Madhuri Dixit won a million hearts with her remarkable performance in Netflix’s The Fame Game. The series sees Madhuri spinning her magic on OTT for the first time as she essays the role of a Bollywood star, Anamika Anand, who goes missing, while every person in her life has a secret of their own, making them a suspect. The Fame Game chronicles the life and times of Madhuri’s Anamika as she efficiently juggles the roles of a loving mom, a caring daughter, and a responsible wife. There are lots of twists and turns in the story that make the thriller drama binge-worthy. The series also features Sanjay Kapoor, Manav Kaul, and Muskkan Jaferi among others.
We also see Makarand Deshpande in a pivotal role in the web show. While the eight-episode series ends on an interesting cliffhanger, which keeps the viewers on their toes for part two – there hasn’t been any confirmation on it so far. In a conversation with News18.com, Makarand Deshpande dropped hints on the second part of the show, his experience of sharing the screen space with Madhuri Dixit, and an edited scene between the two actors.
Makarand said that it was wonderful working with the Aaja Nachle actress, it felt like a “dream”. He regrets the editing of what he termed as a “wonderful sequence,” between him and Madhuri. The Makdee actor told News18.com, “Here is a little sad story, that there was a wonderful scene between me and her (Madhuri). It got edited and that edit was because they don’t want to show what relation we have. Maybe because season two is there.”
The 56-year-old actor also talked about his character (Harilial) and what motivated him, for saying yes to the role. He said, “The point is getting to play the character of a hoarding painter – when hoardings are not painted anymore, they are all digitalized -you are following a certain history and a legacy. Maestro M.F. Husain was also a film hoarding painter. When you are getting the chance to play such a character, you are following a certain history. At the same time, there were superstitions about who will be painting the actor’s faces. So, I felt it was a wonderful character.”
The series shows Harilal buying his ailing wife’s medicines from his mere earnings. As the series continues, the poor hoarding painter loses his job. It is later revealed that Madhuri aka Anamika offered to help him, only after he agreed to play along with keeping her hostage plan.
Talking about his character and the intriguing part about his role, Makarand said, “It is a very interesting character, who has no earnings after he loses his job and has got an ailing wife. What will he do? So, then he will do something for the star – who’s also fading away. So it’s an interesting track, which I felt. I’m looking forward to the second season.”
Makarand shared that he felt wonderful after sharing the screen space with the Devdas actress and she is “very good” in the show. He said, “First of all, I want to just congratulate her on the series’ success and Madhuri’s professionalism is undoubtedly unbelievable. She’s wonderful to talk to. On the set, we had a wonderful interaction.”
Sharing about a fight scene between the two, Makarand said that it was one of the coldest nights in Nashik when the scene was shot. In awe of Madhuri, Makarand said that he is looking forward to the second season of The Fame Game.
Asked about his character arc and how Harlilal switches sides at the end of the series, Makarand said, “He [Harilal] has no job and she is fading away, and they both have come together, I think it is wonderful and it has been extremely well directed by Bejoy Nambiar and Karishma Kohli.”
On being asked about when should the viewers expect the second season of The Fame Game, Makarand Deshpande said, “I was told by the showrunners, that the next season will come, but I’m not sure when. The response to the first season is so good. I think it will be made.”
Speaking about his upcoming films he said, “I’m waiting for a film with Dev Patel, and it is a Netflix project that Dev is directing for the first time. And I am playing an important character. I also have three of my Marathi films that should be released soon.” Makarand is also doing a cameo in Ananya Panday and Vijay Deverakonda starrer Liger.
