The good friend to Ranbir Kapoor in Wake Up Sid and one part of a team that loots a bank in Ghanchakkar, Namit Das is charting his acting territory with interesting milestones. He is in Bangalore with Mumbai troupe Arpana to stage their play Stories in a Song. Excerpts from the interview.
Handling theatre and films: Both are equally tough. In theatre the audience is right in front of you to judge your acting, unlike in films where you have retakes. But emoting in front of the camera is not an easy job either. Theatre trains you to be more easy and relaxed in front of the camera. Doing films with Ranbir Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi (Ghanchakkar) was also a challenge in itself as they are well-known actors in this industry.
Stories in a Song, 65 and going strong: It’s a beautiful play which has music as its major attraction. On this tour, we will be performing thrice in Bangalore and once in Chennai. After that, Delhi might be our next stop.
One of the joys of Stories in a Song is singing songs. To be able to stand on stage and belt out a number is exhilarating.
As an actor, I am excited about performing in the south as people here appreciate art and music.
Trained singer: I haven’t had the opportunity to sing as much as I would want to. I’m a trained singer and with dad being a noted ghazal singer (Chandan Das), somewhere it’s in my genes. If and when an opportunity knocks, I’d love to exercise my vocal chords.
Drama kid: I was always into dramatics since childhood, I have been fortunate to work with some really big names in the film industry and in theatre. For me maintaining a blend of theatre and films is very important. Theatre is where it all began for me and I love it. The big-screen, on the other hand, is a completely different ball game, but I enjoy both processes equally.
Next on call: After Stories in a Song, I will start shooting for Rajat Kaoor’s Aankhon Dekhi and a film called Maya Vanilla and Strawberries. Both are lovely concepts and great roles.