Paatal
Lok
2?

Life
does
not
change
in
such
a
way
that
everything
becomes
easy.
Struggle
and
hustle
is
there
for
everyone.
The
difference
is
that
people
have
started
knowing
me.
I
have
added
some
more
followers
on
Insta
and
I
got
the
film
I
am
acting
in
right
now
without
an
audition.

It
is
an
untitled
film
directed
by
Richie
Mehta.
We
are
shooting
in
Agra.

Rest
is
the
same
because
the
film
industry
is
unpredictable.
You
have
to
continue
looking
for
work.
You
may
be
a
star
or
a
small
actor,
but
the
struggle
is
the
same.

The
struggle
never
ends.

You
are
an
engineer
from
Jabalpur
who
went
to
drama
school.
How
did
your
journey
begin?

I
am
the
son
of
a
government
employee.
My
journey
began
in
Jabalpur.
After
drama
school,
I
got
a
grant
and
did
plays
in
Jabalpur.

I
made
the
film

Chausar
Firangi
in
Jabalpur
and
showed
it
to
my
parents.
They
were
happy
to
go
to
a
theatre
and
see
their
son
act
in
a
film.
The
distributor
promised
it
would
be
released
in
9o
theatres,
but
it
was
shown
only
in
one
theatre.

After

Panchayat
people
recognised
me
when
I
went
to
the
market
or
the
bank
with
my
mummy,
but
she
used
to
say
‘famous

toh
ho
gaya,
paisa
kab
kameyega?‘

She
said
you
can
pursue
acting,
but
you
should
also
open
a
shop
on
the
side.
I
used
to
joke
I
will
open
a

kirana
store!

People
recognised
me,
but
I
didn’t
have
money
till
2021.
I
did
not
earn
enough
to
buy
nice
clothes
so
even
though
people
knew
I
was
an
actor,
in
effect
I
was
quite
poor!

My
mother
passed
away
in
2023.
She
didn’t
see
the
recognition
I
am
getting
now
and
would
have
been
very
happy.

When
did
things
improve?

I
thought
the
field
of
acting
is
like
this
only,
but
the
day
I
stopped
thinking
about
money,
I
started
getting
money.

At
present,
I
have
a
stable
middle
class
life.
I
used
to
stay
with
6-7
batchmates
when
I
came
to
Bombay,
I
now
live
in
my
own
house
with
a
batchmate.

Industry
people
also
recognise
me
and
don’t
have
to
go
out
looking
for
work.

But
the
industry
tends
to
typecast
you
and
offers
you
the
same
kind
of
role.
At
times
you
have
to
look
at
your
bank
account
and
are
forced
to
do
those
roles
even
if
you
don’t
want
to.

Before

Paatal
Lok
2
I
only
got
comic
roles.
To
save
your
image
you
have
to
keep
fighting
with
the
norms
set
down
by
industry.
Otherwise
you
will
get
typecast
in
the
same
roles
like
Asrani
and
Jagdeep
sir
who
were
such
great
actors.

What
are
some
of
the
projects
you
are
working
on?

I
did

Dabba
Cartel
and

Agra
Affair.

Hajamat,
a
series
on
Jio,
will
be
released
soon.

Nishanchi,
a
film
by
Anurag
Kashyap,
and
one
with
Vikas
Behl
featuring
Wamiqa
Gabi
and
Siddhant
Chaturvedi.

I
get
calls
for
audition
and
still
give
auditions.
Directors
who
have
seen
my
work
cast
me
directly.

What
was
it
like
working
with
Raghubir
Yadav
in

Panchayat?

Raghubir
sir
is
also
from
Jabalpur
and
we
talked
about
the
city.
He
is
not
just
an
actor.
He
is
a
package
of
art.
One
day
in
the
vanity
van,
he
made
a

basuri
[flute]
from
straws
and
even
played
it.

It
is
unbelievable
to
have
the
opportunity
to
work
with
actors
one
has
seen
on
screen
since
childhood.

Seeing
them
you
come
to
know
what
ease
of
acting
means.

They
put
so
many
inputs
that
are
not
in
the
script
and
elevate
the
scenes.

They
have
so
much
experience
which
they
incorporate
effortlessly.
They
enrich
and
fill
up
the
character
to
make
it
more
convincing.

Why
did
you
become
an
actor?

Shah
Rukh
Khan.
I
read
his
biography,
I
did
theatre
because
he
did,
and
then
got
to
know
about
trained
actors
like
Om
Puri,
Naseeruddin
Shah,
Irrfan
Khan,
Nawazuddin
Siddiqui,
Paresh
Rawal,
Nana
Patekar.
I
saw
all
their
films.

Irrfan
changed
the
acting
style
of
India
and
developed
a
new
theory.

Gangs
of
Wasseypur
brought
a
change
in
the
entire
film
industry.
Acting
styles
changed
after

Wasseypur.
It
brought
realism
which
was
good
for
actors
like
us.

Feature
Presentation:
Aslam
Hunani/Rediff.com