Showing posts with label Aarya Babbar interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aarya Babbar interview. Show all posts
I would do a film because I had bought a new house and needed to get the interiors done-Aarya Babbar
8:27 AM
Playing the antagonist in Jagriti—Ek Nayi Subah, Aarya Babbar discusses bagging the show and how stand-up comedy made him uninhibited as an actor
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; September 17, 2024)
It takes a lot for an actor to be self-aware of his strengths and shortcomings. At this point, Aarya Babbar believes his biggest strength is his ability to perform with complete abandon. This lack of inhibition came from stand-up comedy. While he enjoys stand-up comedy, acting is his first love. In conversation with mid-day, Babbar discusses how his new show Jagriti - Ek Nayi Subah helps him fulfil his passion for acting, finding his place in the industry and his learnings over the years. Edited excerpts from the interview.
When did you start doing stand-up comedy?
I started doing it one-and-a-half years ago. At that time, I was doing a lot of work in Hindi cinema, which was financially great, but it was not giving me creative satisfaction. For instance, I would do a film because I had bought a new house and needed to get the interiors done. I had become that person. I was in a rut mentally, until one day, I decided to try stand-up comedy on open mics. There were about 10 to 15 other comics, who were shocked to know that I was performing. The satisfaction I got that day was a high. Then, I kept going back as it made me happy. It helped me let go of many inhibitions, and the more uninhibited an actor is, the better he performs. One of my biggest opening jokes is about how I started my career with Ab Ke Baras [2002], which was about two births, and not even one could save the film!
Laughing at oneself is never easy.
It’s something I learnt from Shah Rukh Khan sir. He once said that if you can laugh at yourself, you will be the most confident person.
Looking back on your career, did you ever believe the negative chatter surrounding you?
When you have self-doubt, you believe in a lot of negative things said about you. It compels you to hear more negative chatter unconsciously. It happened in the initial years of my career because I thought I wasn’t getting the kind of roles I was expecting. Over the years, I realised that the industry is very kind [to me]. It will always give you the work you deserve at that particular time. If over the past few years, I was getting work that gave me money but no creative satisfaction, the industry perhaps believed I deserved that. [I realized] that getting work was the important thing. It is pointless to only get papped; I am an actor, not an influencer.
How did Jagriti - Ek Nayi Subah come to you?
The show’s casting director asked me if I was open to doing television. A lot of people assume that if an actor is rich, he won’t do [television]. You can’t fight that thought process, and sometimes you don’t wish to fight it. If someone believes you are wearing a real Rolex, even when it is fake, why correct that notion? But I was keen to work. When they sent me the scene for the look test, I wore a black salwar and kurta and performed. It was an instant yes from the makers.
What was your discussion with the makers about the fictitious Chitta tribe?
After reading the script, I had several meetings with them where I tried to understand the nuances they wanted from my character, Kalikant Thakur. I worked with a dialect coach too. We worked on my character’s body language, style and personality. We now have a bank of seven to 10 episodes. I irritate my co-actors by rehearsing a lot. While shooting for TV shows, you cannot go on set and rehearse for an hour or two. But when the crew is fixing the lighting, I keep doing my lines.
The show sees you teaming up with Asmi Deo. What is it like to work with an eight-year-old?
Every kid is annoying until s/he is on camera [laughs]. When Asmi is facing the camera, she is a complete professional. I have never felt that I am working with an actor who is not serious about their work. She knows what she is there to do and performs well.
Initiate legal action if you have an issue with this film, but you can’t run a social media trial-Aarya Babbar
8:40 AM
Under fire for his upcoming film, which is allegedly based on Sushant Singh Rajput’s life, the actor defends his project
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 1, 2020)
It’s been over two months since Sushant Singh Rajput’s shocking demise, and there are several controversies and conspiracy theories doing the rounds about what transpired on June 14, when the actor was found dead at his Bandra apartment. Now, an upcoming film, allegedly based on his life, has run into trouble after its posters were released recently. Titled Shashank, the movie is helmed by filmmakers Sanoj Mishra and Marut Singh, and is said to revolve around the mysterious death of a young star and the nepotism in Bollywood. While Sushant’s lookalike, Sachin Tiwari, was initially roped in to play the male lead, he has now been replaced by Aarya Babbar.Talking to BT about the project, Aarya said, “After sitting at home all through the lockdown, I feel blessed to get an offer. Also, I found the script interesting and intriguing. I can’t divulge much, but the story is about a small-town guy who comes to Bollywood, breaks through it and becomes a big star. Later, he is boycotted, which pushes him into depression. Shashank is about the soul of every small-town girl and boy, who wants to make it big in the industry, but is sadly pushed around. As someone associated with theatre, I have seen small-town people coming to the city wanting to make it big. People are assuming that the film is about just one person.”
Soon after its poster was released, the film was slammed by many, including Sushant’s sister Shweta Singh Kirti, who took to social media asking for its boycott. Talking about it, Aarya said, “The title of the film is Shashank and not Sushant. Initiate legal action if you have an issue with this film, but you can’t run a social media trial.”
Interestingly, Aarya and Sushant had worked together in theatre. Remembering his association with the late actor, he said, “I knew him before he entered television, when he did theatre with my mother (Nadira Babbar). Even after he became a sought-after actor, whenever my mother’s theatre group held any function or festivals, he was always there, supporting the group and standing by her side like a son.”Given the fact that Sushant’s death has once again triggered the insider-outsider theory in Bollywood, we asked Aarya, (son of actor Raj Babbar), about his views on nepotism. He shared, “Even if nepotism exists in the industry, if a star kid doesn’t have talent, they won’t survive beyond Friday. Apart from my first film, I have got work only on the basis of auditions. Though I have done well in the Punjabi film industry, I didn’t do much in Hindi cinema. It is and will always be talent-based. The biggest stars in Hindi cinema aren’t star kids, they are self-made. Now, if they want to help their children, who might want to become actors, is that wrong? Are we going to boycott all those who started at some point just because their families were in the same profession?”
He added, “We need to understand that it’s a business, not some sort of social service. If a maker feels that a star kid can pull off a character, he will cast him or her. Also, we cater to the audience’s liking. Today, Taimur Ali Khan is the biggest celebrity in India, because people like to watch him. Kal kisi Sharmaji ke bete ki film aur Shah Rukh Khan ke bete ki films release hoti hai, hum sabko pata hai kisko badi opening milegi. That’s the reality.”
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