His eyes light up at the mention of his acting experience with Madhuri Dixit…he is even ready to play the role of a horse in Sholay. During his visit here, City Express caught up with the actor who will be playing an Odia prince in Nila Madhab Panda’s next film. Read on…
Uncha Gaon,
Neecha Gaon
I am playing the role of a prince of Balangir in the film. To know more about the customs and traditions of Odia culture, I met people from royal family in Bhubaneswar which will help me in playing the role. I think Madhab felt that the character needed some sort of honesty and he saw it in me. Many people from Odisha are on the board and hence it will not be very difficult for me to get into the skin of the character.
What the film depicts
If a script wants to say something new, then it should be welcomed. I like scripts that have something new to say and they can present it in an interesting anner. Audience wants to be entertained and not lectured. I think it’s high time that a film should be made on Odisha. Nila Madhab Panda is very passionate director and he understands the problems and issues that grapple Odisha as he grew up in this region. Uncha Gaon neecha Gaon is the story of two villages and it will highlight the issue of water scarcity. The film will reflect the music and costumes of the State. In fact, there will be a song portraying traditional Odia dance. As far as shooting is concerned, some parts of the film will be shot in Odisha while some in Rajasthan, Haryana and Mumbai.
I love script writing
You are not going to see me direct a film anytime soon and that will definitely take some time. Writing is something I really enjoy. I am currently working on a couple of scripts, and I am hoping that they turn out well. Writing was something I have been doing since I was 10. As a child I was shy but writing and narrating stories came naturally to me.
Pursuing the passion
One day, I would want to invest in the stock market, other day I would want to become an exporter. My parents always insisted me to follow my true calling, which was acting, that I discovered later. You must not be afraid of failure. You might end up making a complete fool of yourself, but you must keep trying.
I started off in showbiz assisting Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra on ‘Aks’. The acting bug was always there. I was testing waters. I have done theatre with Naseeruddin Shah. I enjoy doing theatre but films have a different high. I have also worked with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. The common thing in all of them is that they all have a childlike quality on the sets. They always try to do better than before.
Passion for Speed
Whenever I get the time, I pursue different interests. I drive rally cars as a hobby. I am very passionate about cars. My trainer felt if I took it seriously, I could be a national champion. It is just the beginning; I don’t know how far I will go. I am doing it for fun.
A philanthropist
As a celebrity it’s really very important that you champion these causes because if you can use your image to sell shows, cars or cold drinks, there’s no reason you can’t use your position to make people aware of a good cause. I had the chance to witness the work being done by ‘Save the Children’. It is amazing how small steps can bring about big changes in our society. People always say ‘ek haath se aise do taki dusre haath ko pata bhi na chale,’ but I think we should tell people about our and others good work, it will encourage others to do the same.