Nitin Ganatra Recalls Chocolate Mishap with Johnny Depp at Premiere

LONDON, England — Nitin Ganatra nearly faced the wrath of producers while filming Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory due to a playful mishap with co-star Johnny Depp. Speaking at the premiere of his latest film, Christmas Karma, on November 12, Ganatra recalled the incident that left him covered in chocolate.

Ganatra, known for playing Prince Pondicherry, explained that Depp, who starred as Willy Wonka, encouraged him to explore a part of the set. “Johnny Depp got me into trouble — he won’t even remember this. I was doing Prince Pondicherry and I was covered in chocolate, my shoes, everything covered in chocolate,” Ganatra shared.

He described the moment Depp asked if he had seen the ‘vanishing corridor’ on set. Ganatra took the cue and found himself in a narrow corridor that only seemed to grow smaller around him. “I hit my head, turned around, and realized I’d left chocolate footprints on the carpet,” he recounted, laughing. “I ran out and went, ‘You almost got me fired, Johnny…’”

Despite the near mishap, Ganatra fondly remembers working with Depp. “It was nice to work with him,” he said. Though he didn’t reprise his role in the recent prequel, Wonka, Ganatra remained optimistic. “It’s a completely different cast and a different director,” he noted.

Ganatra also attended the premiere to promote Christmas Karma, a Bollywood-inspired musical set to release on November 14. In the film, he portrays a shopkeeper, a role he deemed significant as it reflects his own upbringing. “This is the first shopkeeper I’ve ever played, which is a bit of a breakthrough role for me,” he revealed.

Ganatra’s connection to the film’s themes is personal. “Gurinder [Chadha] grew up in a newsagent, and so did I, so I got to use my own story in there,” he said.

As for Christmas Karma, it reimagines the classic tale of A Christmas Carol, blending festive spirit with cultural identity. Ganatra’s experience on the film adds yet another chapter to his career, showing the diverse roles he embraces as an actor.