Showing posts with label Jim Sarbh interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Sarbh interview. Show all posts

Dumbing down art into entertainment is a worldwide trend-Jim Sarbh

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.

The only thing I have memorised is the harshest criticism I have received-Jim Sarbh


Jim Sarbh talks about B’town as he gives us a glimpse of his mad, mad world
Deebashree Mohanty (TIMES LIFE; March 24, 2019)

Q. You have had a great career in theatre. What made you shift to movies?
(Sings Bob Dylan’s Rambling Gambling Willie) Ride Willie ride, roll Willie roll, wherever you're a gambling now nobody knows... I never imagined life without film acting, that’s why I moved back to Bombay in the first place. But as a s**t schmoozer, and with no connections in the film industry, I mined the ones I had already: theatre contacts, and wound up acting in a play. I kept getting cast, so I kept acting. I auditioned for films but no one cast me. When I got cast in a film, I started acting in films.

Is it your strategy to opt for unconventional roles in Bollywood?
No. I acted in everything I was cast in up until Sanju. Like a baby to tigermilk.

Did it ever bother you that you would be typecast as the token firang?
This is a rude question and I’m tired of answering it.

What space does the entertainment industry offer to indie cinema and online content/web series?
I think indie cinema and online content are two platforms that are blooming now. I hear of more and more interesting stories that are finally being allowed to be told. I am excited to see how these industries develop as they receive more funding, and the technical and storytelling expertise gets better to bring all these fascinating Indian stories to the world stage.

A thing you’d like to change about Bollywood...
Well, it’s all a kind of mass psychosis... but one thing? Uhhhhh… the hours?

What was the most cherished compliment for your movies? Please give us a few examples of how the audience has reacted.
(Laughs) No way. The only thing I have memorised is the harshest criticism I have received. And some of the pickup lines on my Insta feed.

When you are not working you are...?
I’ve got sand in my shoes.

What does it take to keep oneself relevant in the dynamic social media space?
Not. A. ****ing. Clue.

When is the last time you went holidaying, and what is that one destination on your bucket list?
I was at Sundance recently, it was wonderful – all my college buddies from Emory helped to make Sometimes, I think about Dying (selected for Shorts Programs at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival). We all had a grand old party. Last year my favourite trip was to Guatemala and the beautiful Antigua. I hope to do a little scuba diving in the Andamans, and perhaps backpack around other parts of South America.

Do you think cooking can act as a real stress buster?
Yes, I do. Same as cleaning or organising. Once upon a time, I made a tasty masoor dal, and a vegetarian lasagna with spinach and baingan.

What is comfort food for you?
Pizza and beer.

Is marriage a decision made with the heart or should the mind be involved?
(Sings Everyday People by Sly & the Family Stone) Sometimes I’m right and I can be wrong My own beliefs are in my song The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then Makes no difference what group I’m in I am everyday people, yeah yeah There is a blue one who can’t accept the green one For living with a fat one trying to be a skinny one And different strokes for different folks And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo Oh sha sha we got to live together I am no better and neither are you We are the same whatever we do You love me, you hate me, you know me and then You can’t figure out the bag I’m in

Where do you get your fashion sense from?
Fashion sense: lion’s got a mane, peacock’s got a tail.

Do you follow fashion trends?
Nope.

QUICK FOUR

Does art inspire you?
Yes. I grew up around it, so, though I don’t know art terminology, I have a strong sense of what touches me and what doesn’t. A lot touches me.

A cherished painting?
It isn’t my most cherished painting, but right now, I am thinking of Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son.

The caption of most of your Instagram pictures is a song. What is the story behind this?
Easier than thinking of a caption.

If not an actor, you would have been…
A guy who’s taken a vow of silence at Tapovan over Gaumukh.

I have learnt to be a self directed actor as much as I can-Jim Sarbh

Jim Sarbh
Rinky Kumar (DNA; November 20, 2018)

After making his big-screen debut as the menacing terrorist in Neerja (2016), this year, Jim Sarbh has impressed moviegoers with his villainous acts in Padmaavat and Sanju. However, the success of his films hasn’t prompted the curly-haired actor to focus only on cinema. Apart from his current project — the web series Smoke — he’s gearing up for a play, Constellations, which premieres next week and marks the opening of the National Centre for Performing Arts’ theatre season. The production, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal as the male lead in its Broadway version, is about one love story but infinite possibilities. Jim will also be seen in another web series and a few international films. In a chat with After Hrs, he talks about not being restricted to just one medium and why he wants to take a step back to  assess his choices…

Apart from films and plays, you are also acting in web series now...
Of course, everyone is making them these days. Its quality also ranges just like that of cinema and theatre. It’s interesting to be able to choose from this wide spectrum of possibilities.

In Smoke, you share screen space with actors like Kalki Koechlin and Gulshan Devaiah…
Yes, I have worked with Kalki in quite a few plays. Sadly, in the show, I don’t have too many scenes with her or Gullu (Gulshan). But it was fun to be in Goa with them and hear their stories as well as share mine because in the series, all of us have different tracks that don’t intersect immediately.

How has it been working with prolific directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rajkumar Hirani so early in your career?
It’s been great. I couldn’t believe my luck that I got a chance to work with them so soon after Neerja. I am grateful to be part of films that did so well this year. I hope to be able to work with them again and continue to collaborate with directors who are at the top of their game for all the right reasons.

How does working with directors like them influence you as an actor?
Every director is instructive, whether good or bad. Even the worst of them is crucial because you learn how to safeguard your performance while working with someone like that. I have learnt to be a self-directed actor as much as I can. And when you meet the people who can really see your limitations and skill set, it’s a bonus. I believe, as an actor, you need to be a bit of an anarchist to keep trying and sailing in order to succeed.

What interesting things did you learnt from actors like Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor?
I feel that you have to come with your best game, no matter who your co-star is. I understand that they are huge stars, but part of the fun of acting is that we are all there for our respective characters. It can be crippling for actors to think in terms of stars vs newcomers when, in fact, you just work on the scene. I am like, ‘Let me do my best part and I hope that you are here to do yours.’ Both (Ranveer and Ranbir) are lovely guys, but it wasn’t about them.

Has the success of Sanju and Padmaavat translated into more offers for you in Bollywood?
Yes, it has. But now I’m taking a step back and waiting for a script that I am 100 per cent psyched to do, which I don’t have to accept simply because it’s a big film or because I need to have a release every year.

What are your future projects?
This year, I have acted in two English films — Beneath A Sea Of Lights, which features Barkhad Abdi (of Captain Phillips fame) and Michael Winterbottom’s The Wedding Guest starring Dev Patel and Radhika Apte. There are a bunch of short films, too. Recently, I also shot for Prateek Kuhad’s music video titled Cold/Mess, which releases next month. My other web series, Made In Heaven, which is directed by Nitya Mehra, Zoya Akhtar, Alankrita Srivastava and Prashant Nair, will be streamed in March.

Which has been your favourite character?
I don’t have favourites. It’s like asking which of your ex-girlfriends you liked the most. You loved all of them (laughs).

What appealed to you about Constellations?
I told myself that I should do this play because Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favourite actors. I read the script and liked it. I went for the audition and enjoyed the exercises that director Bruce Guthrie made us do. The story is about two people and the possibilities of their relationship. Bruce has worked on the show before, so he brings all of his experiences to the table. He has an eye for detail.

I am really tired of playing characters who don’t care about people-Jim Sarbh


BOMBAY TIMES (August 13, 2018)

He created an impression with his powerful portrayal of negative characters in films like Neerja, Raabta and Padmaavat, but actor Jim Sarbh now wants to look beyond these “one-sided characters” as he says he is really tired of playing people “who don’t care about” others.

“When I played these roles, they were the only ones that were offered to me. However, now I have the liberty to be a lot more selective. I am a little bored of playing negative characters. I want to now explore meaty, complicated roles. I am not interested in one-sided characters,” Sarbh said recently.

Talking about his previous roles and the kind of characters he wants to do in future, Sarabh said: “I am really tired of playing characters who don’t care about people. I now want to start portraying characters who care about others.”

His portrayal of Malik Kafur, the slave-general of Ranveer Singh’s character Alauddin Khilji in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, brought him loads of appreciation.

The actor says that working with Bhansali has helped him in mastering the basics of acting. “Sanjay has a very keen eye for detailing. It’s all about making a beautiful frame and filling that frame with equally detailed, subtle, nuanced acting. I am very happy I got a chance to be a part of that process. I learnt a lot about precision, it was like an accelerated course in the basics of film — hitting your mark, eyeline, learning the frame, its angles. Thanks to this process, I am now much more comfortable being on any other project or set. Because I have mastered the basics,” Sarabh said.

For the actor, Malik Kafur was a brilliant character. “The moment I read the script, I knew I wanted to essay the role. I thought the character was so interesting and had so much scope and playfulness to it,” he said.

Malik Kafur and Alauddin Khilji were a good pair of sociopaths-Jim Sarbh

Jim Sarbh
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; February 8, 2018)

While Ranveer Singh has walked away with laurels for his evil turn as Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat, there’s another actor who has been getting rave reviews for his stellar performance as the Sultan’s slave, Malik Kafur. We are talking about Jim Sarbh, who as Malik, perfectly complements Khilji with his dark thoughts and undertones of lust for his master. The scenes between Ranveer and Jim stand out in the film and the two share an amazing chemistry, especially in the song Binte Dil! Here Jim takes us through his journey in the film, his interpretation of the character, and how one can see Alauddin Khilji, the man, through Malik Kafur’s eyes.

Amidst stars like Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, your performance has stood out in Padmaavat. When you were offered the role of Malik Kafur, what were your thoughts?
I was excited to be a part of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. I was excited to act with Ranveer, who I heard was a great co-actor. Ranveer also mentioned, at our first meeting, that he suggested me for the role, which gave me the confidence as we mutually admired each other. I enjoyed the audition scene, Sanjay sir spoke with a lot of love for the character, as did the entire team working on the project. When I read the script, I could see why.

How did you interpret the character and what was your approach to the role?
I thought of him as a lithe, fierce black panther, who slinks around with his big, grizzled tiger, master Alauddin Khilji. He is a slave, who has hit the jackpot. He doesn’t take people very seriously. He finds them amusing and their very obvious, silly motivations. He’s like the fool, cavorting around with kings and queens, irreverent and if so commanded, deadly.

Ranveer Singh said that you enhanced his performance in Padmaavat. What do you have to say to that?
His performance would have been groovy with or without me. However, sometimes, I feel the only times we can truly see Alauddin Khilji, the man, is through Malik Kafur’s eyes. Ranveer is a wonderful co-actor, the kind of actor where we are always hoping to strike magic. Sometimes we did, sometimes we didn’t, but the attempt was always there.

He is always bringing new ideas and fresh energy to the set, and he was always kind and supportive of me. I would be messing up takes, over and over again, somehow not cracking the moment, and he would not bat an eyelid. If he was frustrated, he didn’t let me feel it, he shielded me from it, and instead was supportive and showed he believed in me. What more can you ask for? I felt my character could easily understand his principles, because I was a version of him, just born in very different circumstances. Kafur was also extremely ambitious, dangerous, and was not bound by the same morals and scruples as the people around them. A good pair of sociopaths.

From Neerja, Raabta to Padmaavat, you have grabbed attention with your performance. So far which role of yours did you find more challenging?
Each had their own challenges, really. Neerja was hard because it was so intense, for such a short burst; like a serious sprint. Raabta was more like a triathlon, a little running, a little cycling, a little swimming. Padmaavat was like a serious marathon.

Going ahead, what are the kind of roles that you would like to do?
Interesting, complex ones. What kind would you like to see me in?

How do you balance films and theatre? Which medium do you enjoy more and why?
Well, since the film work has picked up, I haven’t done any new theatre, just continued to act in the shows that were already up and running. I enjoy the power of a live performance, but I prefer the medium of film, on the whole. I am only just starting to learn the technical aspects of film acting — I think Padmaavat has been essential in that regard — and I hope to continue to explore playing around with my slowly growing knowledge of the power of the frame.

That said, I hope to do a play later this year, around May, with one of my favourite directors of all time, Rehaan Engineer. The text he has chosen, as usual, is gorgeous: the kind that makes you sit up as you read, because you can’t help imagining playing it out, because you are grappling with a mysterious sentence, the intention of which is still hidden from you on first read. Fingers crossed.

Which films will you be seen in next?
The Sanjay Dutt biopic releases in June, in which I have quite a bombastic part, so I am very interested in seeing how that plays out. I have a day left on Made In Heaven, a web series helmed by Zoya Akhtar and Nitya Mehra, which I have enjoyed working on for the last few months. I am also in a web series called Smoke, and am wondering when that will see the light of day. I have also acted in a film called Teen Aur Aadha, directed by Dar Gai, with Zoya Hussain. I am hoping that receives a theatrical release, because it is a very sensitive and beautiful script. Three stories occurring in the same house, the same room, are told with three long takes, each about 30-40 minutes long.

In life, we only meet grey characters-Jim Sarbh


Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 5, 2017)

A known name in the theatre circuit, Jim Sarbh caught our attention in Ram Madhvani's Neerja. While he revels in his new-found fame, he's fiercely guarded about his life beyond the silver screen. Among his next releases is Dinesh Vijan's Raabta, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon. BT caught up with the Parsi boy over a cuppa coffee...

From studying psychology to doing theatre and now acting in commercial cinema, how challenging was it for you to adapt?
I never look at it as Bollywood versus Indie versus theatre. You just learn the rules of each medium. Even theatre productions have different rules. You can be completely bombastic in Atul Kumar's Noises Off. Rehaan Engineer's plays require you to be a bit real. Likewise, each film is different. The acting that Sanjay Leela Bhansali wants is different from what Rajkumar Hirani expects (He will be seen in SLB's Padmavati and Hirani's Sanjay Dutt biopic).

Any myths about movies that were broken once you got into them?
You think there's a lot more magic in it than there actually is. At the end of the day, it's just a job. Once you get into it, you realise how some things are just practised to manipulate the camera. When you work in a film, you wonder 'Oh, they are putting glycerine in their eyes. This person is not feeling anything!' When you watch it, you go, 'It worked so well. How did that happen?'

What drew you to Raabta?
The fight in Raabta is about what will be versus what you want to make it. I liked how if things had gone slightly different, my character would have been the hero of his own little story. In life, we only meet grey characters. There are some who veer towards the white and some towards the black end of the spectrum. While we are still stuck doing films about such (unrealistic) characters, what struck me about Raabta is that, if Zak (his character) can only let go of his desire to control destiny, he could be a perfectly happy human being.

Isn't it a tad cynical to believe that everyone has a grey streak in them?
Everyone has the potential to be all kinds of things. No one is one thing or the other. Do you know of anyone who sweeps you off your feet and is always good to you all the time? No way. People are shi*** most of the time. Nobody has the patience and energy to be always good to you. Miss and Mr Right don't exist. We are fed this fairy tale from the beginning and we suddenly wake up at 24 or 25 and realise that everyone cheats, everyone lies and no one lives in this fantasy of monogamy. No person is going to come and save you. We are constantly fighting our desire to be those people. We keep telling ourselves, 'this is wrong', 'that is bad', 'it doesn't happen'. Not only does it happen all the time, but it need not necessarily be wrong or bad. That's just the way things are. The more we understand and accept that, the more we can decide how we want to live.

Neerja earned you some massive female fan following. How does it feel to be liked and hounded for pictures?
It feels very nice. I like to be appreciated but I don't completely understand this selfie thing. What happens afterwards? Do you frame it or show it to other people? When I see somebody who I have admired or when I see somebody in a film or otherwise, there's an excitement to let him/her know how much I appreciate their work. I can tell my friends later that I met so and so and they will believe me. Why do I need photographic documentation? Also, I am not a photo guy anyway. I never say, 'Guys, let's take a picture of this moment'. I'd rather be in the moment.

There is a tendency in the film industry to stereo type actors based on their popular roles.
I don't believe in these binaries. A good actor will always get his due. I hope I can play all kinds of diverse roles.

You are quite outspoken. If you don't agree with the sensibility of a director, do you give your inputs?
I feel everyone should be given an opportunity to say what's on their mind. I try, but in the end, it's the director's medium. I do my thing within the realms of what he wants. That or you just have to wait till a point where you can call the shots. I am not at that point yet. I also feel that people let you try your thing if they know you can act or have successful films to your credit.

On a lighter note, you shifted from South Mumbai to Versova a year back. How has the change been?
It was an easy transition. I felt like I slipped into my real home in Mumbai. Also, I recently realised that I don't have any friends in South Mumbai anymore; everyone is in the suburb. I just miss my Parsi food though, as you don't get that a lot around this area.

How do you unwind? Going offline is the new luxury, isn't it?
I like to do movie marathons. Since I am travelling too much, I like to just alone, sit in my house whenever I can. Stay watch films. If I manage to get a few days off, then I like to go to Goa or Kamshet, where I don't have the desire to look at my phone. I keep it in the room and go for a swim.

You are fiercely private about your personal life...
I don't understand why my love life is of anybody's concern. I don't know why anyone even cares about it. Read on any other subject in the world other than who I am dating. Who gives a damn?