SlowCheeta Poised for a big leap

Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta, who last month dropped a fresh EP, Scene Main Bawaal after having wowed all with his acting chops in Maidaan, talks about acting, music, football, and his other loves

- Niraj Kakade

SlowCheeta is running fast and making big leaps ahead! His new EP, Scene Main Bawaal, is climbing the charts. And the actor in him that was unleashed in a brief battle rap scene in Gully Boy is also under spotlight owing to his powerful performance as the legendary footballer PK Banerjee in Maidaan.

"I am hungry, I need to eat, I am in predator mode, so I need to be slow," quips Chaitnya Sharma of Maidaan who is better known in the Mumbai hip-hop scene as SlowCheeta. The actor and rapper, who refuses to choose one distinction over the other, he opened up about his passions. Excerpts:

What was the biggest challenge you faced while playing PK Banerjee in Maidaan?

Literally and figuratively the most challenging part was to step into his shoes. Stepping into his shoes was a big responsibility. It was also literally the toughest thing stepping into his shoes because the shoes we wore for the shoot were just impossible to play with. They were leather boots that fit badly, the studs were placed inside with nails that would sometimes fall off. In the summers, the leather would get really hot, and also because of the sweat, it would get all wet. They were also extremely heavy.

What was your relationship with football prior to the movie?

My honeymoon [he is married to actor Shweta Tripathi] ended in Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United. Football has been my first official love since childhood; I'm a Manchester United supporter through and through. I love playing and watching football, something I've done all my life.

Did you have any idea about the events the movie is based on?