How did you get into acting?
I used to do plays in my school in Chhapra tehsil in Saran district, Bihar. I prepared for engineering (IIT) but ended by doing BSc but decided to drop MSc since I didn’t want to end up being a Professor. That is when I decided to pursue acting. Back then, in the 80s, it was not an ideal career choice to get into theatre or cinema in Bihar even though I had permission from my parents. I started my training and got into theatre.
In your films you have played varied roles, a character that you loved doing?
I have not had a favourite character. I have never paid attention to these things. As an actor, it is my job to give a good performance. And till I get roles, I will continue to do my job the best way possible. There can’t be a role that I can choose as a favourite. One can’t love only one leaf on a tree, similarly, one can’t choose one role.
You began your career with TV and went on to do films. What were the challenges faced?
Actually, it started from doing theatre. I have been associated with it for the last 36 years. I still do theatre. There are no challenges involved when one is an actor. He has to give his best performance wherever he is and whatever be the genre and medium. Acting is the same; you train yourself accordingly, be it theatre or cinema.
Would you agree that TV will soon be replaced with OTT platforms?
It is very difficult to predict what will happen in the future. When TV came in, people used to say that TV is here to stay forever. There was a time when people would not come to watch 9 pm play because they preferred to stay at home and watch TV. But things have changed. People are tired of TV and looking for newer ways to entertain themselves. Whether OTT will replace TV will depend on the kind of content that will be available on it. But one thing that will not go away is cinema.
What made you say yes to playing Ravan in Ramayan back in 2008?
Ravan is not a negative character, he is not the villain. He is a symbol of what one should do and what not to do for generations to come. He symbolises many things — greed, pride, untruth and demolition. On the other hand, is a learned scholar and is intelligent. This is what Ramayan has shown — that their will Ravans in every yug.
How tough was it to play the role?
When the original Ramayan was aired, it was a landmark show. It is impossible to better it. I told the makers that it is difficult to play this character. But they insisted and expressed their desire that I take it up. I spent almost four hours in discussion with Anand Sagarji. We talked about the various facets of Ravan. Finally, I agreed on one condition, that I play the role the way I deemed fit and nobody was to interfere in that. I didn’t want him to be either realistic nor make him a mythical character but wanted him to be placed somewhere in between. I tried to humanise him. Why should he not cry? There is no human being who is devoid of emotions.
Did you have to prepare for the role?
Before I finally got to the sets, I studied a lot about Ravan, the stories associated with him, books written on him. There are so many things that I read that many would not even know. By the time it was time for me to play the role, I had a fair idea of what he was like — his negatives and positives, why and how he became what we see him as. This made it possible for me to give my interpretation to the role. Also, each day, I would be prepared to play the role differently.AKHILENDRA MISHRA
He shot to fame for his role as Kroor Singh in the 1990s DD series Chandrakanta. He went on to do films like Ready and Delhi 6. The actor will now be seen in the re-televised 2008 Ramayan on Dangal TV.
Shalini Saksena chats him up
