He has been there, done that. Yet, for the multifaceted Danish Sait, who wears many hats as a radio host, emcee and TV presenter, his Sandalwood debut as an actor is an all-new experience.
Danish is quite amused by the attention and adulation coming his way as the hero of Humble Politician Nograj. This is not the first time he is facing the camera, though. He has already done many television shows.
In his first ever interview to City Express, Danish talks about how he gets assistance even with something as simple as putting on a pair of trousers.
The film is now on its second schedule and the artist says the experience on the sets of his first Kannada flick is very odd. “I have learnt that in India we worship the actor when the fact is there are seventy other people who make this actor look good,” says Danish. “He brings to life what is on paper, but honestly the actor is a minuscule part of the film. Be it the light man or the camera guy, the person who is recording sound outside or food caterer, there are people working in 25 other departments... we don’t appreciate them are they are simply mentioned as a passing comment. Everybody earns their place after much hard work but a handfull are privileged.”
Danish cites his first hand experiences on the sets of Humble Politician Nograj. “We have a dress man, who has been working in the industry for the last 35 years, who I happened to meet on the first day of shoot. I had to get into a different trouser for the next shot and this man came running to me to help me take my trouser off. I looked at him and asked, ‘Uncle, why would you want to do it,’ and he answered, ‘That’s what we are expected to do’. Then there was another person waiting with the shoes I had to wear. I don’t know the culture of the movie industry nor do I know who the actors are who take help to wear their shoes but how can you be so lazy! Acting in front of the camera is like second home to me, I have experienced a level of popularity and am a better person for it... Having said that, I am used to doing my own s@!#,” he says.
Danish has written the script along with Saad Khan, the director of Humble Politician Nograj. “The process is fun and brilliant,” he says. “I know Saad and KC (DOP Karam Chawla) are able to handle it and translation is turning out quite well. (But) probably, by the end of the film, I am going to turn into a monk because there is so much of waiting and all you need is patience,”
“Though I know a few people like Saad, Sumukhi Suresh and KC from before, as friends, Vijay Chendoor who plays Manjunath’s character in the film, is one fantastic person,” he says.
The actor also learnt that idli-vada is the set breakfast on movie sets and was amused to hear “ready ready” being called out a “million times”.
Danish says, “I don’t know if I want to do another film and I am in no hurry. But, I am happy to meet people like Pushkar Mallikarjunaiah, Hemanth M Rao and Rakshit Shetty, who are all good at what they do... I would like to see how it will look like (in the end). Once it is ready and out there, then I will figure out what to do with life.”