Jul 10, 2026 10:00am IST
Chhaya Kadam On Spooky Turn In ‘Bhootam Bhayam’: ‘I Couldn’t Recognize Myself’ (EXCLUSIVE)
National Award-winning actor Chhaya Kadam is stepping into what is perhaps one of her most striking transformations yet in Zee Studios’ upcoming horror-comedy “Bhootam Bhayam.” Variety India presents an exclusive first look of Kadam’s character. Her first look from the film, written and directed by Ramchandra Arun Gaonkar, reveals a weathered, haunting figure with an arresting gaze and an eerie presence that blends folklore-inspired horror with the film’s comic sensibilities.
Written and directed by Ramchandra Arun Gaonkar, “Bhootam Bhayam” follows a story of friendship, supernatural mystery and the dangerous lure of instant wealth, where greed collides with forces far beyond human control.
A Character From Another World
While the makers are keeping the plot under wraps, Kadam says it was the uniqueness of her character that immediately drew her to the project. “This is a story of a friendship between young children, so I had no doubt that it would be energetic. As an actor, I insist on doing something different with every role. That is something I pay attention to. Ramchandra described a character from a different world. Her look, speech and laughter - everything was unique. He said that her language would be a lot of gibberish. So I knew that I would have to learn a lot of things and work on a lot of things, which I always like.”
Although the director had given her a broad idea of the character’s appearance, Kadam says she wasn’t prepared for the final transformation. “He had given me an inkling about what the character would look like, and why I needed him. But to be honest, even then I didn’t know how I would look when I was fully ready. But when I saw myself in the look test, I couldn’t recognize myself. So, I felt very good.”
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Building the Character From Within
For the ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ however, the physical transformation was only one part of the process. “It’s not just the look. While working on the character, I tried to find its unique voice. Usually, when you play a new character, you only think about its looks, makeup, or what could be done with the prosthetics. But I have tried to find the inner voice of this character.”
Gaonkar’s preparation gave her the confidence to take on the challenge. “One could see how prepared Ramchandra was with the way he spoke about the film and each character. He had studied everything closely. So, I immediately said yes to this film. I’m not a big actress, but I like to do things differently. And I was going to get to do all those things. So, it felt very good working on this film. People often tell me, ‘You should be in every director’s first film, you are lucky for them.’ But in my opinion, every director’s first film is lucky for me.”
Three-and-a-Half Hours to Become a Witch
While it is an exciting role, getting into the character was a daunting task. Kadam shares, “It took three-and-a-half hours to get ready to play this character. The prosthetic makeup, my 10-foot-long hair, and the whole look were a test for everyone. It took three-and-a-half hours to get into the look, and the same amount of time to remove the makeup. While doing it, you have a different energy, right? But after the pack-up, it was a little tough to remove the makeup. But then, there’s so much happiness in this work that other things don’t matter at all. One realizes that one has been struggling to reach here, so all the effort is worth it.”
The Joy of Reinvention
Kadam believes the role gave her an opportunity she rarely gets as an actor. “I have been working for so many years, so I always think I want to do something different. But things may not always be to your liking. So whatever work comes my way, I find something different in it. But this film was completely different. Till now, I had not done such work. When I would get ready, I couldn’t recognize myself.” She adds, “Even when I was watching myself on the screen during the dubbing, I used to think, ‘Is this really me?’ Then, I tried not to be recognized by my voice either. When a character gives you an opportunity to do something like this, all your hard work pays off.”
The Biggest Challenge Was the Gibberish
Interestingly, Kadam says her biggest concern wasn’t the elaborate prosthetics or performance, but the unusual dialogue. “More than the body language or performance, I was worried about getting the language right. I was very tense about the gibberish I had to speak. I used to go completely blank at times, but the team was very good and helped me through it.”
Presented by Zee Studios and produced by Kyra Kumar Creations, “Bhootam Bhayam” is set to release in theatres on July 24.
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