Raazi, Paatal Lok, Jaane Jaan and Maharaj, to name a few, are testament to Jaideep Ahlawat’s acting range and command over his craft. Hailing from Rohtak, Haryana, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) alumnus has created a space for himself in a rather demanding industry. On Teacher’s Day, the actor looks back at his beginnings and the teachers who played a vital role in his life and career growth.

Jaideep reminisces, “There have been a couple of people who have had a positive influence on my life. If I were to talk about my acting career, I must mention my first guru Sunil Chitkara, who hails from Haryana and is now based in Delhi. He taught me how to walk on a stage and work in theatre. Shurvat ka jo abhinay maine seekha woh unhise. He was the one who helped me learn the basics before I went to the FTII.”

The film institute helped Jaideep hone his talent by introducing him to workshops and gifted artistes. One name stayed with him though.

He shares, “One teacher who had a massive impact on me at the FTII was Arvind Pandey, sir. He makes you work on your basics, which is most essential for an actor, without resorting to anything fancy. He taught us how to craft characters, build a scene and why teamwork is most important. He taught us how to use our imagination to build these characters and create their background, which may not be mentioned in the script, but can make the story more relatable. Woh mere favourite thhe and I was his favourite student. Later, we also acted together in Shashank Khaitan’s segment of Ajeeb Daastaans.”

Beyond acting, another valuable lesson Jaideep recollects learning from Arvind sir was understanding another person’s point of view. “I never saw him angry. He was one acting teacher who never dismissed our thoughts and opinions about how we approached a character. He never shot down ideas. He always asked what the thought was behind what we did. He tried to understand your choices and the logic behind it. He made me understand that there is no good or bad acting, just believable versus non-believable. Uncha bolneko loud acting nahi bolte. Whatever is not believable is loud acting. Dus actors ek scene ko dus tarikese karenge. Everyone will have a different point of view. It’s important to not be dismissive as long as it’s relatable. He taught us to respect other person’s point of view, which is a valuable life lesson,” he says.

On a parting note, Jaideep, who now visits FTII occasionally to boost the morale of aspiring actors, says, “I want to tell budding actors galtiyaan karnese matt daro. Don’t be conscious about who’s watching you. When you are training to be an actor, everyone wants to help you grow. Your time at the film institute is your opportunity to make as many mistakes as possible. Life doesn’t give you those opportunities once you start working.”