Kashi Diary

A life in films is not a usual occurrence for people, of course. Nor is it exactly what kids imagine it to be in their hormonally coloured imaginations. If only they knew the more mundane, prosaic parts—the uncertainty and doubts, the tedium, the play of chance that often goes against you—some of them might be less inclined to pursue this dream. I was lucky to get a head start of sorts, having been born into a family immersed in Gujarati theatre. So I had only a smaller bridge to cross to reach the world of films. Still, as I survey my own little budding filmography, I seem to be doing alright. My latest, 3 Storeys, is releasing early this month—I think it’s a pretty little film, revolving around some interestingly written characters, including mine of course. Kashi, my Banarasi detour, I see as part of this journey.

It’s been some journey too, and after Kashi you can excuse me if I wax a little philosophical! Looking back at my career, there’s nothing much that I’d change about the script so far. I have managed to get some really decent movies under my belt. Anyone would consider himself fortunate to have his name rolling up in the credits for 3 Idiots, Rang De Basanti, Life in A Metro…. As films, all unusual and atypical in their own way, and coming at a time when Bollywood was beginning to redefine itself.

The films I’ve taken up recently, they have offered a double pleasure: critical acclaim for the projects, plus the sheer variety. Hate Story turned out to be a hit too, so I got my share of spotlight. But 1920 was a genre I’d never done before. Horror is something I’d always wanted to dabble in and now I’ve got something to scare my grandkids with! And yes, there was Golmaal: with the franchise growing, I’m sure characters needed to be changed in the sequels.

Perhaps each era in cinema unknowingly overestimates its own importance...it’s a guilty pleasure that cannot be denied to those in showbiz, whose very being revolves around creating a magnified view of things. There’s a lot of talk these days, for instance, about the apparent change in the taste of audiences. They prefer content-rich cinema today, or at least there’s an assumed consensus that it is so. In my opinion, perceptions keep changing, and so does the fondness audiences have for certain kinds of cinema. Content has never really been absent in this ever-evolving history. I’m glad to go along with my small part, whether it’s plain-vanilla or strawberry cinema. Filmmakers are not afraid to experiment with flavours, and that’s good for actors. But look at past personages—you get such élan, such force of personality! My father-in-law, veteran actor Prem Chopra, has been in the industry for over 50 years. And across countries, whenever I’m travelling, I still meet people who come up to me and talk about him. There’s the mystique right there. We simply cannot have another Prem Chopra!

(The writer is a noted Bollywood actor)