BENGALURU: If you ever have the chance to listen to actor Kumud Mishra speak, it might inspire you to slow down on the hustle. The actor has a long-standing connection with Karnataka that not many are aware of. He studied at the Belgaum Military School and used to visit Bengaluru for the NCC parade. “The foundation of my theatre comes from here,” he shares.
The 49-year-old actor – whose film IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, a crime-thriller mini-series directed by Anubhav Sinha, was released on 29th August – was recently in the city for his play at Ranga Shankara.
In the series, which features a stellar cast, Mishra portrays the role of Ranjan Mishra, Joint Secretary of RAW. The actor remembers being in awe of his co-stars. “Being in the same room as Pankaj, Naseer bhai [Naseeruddin Shah], Aditya Srivastava, Kanwaljit Singh, Manoj Pahwa, and Sushant Singh was a whole new experience. It was a great learning experience,” he says.
A veteran of over three decades, Mishra has witnessed the evolution of the film industry first hand. While he continues to adapt, he is still adjusting to the concept of film promotions. “I am not comfortable with the promotion business. My job ends after the shooting of a film.
I feel embarrassed about promoting my work because, in the end, people watch films based on their quality. They won’t come just because of the promotion,” says Mishra. He adds, “There was a time when films succeeded because of the promotional factor. I feel that was a better time. There was something for the audience to discover.”
Mishra’s reputation as an actor is evident when a director like Imtiaz Ali openly appreciates and admires him. Mishra modestly accepts the compliment but does not dwell on it. “A good actor is not always able to deliver in every role.
Sometimes you fail; sometimes you cannot capture the right character pitch,” he says. He continues, “Many of us, after graduating from drama school, believe we have become actors, but I think it is only after 10-15 years of working in the field that you start to understand the process. It is an ever-evolving journey.”
It is common for many actors to return to the theatre to hone their acting skills. “As a stage actor, it helps me challenge myself. The theatre is the best place to fail and try again. In cinema, failure is difficult because so much is at stake,” he says before heading back to the green room to prepare for his show.