Showing posts with label Utkarsh Sharma interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utkarsh Sharma interview. Show all posts
Gadar had set a certain benchmark that we have to match-Utkarsh Sharma
3:17 PM
The actor talks about his upcoming release Gadar 2, which has him sharing screen space with Sunny Deol 22 years after Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 10, 2023)
Utkarsh Sharma was just five years old when he shared screen space with Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. Cut to 22 years later, he’s back inGadar 2 as Jeete, once again sharing the screen space with his on-screen parents. The film, directed by his father, filmmaker Anil Sharma, releases tomorrow. Excerpts from a conversation with the actor:
‘It felt like I had travelled back in time when we shot Gadar 2’
“I had that feeling of déjà vu when I stepped into the set,” says Utkarsh. “It felt like I had travelled back in time. It was great to team up with Sunny sir and the whole team again. Gadar has set a certain benchmark that we have to match. So, it took us some time to crack a story that will move people like the first one did,” he adds.
Recounting the response to the film in 2001, he shares, “My mom and I had gone to watch the first day, first show of the film at Shaan Theatre to see the audience’s reaction. The theatre was packed, so we sat on the stairs. I remember people from all walks of life were under one roof to see the film. Whenever Sunny sir delivered his dialogues or performed a stunt, everybody would stand on the seats, clap and whistle. I hope Gadar 2 also receives a similar response.”
‘Sunny sir uplifts his co-stars and helps them do well’
Ask him if he felt nervous facing the camera with Sunny after 22 years, and he says, “You are nervous until the time you are in front of the camera because the camera is a great leveller. No one is senior or junior, younger or older. I am always a little in awe of Sunny sir when he is on set, but in front of the camera, we are actors and have to perform. There is no scope for nervousness, especially when you are motivated by the fact that you are working with an actor of his stature.”
Utkarsh shares that Sunny has influenced him a lot, especially because his father (Anil Sharma) has worked extensively with him. He says, “I have seen Sunny sir on multiple sets, including Gadar, Apne (2007), Singh Saab The Great (2013) and now Gadar 2. He has this big action star, larger-than-life image, but when you do an emotional scene with him, you realize that he is so much more than just an action star. And all that is translated into box-office success. I am a big Sunny Deol fan. As a kid, I got to work with him, and it was a dream come true when I got to work with him again. I discovered a lot about him this time around. I was surprised to know that he is a tech freak and that he played football in school. As an actor, he uplifts his co-stars and helps you do well.”
‘Gadar 2 helped me to be a little more free-spirited’
Utkarsh, who starred in Genius (2018), says that working on an intense film like Gadar 2 helped him grow as an actor. He shares, “Gadar 2 helped me be a little more free-spirited, because Jeete ka character waisa hai. When Jeete was a kid, he had certain characteristics – woh thoda ziddi tha, he would go to any limits for his parents and was very protective about his mother. I knew that I could not deviate from that and create a whole new character. So, I had to keep that behaviour, but at the same time introduce some newness to the character.”
In this industry, your success and failure are in the public eye. So, you have to be strong-Utkarsh Sharma
4:08 PM
Pallabi Purkayastha (BOMBAY TIMES; August 22, 2018)
He first got noticed as the child artiste in his father Anil Sharma’s smash hit Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), in which he played Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel’s son. And now, Utkarsh Sharma is all set for his second launch — this time, as the male lead — with Genius, directed by his dad. In an interview with BT, the young actor talks about his layered role in the upcoming film, the acting lessons that he learnt from his co-actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and how his father is a taskmaster on the set. Excerpts…
Considering the fact that every actor chooses his/her debut carefully, what made you say ‘yes’ to Genius? Also, how was the film conceptualized?
Well, the idea came to dad when I was still studying in the US, and he had narrated it to me when I was in Mumbai during my vacations. Originally, the character was 45 years old, and I felt that the story was uni-dimensional. Dad then kept this script aside and started working on Singh Saab The Great (2013). When I decided to join the industry, I wanted to work outside, but dad told me that he required an actor in my age bracket. He also told me that he had tweaked the age of the character and reworked the film accordingly. His idea was to comment on the youth of India, who often seem Western in their ways, but deep down, are rooted in their culture. I got interested in the film, because mine is a layered character. He not only ages in the film, but also comes from a very different background — Vrindavan. He is smarter than I am and he is always three steps ahead of everyone else. He knows the Bhagavad Gita and also has knowledge of modern science, and has his own philosophy in life. This guy is so brilliant that RAW picks him up at the age of 21. He is a prodigy and since it is a thriller, it has sub-texts where a lot is going on in the character’s head, but it’s shown very subtly.
The film will see you sharing screen space with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. How was it working with such an experienced and acclaimed actor in your first film?
Nawaz sir had seen my rushes before he signed the film, and he liked it. I was thrilled, as he is one of my favourite actors, and being complimented by him was a huge boost to my confidence. I was extremely excited when I learnt that he had signed the project. When I met him for the first time on the set, there was definitely a hint of nervousness. I thought, ‘How am I going to perform in front of him?’ However, he doesn’t behave like he is such an accomplished actor. He becomes the character that he is playing. He is constantly working on his nuances, body language and dialogues. You can see him pushing his limits, and it’s very inspiring because he makes you do the same.
What kind of conversation did you have with Nawaz on the set? Did he tell you about his journey as an actor and how he prepares for a role?
Usually, he is busy working on his own scenes, but occasionally, we would chat and I would ask him about his upcoming film Thakeray (biopic on Bal Thackeray) and how he is preparing for the role. When I told him that he was a born actor, he turned around and told me thar it’s not his inborn talent that made him a fine artiste, but his training at the National School of Drama that helped him get here. Even at this stage of his career, he gives credit to his training. The reason he has been able to make such a mark is not just because he has done some great work, but because of the person that he is, and that is very important to survive in this industry.
In an earlier interview, you had said that you don’t like to hog the limelight. But now that you are going to make your debut, are you ready for the public scrutiny?
Unfortunately, this is an industry where your success and failure are in the public eye. So, you have to be very tough; the biggest of actors have seen failures and the smallest of actors have tasted mammoth success. Anything can happen here; Friday se Friday aapki zindagi badal jaati hain. I am not media shy, but I would like to keep my life as private as possible. Today, even going to the gym is not private, and I find it a bit ridiculous. But it is all because people love actors and they want to know every little thing that they do. It is both good and bad, but kya kar sakte hain… that’s the way it is.
Did Anil Sharma give you any advice before the commencement of the shoot, not as a father but as an experienced filmmaker? Also, what kind of a director was he on the set? Was he lenient or a taskmaster?
Even at home, my dad is a director. He never takes off that hat. He told me that as an actor, if you are honest, it will reflect in your eyes and overall body language. He said to be a good actor, you have to learn not to act. Talking about the kind of director he is, he let me be, and and I also prefer it that way. He never put any pressure on me; in fact, he was always open to my improvisations, and if he thought that I needed to change anything about my performance, he would frankly tell me so. Our emotions never came in between, and on the set, he treated me like any other actor. There were times when I was not even provided with a vanity van. He is a taskmaster and he had made me work crazy hours, but ultimately, we have one common objective, ki film achhi bane.
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