Age is just a number and this holds true for 14-year-old child artist Yagya Bhasin who has been featured in many television shows, including Krishna Chali London and Yeh Hai Chahatein and movies like Panga and many more. Bhasin is all set to be seen in the film version of Chhota Bheem.
The much-loved animated show steps out of the animated world and onto the big screen with him in the lead in Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan. Bhasin talks to TMS about the challenges of doing live-action for his role in the movie. The film stars actors Anupam Kher and Makarand Deshpande in significant roles, directed by Rajiv Chilaka and is set to be released early 2024.
You have been in quite a few serials and movies at this young age. Tell us why you decided to become an actor.
I used to love watching movies and wanted to be on TV like other actors. Moreover, I enjoyed acting and told my father that I wanted to build a career in acting. At first, he thought that I was joking because at that time I was a kid. But when I insisted, he understood that I was passionate about it and we all changed cities.
You lived in Uttarakhand with your family but later the entire family shifted to Mumbai. What struggles did you face at the start of your journey to become an actor and how did your parents support you through it?
Their support meant everything to me. They both left their jobs and shifted to Mumbai. In earlier days, I had to face a lot of problems as my dad and I had to go to auditions all across the city. We had to do rounds of auditions for at least two or three months before I got my first project. In the initial stage, due to the financial crunch, my father taught me the basics of acting. Whatever I have achieved today, I owe it to my parents.
How do you balance your study and career at the same time?
My school and teachers have been very supportive. Whenever I go for my shoot, they give me notes and the study material online. As soon as I get free from work, I sit and go through the notes.
Your upcoming film, ‘Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan,’ is a live-action film. Tell us about your experience and the challenges you faced playing the lead in the film.
It’s a proud moment for me to play my childhood hero. I never thought that I myself would become Chhota Bheem one day. It was my first time doing live-action scenes in a film, and it was exhilarating to challenge myself. As you can see in the teaser, there are some great action scenes, and I had a blast though some scenes were quite difficult to pull off. During the wrestling scene, for instance, there was a danger of sand getting into my eyes and it did! I also experienced back pain from the harness shots. But overall, it was a great experience because the production team was supportive and took care of everything.
Describe your working experience with renowned actors like Anupam Kher and Makarand Deshpande. How did they help you during shoots? Who is your role model?
Working with actors like Anupam Sir and Makarand Sir was a phenomenal experience. I learned a lot from them and they also gave me suggestions on how to approach scenes and perfect my performance.
There was pressure because of the kind of standard the animated show has set for the character of Bheem but I learnt a lot from the experience.