Jim Sarbh tackles ‘masculinity’ in new show

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 3, 2023)

Jim Sarbh’s uninhibited performances speak a language of their own. Ram Madhvani’s Neerja put him on the map, and he has continued to prove his mettle in films and web shows like Padmaavat, Made in Heaven, Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway and Rocket Boys, to name a few. Recently, Jim was nominated for an International Emmy in the Best Performance by an Actor category for his role of nuclear physicist Dr Homi Bhabha in Rocket Boys. Excerpts from a conversation...

Cillian Murphy is expected to sweep the acting awards internationally for Oppenheimer and your portrayal of Dr Homi Bhabha in Rocket Boys has won you an International Emmy nomination. Isn’t it quite a coincidence that both these standout performances portrayed nuclear physicists?
I don’t think we ever shot it but there was a scene in the original version (of Rocket Boys) where Dr Bhabha went to see Oppenheimer. The story changed direction a little bit. I have liked Cillian for a long time. He was scary and strange in Batman Begins as the Scarecrow, and you must see him in The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006).

As far as Rocket Boys is concerned, I am overwhelmed and excited to be nominated for an Emmy. It is an honour to be recognized amongst such talented individuals from across the world. The series salutes some of India’s scientists, artists and leaders, the pioneers of a newly birthed nation. I am so glad the makers believed in this project, and in me.

You exude this free-spirited, fiercely independent streak. How have you managed to retain that quality as an actor in an industry that often expects one to toe the line?
A film should be a creative collaboration between all the partners. Of course, you have a captain of the ship, but the best directors that I have worked with are the ones who encourage and enjoy collaborations. If you know your lines, if you are not forgetting your cues or are not changing the rhythm of the scene too much, within that frame, you have a choice as to how you want to interpret a moment. Good directors are always open to listening. Filmmaking requires expertise in general across the board. An incredible editor or a production designer can change your film and hide all potential flaws. I believe in that kind of culture.

You never hold back or hesitate to speak your mind. What would you attribute this outspokenness to?
I think it’s more of mounting frustration and eventually, the fact that I can’t stop myself from saying something. I know that the wiser choice would be to act cool or make jokes about it or pretend that it’s someone else’s problem. I just get frustrated and if I am in a bad mood on a particular day, I will eventually say something. I remember when I was doing interviews for Padmaavat, I was asked three standard questions. 1) What was it like to work with Ranveer Singh? 2) What was it like to work with Deepika Padukone? 3) Were you afraid of playing gay? These are such shallow questions. I think there is a trend worldwide of dumbing down art into content or entertainment purposes only so that no one thinks too deeply.

Has your upbringing played a huge role in bringing out your honest, true self, on screen and in reality?
My grandmom told me to speak the truth. That was most important to her, and my mom tells me to lie instead (laughs). She tells me (mimics her), “You don’t have to tell me everything no, Jim. Learn how to lie a bit.” I will send her this article.

DO YOU THINK EVERYTHING IS MADE FOR INSTANT GRATIFICATION IN A WAY?
Nothing is provocative or makes you think too deeply anymore because if we can’t understand something in 10 seconds, it’s labelled as ‘boring’. Christopher Nolan is a master of his craft. Whether you like his films or not is a separate thing. Tenet for instance didn’t strike a chord with me emotionally as much as I thought it would, instead it was a puzzle for me to mentally unravel. I prefer to experience a film emotionally and it can leave me with questions that I can ponder about later. I remember seeing No Country For Old Men in the US with a friend. At the end of it, we were so affected that we couldn’t say a word. On the drive back home, we spoke of its elements and concluded that we really liked it. It left us perplexed.