Amole Gupte on working with Riteish Deshmukh’s sons in Raja Shivaji: 'They are so cultured, rooted' | Exclusive

WOrking with children has e'er been sport for worker and filmmaker Amole Gupte, lovingly known as Froggie Uncle off-camera. But on the go under of Raja Shivaji, he developed a special bond unlike any other with Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh’s sons Riaan (11) and Rahyl (9), who made their debut with their father’s Marathi period drama this month. “With Rahyl and Riaan, our special bond was a cute shock for me after so many years. A special bond over jilbi (Marathi for jalebi) and samosa,” shares Amole. Describing the star kids, the filmmaker tells us, “They are so cultured, the two boys. They know the entire Ganpati Aarti, the shlokas and various God's mantras. So, there is a certain amount of rootedness in Genelia and Riteish’s boys, which is amazing. They are too good.” Amole, who plays the role of Mohammed Adil Shah in the film, reveals that their interaction was no less than a picnic. He explains, “We were not working. We were just having a picnic in my office. This is not some official mentorship. It is just, come and spend chhutti ka divas, which is Saturday or Sunday, depending on the children's calendar. Come, sit, eat jilbis and samosas, have fun. In the meantime, run through some lines of the film script. So, it's not like some Mukesh Chhabra workshop. It's in my own way and style, because I am very informal in life. Children teach me the informality of life. Adults make everything too formal for my liking.” Sharing an anecdote, Amole tells us, “These two boys call it ‘jilbi’ and not ‘jalebi’. In Marathi we call it jilbi. In Hindi ‘Jalebi khate hain’, in Marathi ‘Jilbi khato ammi’. Normally you say Jalebi. You ask these two boys what is this? They say jilbi. They enter the office space, and the first thing they say: ‘Where is the jilbi?’ So of course I never disappointed them. They got seriously addicted to the jilbis and samosas.”When asked how the role of Adil Shah came his way, Amole says, “This project didn't come to me. Riteish came to me with the children on a particular Saturday morning. I thought it was just that. He called me up and said I want both Rahyl and Riaan to spend time with you and see if they open up to you.” And when they met, Amole recalls, “Riteish says I have one thing to ask, I would love that you play Adil Shah in the film. It was a surprise.”In the film, which has been co-written and directed by him, Riteish has portrayed the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His sons Riaan and Rahyl, on the other hand, played Shivaji at his different ages.