Showing posts with label Mohit Raina interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mohit Raina interview. Show all posts
Now, you know everything about the other person by looking at their social media profile-Mohit Raina
8:29 AM
Mohit Raina, who is a fan of slice-of-life romantic stories, on finally adding one to his résumé with Ishq-E-Nadaan
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; July 18, 2023)
Don’t go by the roles he does on screen. Off screen, Mohit Raina is a fan of romantic dramas, and counts Life in a Metro (2007) among the finest love stories made in Bollywood. So, when Ishq-E-Nadaan was offered to him, the actor jumped at the opportunity of adding a romantic film to his resume. In conversation with mid-day, Raina talks about how the JioCinema offering’s simple yet heartfelt story appealed to the romantic in him.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
Was it a conscious decision to do a romantic drama?
I wanted to do a romantic show for a long time. When I started working in television, I was never approached for romantic shows. In digital entertainment, I only did one series that had tinges of romance. I was waiting for something like Ishq-E-Nadaan. It’s a beautiful, light-hearted love story that talks about human relationships. Any actor would have grabbed this opportunity.
How did the script come to you?
When Avishek [Ghosh, director] narrated the script to me, in my head, I was on board already. Almost 15 minutes into it, I was thinking about how I would arrange my dates and was doing [mental] calculations because I loved the script.
Over time, has any love story—be it in movies or web series—resonated with you?
For me, Life In A Metro [2007] was one such movie. I liked the concept of [telling stories of] people in one city and how their stories connected despite being from different walks of life. After that, many people tried to emulate it, but it wasn’t accepted. I wanted to do something like that for a long time. Now, Anurag Basu is coming with a sequel to it.
At a time when love is all about right and left swipes, do you think people connect with old-school romance?
I don’t think it is possible today. Now, you know everything about the other person by looking at their social media profile. But back in the day, you’d wait for the person to go out, then see what flavour of ice-cream they are having. Obviously life is all about change. That was old-school charm, but I don’t think today’s generation understands that.
What is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done?
I got married last year. For my wife’s [Aditi Sharma] birthday, I collected all the photographs that showed our journey—how we met and started going out—and made a collage. I put it on the walls with decorations to surprise her. She was under the impression that we might only go out for dinner. So, this took her by surprise.
Tell us your love story?
We met through a common friend. There were no balloons or flowers, nothing lavish. My wife is definitely more romantic than me.
Why haven’t we seen you doing more work?
I prefer doing less but quality work, which makes my soul happy. I want to satisfy the hunger of the actor inside me. If I wanted, I could do a lot more work and earn more money, which is what everyone has been advising me to do, but I don’t see myself doing that. If I take on a role for the sake of it or do something that I don’t want to do, it will show. I won’t be able to do justice to it.
Do you feel you are typecast?
There is scope for more diversity. Sometimes, the scripts coming my way are [similar]. I would like to experiment more, which is not happening.
What’s next on your plate?
I have completed the second season of Mumbai Diaries 26/11. We shot it last year.
The silence in Mumbai during the 26/11 was scary and shook me-Mohit Raina
9:51 AM
Fronting Mumbai Diaries 26/11, Mohit on how the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks brought back memories of his early years in Kashmir
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; September 1, 2021)
Every Mumbai resident has a different memory of the 2008 terror attacks, each alarming and indelible in its own way. For Mohit Raina, it invokes memories of the deafening silence that had engulfed the city for four days. The actor, who is leading the retelling of the fateful night with Mumbai Diaries 26/11, says it was shocking to see India’s financial capital under siege. It took him back to his early years in the Valley.
“Hailing from Kashmir, the first superheroes I saw were the Army and defence officials. You are surrounded by [a tense] atmosphere in Kashmir, and sometimes, your memories are disturbing. I used to think that I have seen everything [as far as attacks are concerned]. But then, we witnessed something like this in Mumbai, the financial hub of the country. The silence in the city [during those days] was scary and shook me. I can never forget it,” says the actor.
The Amazon Prime Video series, also starring Konkona Sen Sharma, sees Raina as a doctor torn between his duty and his concern for his wife who is trapped in a five-star under siege. Reliving the dark chapter of Mumbai’s history is bound to be emotionally draining. “The subject itself was challenging. Plus, this was the first time I was dealing with a subject that had a bound time frame. We had to showcase what happened in 48 hours, over a shoot of 40 to 60 days. So, that takes an emotional toll on you. You don’t have the liberty of playing with your emotions because [the story is set in] a limited time span.”
Though television gave him his biggest claim to fame Devon Ke Dev — Mahadev, Raina is relishing his graduation to OTT with hard-hitting projects like Kaafir (2019) and Mumbai Diaries. He agrees that the OTT boom has changed the business. “Kaafir was supposed to be made as a feature film, but it didn’t materialise. It went from one producer to another, before it was made as a web series. So, stories like these, which were not being told [on the big screen], are now getting an opportunity to reach the audience.”
A day prior to getting admitted, I was shooting with Bikramjeet Kanwarpal-Mohit Raina
8:09 AM
Actor Mohit Raina says that although recovering from Covid-19 was tough, he can’t help but think of frontline workers
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 18, 2021)
Mohit Raina, who was hospitalized after contracting Coronavirus, last month, recovered well and is currently at home.
Raina shared pictures of himself in hospital, including one where his hand is resting on a hospital bed. The Devon Ke Dev – Mahadev actor captioned the post, saying, “As I look outside and inside I say a small prayer for everyone. Dad always said prayers work magically. I would request all of you to stay safe and pray for humanity… Everyday I see a gamut of human emotions. we are okay coz of them..(sic)”
Talking about the battle with Covid, the actor explains his ordeal, “Apparently, according to doctors, the virus was very strong and it was beginning of the second wave, so it went unnoticed for some time. After having severe symptoms, I was hospitalised for a long time till I was stable and discharged. I was in isolation till I completely recovered. I am indebted to the doctors in Lucknow.”
Raina was shooting there when he fell ill and also recalls shooting with actor Major Bikramjeet Kanwarpal, who recently passed away, days before Raina tested positive. “I feel lucky because a day prior to getting admitted I was shooting with Maj. Bikramjeet and as we all know he is not with us anymore. May his soul RIP.”
He adds, “Hospitalisation was tough but in the current scenario you can’t complain because what people on the ground are going through is beyond our imagination. I just pray to the Almighty that we all pass these unprecedented times. My takeaway and learning from these times is the same which I have always followed and that is, you don’t need much to live a happy and content life.”
I got addicted to power on the small screen-Mohit Raina
7:36 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 14, 2019)
Mohit Raina, who became a TV heart-throb with his chiselled physique after his outing as Shiva in the television serial Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, made his big-screen debut earlier this year with Uri: The Surgical Strike. Now, the good-looking actor is set to foray onto the digital platform with ZEE5’s web series Kaafir, which is inspired by the true story of a Pakistani woman who crosses over to India with her little daughter, and gets imprisoned. Mohit plays a journalist who helps bring them justice. Here, he tells us about his digital debut, and why it took time to make the transition from TV to films...
Has life changed after Uri: The Surgical Strike?
Yes, I guess so. Filmmakers are looking at me differently. They approach me with various kinds of scripts, which they feel I will be able to do.
Why did it take so long for you to make the transition from TV to films?
That’s because on TV you have a lot of exposure on a regular basis. You need to disconnect and reconnect with the market because they are different platforms. TV’s demands are different from those of films. It took me some time to understand and relate to these demands and slowly, steadily make them (filmmakers) believe that I could portray some nice and different characters.
Now you are making your digital debut with Kaafir, which again has you portraying an intense character.
I had heard the story of Kaafir a while back and it was nothing close to the other subject (Uri). When Siddharth (P Malhotra, producer) approached me and narrated the script, I was looking forward to doing it because it would let me showcase different emotions. This is a story which was waiting to be told for more than 10 years. Bhavani Iyer, who is the writer, has been working on it for 13 years. I feel fortunate to be a part of it. This is more about human emotions and drama. I was sold in the first minute as to how could a person be so selfless and giving. He gave precious time and invested years of his life to bring a smile and happiness to somebody else who was a stranger.
You play a journalist in the series? Did you take any inspiration?
The profession is just the backdrop — he is a journalist and then he turns out to be a lawyer. What was important was the human journey and emotions.
Is shooting for a web series different from films and TV?
It’s absolutely different. Kaafir is an eight-episode series; but while shooting, you really don’t know which part is for which episode. You have to constantly be in sync with emotions. It’s not a start-to-finish schedule like a film where you shoot and join the dots. You have to be particular about your emotions and need to know the entire script.
How was the experience of shooting in Himachal?
It was good because we were shooting outdoors and we got a lot of time to devote to our work. Plus, we got to work in a natural environment. We used to shoot in a small town called Kalpa, which has a limited population. So, the locals were really helpful — we used to get home-cooked food. Conditions were tough, but they were workable.
You are doing a romantic film Shiddat next..
Yes, I am looking forward to it. I will start shooting for it soon.
You have a great female fan following, but we didn’t see you doing any romantic show on TV. Why?
Because I got addicted to power on the small screen (he played Shiva in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, Ashoka in Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and Havildar Ishar Singh in Battle of Saragarhi) and enjoyed it too much. But now, it’s time to explore those options.
Are you taking a break from the small screen?
As of now, I am exploring different avenues. If something great comes my way, I will see.
I couldn’t join the army because I am short sighted-Mohit Raina
10:57 PM
Mohit Raina fulfilled his dream with film debut; now hopes to play hockey legend Dhanraj Pillai
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 7, 2019)
Almost 13 years after debuting on TV with Antariksh, Mohit Raina is gearing up for the release of his first Hindi film, Uri: The Surgical Strike, in which he plays Captain Karan Kashyap. “Since I am from Kashmir, I grew up around the Indian army which was a pillar of strength in difficult times. At the age of three, I had decided to join the army but I ended up becoming an actor,” he informs. Prod him on why he did not make the cut and he says, “I missed out because I am short-sighted. But life has come a full circle and with this film I return to the Valley as an Army Officer during the URI attack. It’s as close as I’ll ever come to living out my dream.”When asked if he had a different approach to the script and his character given that he’s from Kashmir, the actor says that he simply surrendered to the the the director, Aditya Dhar’s vision. “I approached it as someone who is not aware of the details of the surgical strike. I wanted to be a part of the film at any cost. Not just for a Kashmiri, it’s an emotional subject for most Indians as we are a patriotic lot and empathise with those serving at the border,” he asserts.
It couldn’t have come at a better time given that this is an election year. “A film like Uri will do well irrespective of when it releases. I’m confident the reactions would have been the same had it released in any other year. I can’t comment on numbers but I know that people are interested in watching this film,” he avers.
Mohit is a known face on TV having played the lead in shows like Devon Ke Dev – Mahadev, Mahabharat, Ashoka Samrat and 21 Sarfarosh - Saragarhi 1897. Talking about his transition to films, he says, “I’d love to act in films, as that’d give me the opportunity to play multiple characters unlike TV where you’re stuck with one character for a year. But there’s no strategy in place,” he smiles, optimistic of the future because this is the best time for a creative person to be in the industry. “It’s not easy to cheat the audience today, you have to sell them what they want to buy.”
Is there a role he’d like to play? Pat comes the reply, “The titular role in the biopic of hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay. His is a fascinating story.”
Having played Havildar Ishar Singh in the TV show, 21 Sarfarosh, what’s his take on Akshay Kumar’s Kesari, which is also based on the Battle of Saragarhi? “It will be a big film. It’s a story of an underdog coming out as a hero and deserves to be told on a big scale,” he says.
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