Omi Vaidya, famously known for his portrayal of Chatur Ramalingam in the iconic film 3 Idiots, recently recounted some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his time on set. He particularly highlighted his experiences with Aamir Khan, describing their time together on the IIM Bangalore campus and their competitive Scrabble games.
Life on the IIM Bangalore Campus
During an interaction on the YouTube channel Enigmatic Horizon, Omi Vaidya revealed that the cast of 3 Idiots stayed at the IIM Bangalore campus during filming. He said, “I was a no-name actor on this film. So, I didn’t think I would hang out with these people and that I would be kept separate. The good hotels were one hour away from IIM Bangalore, so Aamir suggested that we stay in the faculty residences of the college that were empty.” This arrangement led to a unique dorm-like experience where the cast had their own rooms and bathrooms. Aamir Khan’s assistant would often invite the cast to hang out with Aamir after the day’s shoot, leading to interesting conversations about philosophy and engaging in board games.
Aamir Khan’s Competitive Nature
Omi Vaidya shared a memorable story about playing Scrabble with Aamir Khan during the film’s shoot in Ladakh. He recalled, “Once, when we were in a village in Ladakh, we were playing a board game as there was nothing to do. We would get one hour of electricity in a day. We would eat Maggi because there was nothing else to eat.” During one of these games, Vaidya, who has a strong English vocabulary, played a word that baffled everyone. “As soon as I went to first place, you could see on Aamir’s face, he became extremely competitive and did not want to lose. By the end, he won by one point,” Vaidya recounted. Aamir Khan’s competitive spirit extended beyond Scrabble; he would also play chess with brilliant IIM students and often win.
Maintaining Character Dynamics
Despite spending a lot of time with his co-stars, Vaidya would often isolate himself before scenes where his character, Chatur, needed to be particularly rude. “I didn’t get friendly with all the other characters because they were my enemies in the film. I stayed separate, especially if I had a scene with them where I had to be really mean and angry with them,” he explained. This approach helped him maintain the antagonistic dynamic required for his role.
3 Idiots, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and co-written by Abhijat Joshi, starred Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi in the titular roles, with Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, and Omi Vaidya in pivotal roles. The film remains a beloved classic in Bollywood, and Vaidya’s anecdotes offer a fascinating glimpse into the camaraderie and competition behind its creation.