Prateik Babbar: Viewers must break away from the notion that Four More Shots Please! is all about sex

The much-loved web series Four More Shots Please! has returned with its third season and it has already created a buzz among the audience. Starring Sayani Gupta, Bani J, Kirti Kulhari, and Maanvi Gagroo in lead roles, the show traces the journey of four unapologetically flawed women and their journey of dealing with love, friendships, mistakes and life overall.

The series also features Prateik Babbar in the key role of a bartender named Jeh Wadia. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actor for a candid chat. Excerpts:

How does it feel to be back with a new season of Four More Shots Please!?

It’s about time we released the new season. I can’t tell you how happy and relieved we all are! We shot through the entire pandemic, there were so many delays and it was so frustrating, but now that it’s finally out, I am extremely excited.

What new things does this season and your character present to the audience?

This season has lots and lots of drama — much more than the first two seasons. Along with the twists and turns, there is also a lot of maturity in the journeys of each character. My character Jeh too has evolved a lot this season, and I believe that on a personal level, I too have grown as a person and as an actor along with Jeh. I give a lot of credit for the person I am today to the character I play in the show.

What was the environment like on the sets?

All hell breaks loose when the four girls come together, and when you add me to that mix, it’s just 24x7 madness. Sayani, Kirti, Bani and Maanvi are incredibly close to me and our friendship goes beyond the sets now.

The show has quite a few intimate scenes. Are you comfortable doing them?

I am an actor and it’s a part of my job. That is what we signed up for when we became actors. But yes, intimate scenes do make me nervous. It can get very awkward to perform with 100 people staring at you, but then, as a professional, I have learnt to block away all the stares and noise and be present in the moment. I just focus on delivering my best performance and I think that has worked for me so far.

Four More Shots Please! has a very feministic tone to it. So do you call yourself a feminist?

Probably, very few men in the world would say that, but I am a hardcore feminist. All my life, I have been brought up by and surrounded by extremely independent, strong and self-made bold women. My mother Smita Patil was the pioneer of the feminist movement in India. In my heart, I have always felt that women are the superior race and that they actually rule the world. They might not be physically stronger than men, but mentally and emotionally they are way ahead of men.

Four More Shots Please! has been mired with controversies with a section of the internet claiming that it's just about sex... What do you want to tell them?

Four More Shots Please! is definitely not all about sex. A major aspect of the show is relationships and sex is a very integral part of a relationship. People do have sex in real life, so it’s not something we are making up. It is not there to just sensationalise the moment, rather it has always contributed to the storyline. So people really need to break away from this notion that Four More Shots Please! is all about sex. It is about love, friendships and relationships, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Published on: Sunday, October 23, 2022, 08:00 AM IST