When this lean and lanky, smart and handsome boy was brought by pr person Mohan Ayyar for his first ever interview to Hotel Trident known then as Hotel Oberoi Sheraton at Nariman Point to JYOTHI VENKATESH who was working in the Accounts department, the latter did not even dream then that the shy boy would become an actor, anchor, producer, director,lyricist, singer and actor too. Today 33 years later, in his chic apartment at Lokhandwala , Shekhar Suman talks about his chequered journey in films.
Tell me about your film Patharbaaz!
Patharbaaz is an issue based film which I will produce and direct but will not act in, because the subject this time is very intense. It is the most ambitious project that I have ever been associated with in my career. It is a hugely sensitive and emotional film about the stonepelters and their lives in Kashmir. I was appalled to see young boys dying. I want to unfold the film from the point of view of a stonepelter for the first time in the history of Hindi films.
Is the preparations on?
Yes, I will talk to militants in Kashmir. The inherent message that I will set out to drive home through my film is that violence is a chain reaction and serves no purpose. Kashmir will not be able to survive as an independent state because Kashmir is India and India is Kashmir. The military is actually fighting for the people there. The government of Jammu & Kashmir should help me out in my venture because I am doing this as a service to humanity.
Are you planning to cast big names to sell the film?
Look here. For me the story and the emotions are important and I am not looking at any big star name to sell my film. I have not thought of any actor including my own son Adhyayan for my film which I plan to make in Hindi as well as English to reach a wider International audience.
Did you expect the audiences to welcome you warmly when you staged your comeback after a long time with Bhoomi?
It is always good to be appreciated for an actor. There was no lead actor in Bhoomi since it had an ensemble cast and Sanjay Dutt played the father of Aditi Rao Hydari. Today is the era of the ensemble cast and every actor is given equal opportunity as well as due credit.
What is your criterion when it comes to selecting your role?
I played a tourist guide in Bhoomi. I am interested in playing characters which are substantial and the character is also appreciated. A lot of my role was edited out of Bhoomi for no other person’s fault but because the length was becoming unwieldy. I am glad that still people appreciated the camaraderie that was marked between me and Sanjay Dutt.
Did you make your debut as an actor with Pighalta Aasmaan?
No.Pighalta Aasmaan was my assignment as an intern when I was studying with Shriram Cultural Centre in Delhi. I was chosen by the Head of The Repertory to do a cameo in the film as a newspaper boy. I actually made my debut with Utsav.
How did you bag Utsav?
Utsav was providential as far as I was concerned. I came down to Mumbai to meet Shammi Aunty who was the producer of Pighalta Aasmaan. Incidentally the shooting of Pighalta Aasmaan was still on when I landed on the sets in Mumbai. I almost fainted when Shashi Kapoor told me that he wanted to cast me in the lead opposite Rekha in Utsav and asked me to go and meet Girish Karnad and give the screen test for the role of Charudutt in Utsav. Though there were 100 people who had come to do the screen-test, I was okayed by Jennifer, Rekha and Girish Karnad and the rest is history.
How was the experience of acting with Rekha?
Rekha was every man’s fantasy. Imagine I had to contain my excitement when the prima Donna was in my arms and also act. She was a thorough professional who made me comfortable to the core and did not throw any tantrum when she was asked to play the lead opposite a newcomer like me.
Your last release was Heartless, with you making your debut as a director!
Yes. Heartless was my last release two and a half years ago. I do not want to act in a film just for the heck of being seen in a film. The role has got to be right and also important. I have been substantially turning down a lot of offers because the roles offered to me were not substantial. I said yes to Bhoomi because Umang is a celebrated director and Sanjay Dutt was coming back with the film after a long time. I had played his younger brother in Manmohan Desai’s assistant Dilip Kalyani’s film Insaaf Apne Lahu Se with Shatrughan Sinha, Farha and Sonam. The role in Bhoomi bagged me and not the other way around. Sandeep Singh called me and offered me the role. Initially I was not happy with the role and felt that it could have been etched a little bit more but went by gut feeling
Do you feel that you have changed over the years as an actor?
You do not change as an actor. You only evolve. An actor has to be very aware to incorporate and imbibe the changes in his craft. It is a continuous process of evolution for an actor in terms of approach to different eras, as mindsets and the, grammar have changed a lot. The old school of acting has changed from the era of Sohrab Modi and K.L. Saigal to Dilip Kumar. Today acting is very realistic and you should be able to identify with the character you play on the screen. I think that as an actor, you have to search from within. I feel that acting is notching but reflecting. It cannot be someone else’s. You may learn or get influenced but at the same time have your own individual style and merge that style with the character that you set out to play.
Can you elucidate please?
The approach of all the actors earlier used to be very stylized. Even Bachchansaab had his own mannerism but today’s actors will not repeat themselves. With due respect to those actors, I’d state that whether it was Akbar, Babar or Humayun, the actors used to have only one acting style in the past. Devsaab and Dilip Kumar were the same in all their films unlike say Nawazuddin Siddiqui or for that matter Irrfan Khan today who push through their roles with their style by merging with their characters.
How would you describe your style as an actor?
I realized that I had a style which was no style at all which was good for me as an actor because I was not stereotyped and people could not imitate me as I had no style at all. I can say proudly that not having a style has helped me as an actor.
Did you grab opportunities to click as an actor?
Opportunities do not come your way. You have got to create opportunities. I am a learner and I have connected to my central craft which is acting. I have produced, directed, anchored game shows, written lyrics and poems. It was the stage which has taught me a lot because on stage you have got to do many things because there is no budget.You have to play five different characters and even sing songs.I wanted to push the boundaries to break the monotony and explore different dimensions within myself.
You have acted in only 40 films!
TV took my space in between. I have absolutely no regrets because Anupam Kher told me once that Robert Di Nero asked him whether he was in an asylum when he told him that he had acted in over 500 films whereas Robert De Nero had acted in just 35 films in 50 years. I feel that my one Utsav itself is equal to 100 Hindi films in terms of quality. You should do just a milestone film in your life and relax. Like Ramesh Sippy made Sholay and Coppola made Godfather. It is not quantity but quality that is important.The doors are opening now slowly and steadily. I’d love to be a part of Hollywood as they do not cast stereotypes of typical Indian characters after Priyanka Chopra made it big there.
What do you regret most in life ?
My biggest regret in life is that I could not do Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas when he offered to cast me as Chunilal but I was stuck up with Movers & Shakers.
Do you think you have been given your right dues?
No one is given his due by the industry. I think I have been given 1 to 5% dues and I have 95% of my dues which are at my disposal and not been exploited. It isn’t age related but I am happy that I am at a stage where I can give my best as an actor, I am happy with what I am getting now as an actor.
