Showing posts with label Isi Life Mein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isi Life Mein. Show all posts
Success is secondary. I only care about being in front of the camera-Akshay Oberoi
7:58 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; March 3, 2020)
A lull in career, even if it is a brief one, can shake the strongest of people. Akshay Oberoi knows it only too well. The actor went through a lull phase right at the beginning of his career and says that those tough days have ended up shaping his worldview. He shares, “I am not afraid of death, that is inevitable. Success, money, fame, stardom — all of that’s also secondary. They are just by-products. The only thing I care about is being in front of the camera. It keeps me happy and sane. I don’t even fear failure. I just fear another lull.”
Prod him further about this ‘lull’ and he says, “I was out of work for three-and-a-half years. That lull, after I had just done my first film (Isi Life Mein, 2010), was crushing. It was a tough phase to survive and I went back to theatre. I had just gotten married to my childhood sweetheart Jyothi Vynatheya, and I had no money. It’s difficult when you are married and not earning. You start wondering what your wife will think of you. Insecurities crop up and your confidence takes a major hit. She was earning and she took care of the house for a couple of years. But I knew that my only way was to keep at it. I kept pushing myself, and she believed in me. The break finally came when Bejoy Nambiar gave me a show called Rush (2012). After that, he told me that he wanted to make a film with me. I was 25 then. Six months later, he offered me Pizza (2014). And that’s how I was back in business.”
Akshay says that the struggle toughened him. “I have lost fear completely. Today, I do not worry about the length of my scenes or the screen time of my character. I see so many people getting trapped in this web, but it can kill you and your creativity. Now, even big directors and producers are inclined towards casting actors rather than stars. I don’t mind being called a character artiste. In fact, I would love it. Sab Salman Khan nahi ban sakte, but every actor has something unique to offer,” he signs off.
There is a niggling fear that work will run out-Akshay Oberoi
8:08 AM
Gearing up for the cricket drama Selection Day, Akshay Oberoi on straddling movies and web, and how an actor’s life is plagued by insecurity
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; December 11, 2018)
You've been roped in for the cricket drama, Selection Day. Aren’t you worried about comparisons with Amazon Prime’s Emmy-nominated Inside Edge?
Selection Day is based on Aravind Adiga’s book [by the same name] and was the second Netflix original to be sanctioned. I haven’t seen Inside Edge, but I know it’s about how Indian Premier League [IPL] started and the chaos behind it. Selection Day is about two 16 and 14 year olds, who aspire to become the next big thing in cricket. I play their manager. The show is about relationships, dreams and aspirations.
You also have Law And Order in the pipeline.
It’s like Suits, with glamour and style. Law and Order sees me as a lawyer, and depicts the Indian law system. It’s produced by the Test Case producer Samar Khan, so I didn’t think twice before giving my nod. The cases in the show are thoroughly researched. This will be a promising show, thanks to the star cast that includes Satyadeep Mishra, Piyush Mishra and Neha Sharma.
For someone who started his career with a romantic film, we’ve barely seen you explore the genre again.
I ran away from the genre [laughs]. Isi Life Mein (2010) was a washout when it released. But Rajshri Productions invested a lot of money in a nobody like me; I will always be grateful for that. However, I hated my work in the film — what I was doing, the way I looked. I still can’t watch it on TV. Had that film been a hit, I would have probably gone down that path. But after the film released, I discovered that, that was not the kind of actor I wanted to be.
How do you deal with the insecurity of being an actor?
Fortunately, I have not been unemployed for the last two to three years. Besides the web shows, I’ve got films like Junglee, Chhote Nawab and Bombairiya with Radhika Apte. So, my kitchen is running. But there is a niggling fear that this [work] will run out.
Considering you were raised in New York, why didn’t you try your luck in Hollywood?
I thought I would establish myself here quicker than I would in Hollywood. I expected to get meatier parts. I know I’m not as successful as Ranbir Kapoor; but then again, I am not Rishi Kapoor’s son. With 10 to 11 films behind me, I’m happy with my career graph. It would not have happened there. I would have played a terrorist or something random. Mira Nair, who has been my idol, asked me the same question when I recently met her. And she agreed with my viewpoint.
Not too many people know that you’re a trained ballet dancer.
I learnt it when I was 15 because I wanted to be in Hindi cinema. The training paid off with respect to body language — it helps you align your body.
Actors in Bollywood get stereotyped easily-Sandeepa Dhar
7:53 AM
Sonil Dedhia (BOMBAY TIMES; June 23, 2016)
Six years ago when Sandeepa
Dhar made her debut in Bollywood, she showed a lot of promise. However,
rather than portraying the stereotypical heroine and running around
trees, the actress, who is also an accomplished dancer, chose to play
supporting roles in Dabangg 2 and Heropanti. Now, she is set to leave
her demure image behind with her upcoming film 7 Hours To Go in which
she plays a tough-as-nails cop. In a quick chat with Bombay Times,
Sandeepa reflects on her career and reveals why surviving in Bollywood
is a struggle.
You have shed your girl-next-door image with this film. Were you apprehensive?
I wanted to do something different as I feel it's important for actors to explore a variety of characters for creative satisfaction. Also in Bollywood, actors get stereotyped very easily. After Dabangg 2 and Heropanti, I was offered similar kind of roles. When I approached director Saurabh Varma for this film, he wasn't convinced that I would be able to pull off the role of a bad a** cop. He changed his mind only after I gave a screen test. Rarely do you get a chance to play a strong female character and I grabbed this opportunity with both my hands. I hope this film helps in changing people's perception about me in the industry.
So in the interim, you deliberately didn't take up work because of the kind of roles that were offered to you?
Yes. As I said, once you become good at something, filmmakers take you for granted and offer the same roles. For instance, I had become good at playing someone who you feel sorry for. I didn't want to take up work out of desperation. So, I took my time. Today, most of the actors are trying to fight this notion and aspiring to do different kind of roles.
In this industry that's so competitive, didn't you fear that rejecting films would affect your career?
It surely gets difficult because there are only a certain number of films that are offered. So you have to take a call whether you want to take up work or sit at home. My father isn't a producer or director who will make a film just to project me in a different light. At the end of the day, I have to run my house. If I don't do films, I will not be able to survive. Working in Bollywood is a constant struggle.
You have done a lot of stunts in your forthcoming film. How did you prepare for it?
I have seen a lot of heroines doing action sequences in Hindi films but they don't look convincing. However, in Hollywood, actors are spot on as they undergo a lot of training. I wanted to do the same. So, I trained in Mixed Martial Arts. Also, in the film, I have a lot of hand-to-hand combat scenes with male actors. There were days when I couldn't get out of the bed due to the rigorous training. Physically, I look petite. So during the shoot, I had to ensure that when I punched, it didn't look gimmicky.
Are you happy with the way your career has shaped up so far?
To be honest, right after my debut film Isi Life Mein released, I flew to Australia where I got an opportunity to be a part of a Broadway. A lot of film offers were coming in, but I was too focused on my dancing. When I came to India on vacation, I did Dabangg 2 and later, I also shot for Heropanti. I had signed an exclusive contract with my dance academy and got busy with my shows for two years. Later, I signed Global Baba and 7 Hours To Go.
Now that you are playing a female lead, would you be comfortable doing supporting roles?
I don't judge a role on the basis of its screen time. I have done ensembles and supporting roles, too. For me, my character is important. The audience is smart and can judge the difference between a good and a bad film. As long as I get to play a good character, a second lead or a supporting role is not an issue.
Do you ever wish you had a godfather in the industry?
I am really happy that whatever I have achieved so far is because of my talent and perseverance. But having said that, I think having a godfather is a great thing because it gives you easy access to the industry. We have seen examples where star kids are launched by their families, and sometimes films are especially made to resurrect their career. I don't have a godfather in the industry. But I don't regret it. I feel it will only push me to work harder.
Do you believe in luck?
Along with talent, destiny is also a big factor. I think our profession has a lot to do with being at the right place at the right time. No matter how much I work hard and put my best foot forward, ultimately what is planned for me will happen.
You have shed your girl-next-door image with this film. Were you apprehensive?
I wanted to do something different as I feel it's important for actors to explore a variety of characters for creative satisfaction. Also in Bollywood, actors get stereotyped very easily. After Dabangg 2 and Heropanti, I was offered similar kind of roles. When I approached director Saurabh Varma for this film, he wasn't convinced that I would be able to pull off the role of a bad a** cop. He changed his mind only after I gave a screen test. Rarely do you get a chance to play a strong female character and I grabbed this opportunity with both my hands. I hope this film helps in changing people's perception about me in the industry.
So in the interim, you deliberately didn't take up work because of the kind of roles that were offered to you?
Yes. As I said, once you become good at something, filmmakers take you for granted and offer the same roles. For instance, I had become good at playing someone who you feel sorry for. I didn't want to take up work out of desperation. So, I took my time. Today, most of the actors are trying to fight this notion and aspiring to do different kind of roles.
In this industry that's so competitive, didn't you fear that rejecting films would affect your career?
It surely gets difficult because there are only a certain number of films that are offered. So you have to take a call whether you want to take up work or sit at home. My father isn't a producer or director who will make a film just to project me in a different light. At the end of the day, I have to run my house. If I don't do films, I will not be able to survive. Working in Bollywood is a constant struggle.
You have done a lot of stunts in your forthcoming film. How did you prepare for it?
I have seen a lot of heroines doing action sequences in Hindi films but they don't look convincing. However, in Hollywood, actors are spot on as they undergo a lot of training. I wanted to do the same. So, I trained in Mixed Martial Arts. Also, in the film, I have a lot of hand-to-hand combat scenes with male actors. There were days when I couldn't get out of the bed due to the rigorous training. Physically, I look petite. So during the shoot, I had to ensure that when I punched, it didn't look gimmicky.
Are you happy with the way your career has shaped up so far?
To be honest, right after my debut film Isi Life Mein released, I flew to Australia where I got an opportunity to be a part of a Broadway. A lot of film offers were coming in, but I was too focused on my dancing. When I came to India on vacation, I did Dabangg 2 and later, I also shot for Heropanti. I had signed an exclusive contract with my dance academy and got busy with my shows for two years. Later, I signed Global Baba and 7 Hours To Go.
Now that you are playing a female lead, would you be comfortable doing supporting roles?
I don't judge a role on the basis of its screen time. I have done ensembles and supporting roles, too. For me, my character is important. The audience is smart and can judge the difference between a good and a bad film. As long as I get to play a good character, a second lead or a supporting role is not an issue.
Do you ever wish you had a godfather in the industry?
I am really happy that whatever I have achieved so far is because of my talent and perseverance. But having said that, I think having a godfather is a great thing because it gives you easy access to the industry. We have seen examples where star kids are launched by their families, and sometimes films are especially made to resurrect their career. I don't have a godfather in the industry. But I don't regret it. I feel it will only push me to work harder.
Do you believe in luck?
Along with talent, destiny is also a big factor. I think our profession has a lot to do with being at the right place at the right time. No matter how much I work hard and put my best foot forward, ultimately what is planned for me will happen.
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