The actor talks about the current environment that exists within the world of theatre in India
Sanskrita Bharadwaj (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 14, 2019)

Actor Neil Bhoopalam, who is known more popularly for being a theatre actor than a mainstream Bollywood actor has acted in several prominent plays such as Nadir Khan’s A Few Good Men and Hamlet — The Clown Prince by Rajat Kapoor. Neil admits that he is “primarily a stage actor”. “I am comfortable on stage because I have done a lot of theatre. It’s been about fifteen years now,” he says.

Neil, who hasn’t had any formal training in acting, always wanted to be on stage. “I became part of plays immediately after college because I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he says.

However, the actor, who’s acted in films and shows on OTT platforms as well, thinks that even though he feels at home when he’s on stage, his job is that of a performer and he can’t choose a particular format where he enjoys acting the most. “The formats don’t really matter to me, I am going to keep acting,” he adds.

When asked if he has seen the Indian theatre scene evolve over the years, he says, there is a level of caution that seeps in when someone is writing a script for a play. “Now, there is a purdah, earlier there was a lot of freedom, in terms of what you could say. I think it has been this way for a while now. Once you get out of the whole feeling of feeling really good about yourself for being on stage, you will realise all these other things that exist in the world of theatre. Sometimes, you have to think twice about whether a particular dialogue should be there or not. One needs to be slightly mindful. You can’t just go up on the stage thinking you would be able to say exactly what you want to say and perhaps that’s where the challenge lies. One should probably come up with ways to use this shortcoming to their advantage instead,” he explains.

The actor will be next seen performing, Hamlet - The Clown Prince, at St Andrews Auditorium, Bandra, this month. He signs off by saying that he has always had a lot of fun working on Hamlet, “We have taken it all over the world now”.

For Aadyam, actors Neil Bhoopalam and Rajit Kapur step into the buffed shoes of Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, to portray a few good men
Ekta Mohta (MID-DAY; July 14, 2019)

In the middle of our interview with theatre director Nadir Khan, "garibon ka Tom Cruise" walks in. Actor Neil Bhoopalam, who is set to play Cruise's character on Khan's production of A Few Good Men, knows that "a fair amount of jokes" is on its way. Khan is ready with his: "When Neil is shaved, he looks as close as we (Indians) can to Tom Cruise."

Aadyam's fifth season debuts with A Few Good Men, written originally by playwright and star screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, as a rat-a-tat courtroom exchange between two formidables. In 1992, it was adapted to screen; Cruise played the green US Navy lawyer and Jack Nicholson played the scenery-chewing colonel in the Marine Corps. Khan, who is directing his second legal play after 12 Angry Jurors in 2016, is game for comparisons. "Bring them on. Comparisons are inevitable, especially when you're dealing with scripts that have been made into iconic films. The point is, just because you know a story doesn't necessarily mean that it can only be told one way. For example, the story of Red Riding Hood: it doesn't mean that [since] kids have heard it once, they never want to hear it again. Watching a story you know in a different medium with a different director [can be just as exciting]."

He zeroed in on Bhoopalam and Rajit Kapur because he needed "actors of a particular calibre. It is Sorkin, which means that it is cracking scriptwriting. And, there's a lot of work involved because it is so dialogue-based. The dialogue is the real pleasure of it all. You need actors who are quick on their feet, have the right instincts, who can just take a line and bring it to life." Which means the leads have their work cut out. "The fact is, the force of the actor's personality and the force of the character you create, is what you (the audience) are reacting to," says Khan. "It was Jack Nicholson at the end of the day. The camera could have just focused on his nose, and you'd feel the same way. It's really [about] how you construct the scene. And the actors get to a point, where it is so precisely choreographed and rehearsed, that you are swept in."

For Bhoopalam, that meant homework. "Just to get a quick story line and some of the details, I watched [the movie] on Nadir Khan's homework list: but earlier on in the rehearsal process, not now. I was part of [the TV show] 24, and you don't want to watch [the original], otherwise you get too influenced by the grammar. This is also the first time I'm playing a lawyer. And, it's interesting to see this argument [play out]. Nadir did #SingIndiaSing last year, so he also listens to the sur of it, the tone of it." When he was initially approached for the role, "I didn't know which part Nadir wanted me to play. I had done two-bit roles in some of his plays. And now, I've got a lead. I didn't know there was so much responsibility. I started going one page after the other, and I was like, 'Oh, this guy is in every scene.' I should check the message again. Who am I playing?"

Even though Khan is not a Sorkin "bhakt" and Bhoopalam is "getting there," the latter says, "You pick up any scene and you read it, it's got a lot of power. Yesterday, in fact, this happened. I didn't share this with you (Khan). You're watching your fellow actor say the lines and you put forth the argument and you actually really get drawn. Your mind can't wander. Even if the person is opposing, it's still a valid argument. It is still truth in itself. So, it's a clash of opinions and it's a clash of those truths. Now, whose truth is bigger or better than the other?" Bhoopalam doesn't say it, but it's on the tip of our tongue: you can't handle the truth.

Where: St Andrew's Auditorium, St Dominic Rd, Bandra West; 26410926
When: July 20 and 21; 4 PM and 7.30 PM
Entry: Rs 300 – Rs 1,250
To book: www.insider.in

Anushka Sharma draws this analogy between her life's motto and theme of her upcoming film, 'NH10', during her recent visit to mid-day office along with co-actors Neil Bhoopalam and Darshan Kumar
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 10, 2015)

How did you come about trusting Navdeep Singh for your first production?
Anushka: I hadn't seen his first film ('Manorama Six Feet Under'), but had heard great things about it from Vikas Bahl and Anurag Kashyap. I met Navdeep at my house; Vikas and Vikramaditya (Motwane) were also present. The two of them kept talking about the film while Navdeep stayed mum. After listening to them, I asked for Navdeep's opinion. He shifted a bit and said the film was nothing like the way Vikas and Vikram pitched it. I was sold. This man who has not made a film for years tells me with utmost honesty in front of the producers that the film is not how they described it. He was clear about what he wanted and it seemed exciting.
Neil: Navdeep is pretty sure about what he wants. There is no faffing around.

Rajkummar Rao was supposed to do the film with you. How did Neil Bhoopalam come into the picture?
Anushka: I didn't even know Rajkummar was doing the film, so I was shocked to see an article about me throwing him out of the film. Even Freida Pinto was supposed to do the film before me.
Darshan: Yes, initially it was Rajkummar, Freida and me.
Anushka: When I came on board, it was Neil opposite me. Navdeep may have thought Rajkummar didn't fit the role; he is the best person to answer this question.

Having been on the other side, do you look at producers in a different way now?
Anushka: I have learnt how difficult it is to make films. There are a lot of opinions and creative differences. You also learn about what is sellable and what isn't. 'NH10' is purely content-driven; there are no songs in this 1 hour 45 minute-long film.
Darshan: There is one promotional song though. It is called 'Chhil gaye naina', and has received a lot of appreciation.

Was she a good producer?
Darshan: We didn't feel that she was the producer.
Anushka: The easiest time for the producer is when the film is being shot. The real test is selling the film. It was a challenging role for me as an actor and then I had work in collaboration with my brother (Karnesh, co-producer) too. Our responsibilities are well divided. Apart from the sand storm accident, everything was smooth sailing.

Who came up with the title 'Clean Slate' for the production house?
Anushka: Me! That's how I like to live my life. I don't carry any baggage. The idea was to bring new ideas and thoughts.