Although you have been a part of several commercials, web shows and short films, you gained fame from your role in ‘The Family Man 2’. What is the best compliment you received for your performance and from whom?
For me, ‘The Family Man 2’ was not just a show which I was a part of, it was a family I made in the shortest time possible. I am obliged to be a part of that wonderful franchise. There are two special moments which I would like to share; the first would be when I received appreciation from the makers Raj & DK sir and Suparn sir. And the second would be from the family man himself, Manoj Bajpayee sir. I have always been in awe of Manoj sir and it felt like a pat on my shoulders when he tweeted about my performance in the show. Last but not the least, my lovely audience for whom the whole cast and crew was working tirelessly day and night. There were tears in my eyes once I realised how Kalyan has touched lives. Even though it has been more than a year, it still feels very surreal.
Was it intimidating to work with a seasoned actor like Manoj Bajpayee?
I would say it was my most comfortable experience ever. Although I didn’t get the chance to share the screen space with Manoj sir, meeting him off the set and watching him act made me realise that they were two completely different people. I can’t forget the conversation we had at length about cinema and the responsibilities which we share as artists which were inspiring to another level. We all know he’s an actor par excellence who has been crossing benchmarks set by himself with every character he plays. One can’t really get intimidated by an artist like him because he ensures that all of his co-actors are comfortable in a way that you feel relaxed and free to be able to fully live the moment. So my dream of working with him has rather half come true and I look forward to the moment when I will be proudly ticking “working with the legendary Manoj sir” from my wish list. Manoj sir is the principal of my school of acting.
You come from a non-film background. When and how did the acting bug bite you?
The acting bug bit me on November 17, 2013. I come from a family who hasn’t ever looked at acting as a profession that one can pursue. However, my parents never stopped me and my siblings from pursuing what we were passionate about. I was once watching Ram-leela after getting my exam results which I had failed miserably. I entered this escape world in which I got so lost in it that I forgot about the stress I had entered with and in all honesty stood still for three long minutes after the movie got over, summarising the experience. I thought to myself, ‘If I can forget about my stress after entering this escape world then why can’t I be the reason for someone else’s experience like such.’
Were you a movie buff in your childhood days? Whom do you idolise in Bollywood?
From stealing money for tickets from mummy’s purse after she fell asleep to acting like a hero till a couple of weeks after watching a film, I have always found myself immensely influenced by cinema and especially the actors. I take the Hindi film industry as a bouquet of all types of flowers which smells the sweetest and are loved by everyone. Every actor and actress is admirable from Rajesh Khanna sir whose debut film went to the Oscars to Rekha ji who has won every heart with her ‘In aankhon ki masti ke’ to Shah Rukh sir whose charm knows no limits and to my favourite Amitabh Bachchan sir, whom I have been fortunate enough to work with. The way he has evolved and kept up with the pace of cinema to date is something to learn from. His journey from ‘Saat Hindustani’ to here is impeccable and there can be nobody like him, we all know this.
OTT has been a game-changer for many in the industry in the past two years. How do you look at this change as an actor?
During my childhood days, we used to wait for Sundays and be overjoyed when it finally arrived as it meant going to the movies. However, it is not the case anymore. We are just clicks away from getting any form of entertainment from any part of the world. Not taking away from the fact that it has opened doors for the filmmakers and technicians, allowing them some extra liberty to bring their story on OTT platforms. I believe any source of entertainment can only survive if the people we are making it for accept it and I think the audience has been liberal about it in a massive way. I think the repercussions of such platforms being available is what has made content the ultimate king because it will just take a tap for people to switch to another one.
From amongst the young generation of actors, who do you think has a great potential?
It could be anybody and everybody. Anybody who has the mind of Shah Rukh sir, passion like Aamir sir and zeal to work like Amitabh sir can win it all. We all are made of the same skin and have been given the same hearts and minds to govern, the direction which we choose for us is all that matters and anyone who chooses the right direction will surely hit the bull’s eye one day or the other.
I personally don’t know my potential as of now and wouldn’t want to know it either. I might limit myself if I try to do so. Nelson Mandela once said, “There’s no passion to be found, playing small.” The potential of us blessed humans is in the fact that we won’t ever be able to know how much we have until we test it and we tend to fail at times when we do that. Let’s all remember that failure and loser are two different things and should not be mixed with their meanings in our head. “How big would you dream if you knew you wouldn’t fail” is the question that helps me, might be something else to you and for every other person.
What’s next?
First of all, I am blessed with the opportunities which I have got and will forever be grateful for all the people who believed in me and loved this foolish kid. I intend to share the same relation with all the beloved people who want to know this and with my family and I love to surprise both of them. Surprises are often ruined when not given at the right time. So I will have to ask you to wait till the right time comes so that it reaches where it needs to and touches the heart in an overwhelming way as ‘Safed’ did.
