We have seen veteran actor Govind Namdev play police commissioner in Wanted, god man in OMG – Oh My God! and a villain in Bandit Queen, Sarfarosh, Satya to name a few. The 66-year-old will soon be seen in movies like The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, State of Siege: Akshardham and the web series like Inspector Avinash, The Paradox and Jaatt Land. “This year is going to be remarkable for me, I hope it also leaves a mark on the audiences,” he says.
Excerpts from an interview:
Tell us about your role in the web series, Inspector Avinash, and The Battle of Bhima Koregaon.
Inspector Avinash is based on the life of an inspector who tackled criminal activities in Uttar Pradesh heroically. I play Randeep Hooda’s father who is very dramatic and dynamic. He doesn’t like police due to some reason and since his son is a cop, he doesn’t have a good rapport with him. But when his son gets trapped in some cases, the father fights for him as an advocate. It was amazing working with Randeep. He is an actor of great ethics and respects others. The Battle of Bhima Koregaon is a historical film and I play Nana Fadnavis, a diplomatic ally of the king who guides and helps him.
How did NSD happen? Share your experiences of that time.
I always wanted to be famous. During my school days in Delhi, I was very active on stage and also wrote poems and sung songs. The appreciation I got from my teachers motivated me to opt for an acting career, and I joined the NSD. After completing the course, I joined their professional wing to polish my skills before moving towards entertainment industry.
Initial days were tough since I had problem in speaking English and even my Hindi had Bhopali accent. I had difficulty expressing myself and conversing with classmates as they came from English schools. Even teachers used to communicate in English. Sometimes, I felt cornered. But I worked hard on my language skills and over time became great friends with Anupam Kher, Satish Kaushik and Karan Razdan which I cherish till today. Karan was the smartest of the lot. He was focussed on getting into films from day one.
How has the industry changed in the last three decades you have been here?
There has been a sea change, a positive one at that. Earlier, we only had Doordarshan, and most films worked on one formula – a hero, a heroine and a villain; some emotional scenes, fights and songs. With 10 actors auditioning for a single role, there was a lot of struggle. Today, we have digital media, which has made filmmaking more creative and dynamic. These days, actors have a lot of options to choose from like short films, independent films, multi-starrers, web series, television etc. Also, the focus is on producing realistic content.
How did the 11 years of theatre help you professionally?
Educating from NSD, and later being a part of the professional group of NSD where our work was to direct and write plays and perform shows in India and overseas was a great learning experience. I came in contact with eminent theatre directors from all over the world which helped me enhance my acting skills. Only when I felt mature enough in my acting did I decide to move to Mumbai. Theatre is like my godfather.
What made you choose negative roles in films during your initial days?
It was a conscious choice. Since I had received a lot of appreciation in theatre, I didn’t want to play inconsequential roles or normal characters. I couldn’t be a hero, so, I focussed on negative roles, that way people would notice me. I always tried to make my character stand out. Now the scenario has changed completely, and I have versatile roles coming my way.
Rapid fire