Regular people like you and me view actors and their lives through a special lens, right? In fact, we keep viewing and viewing! ‘Enough’ is not a word to apply here because many of us are dying to witness every moment of their personal lives 24*7. Not simply happy with their screen presence and performance, we’re keen to know how they look as they walk into the airport or work out in the gym or eat at their favourite restaurant with friends and family. These are our darling stars and as fans and followers, we have every right to know, don’t we? How handsome and beautiful they are even in real life, perfectly styled, posing and smiling their high-volt smiles while waving at us. They are living our dream existence, having packaged so many of our own hopes and aspirations into their fabulous lives. No wonder we’ve put them high up on that pedestal. And, social media has made it only too easy for us to remain incredibly close to them.
Then, one day, we quite forget everything and replace them with a new face.
Take a pause. Ever wondered what the actor himself or herself feels like going through this intense roller-coaster of admiration and adulation one day and near nothingness the other? Do these hugely-altered states affect them? How do the stronger ones tune in to their conscious side and juggle professional and personal lives despite this insane pressure? After all, they are as human as the rest of us.
Cam-on-go spoke to five Bengali screen actors to get a grip on their psychology. All of them are at different stages of their careers and have varying levels of experience, but each has successfully brought their characters to life, won millions of hearts, and then gone back to being just themselves. Read on to know what keeps them going. We’re taking a leaf or two out of their books, for sure!
Rishi Kaushik – Over the years, I have acted in quite a few Bangla serials. One of my most memorable roles remains that of Dr. Ujaan Chatterjee (from Ekhane Aakash Neel). Shooting for the episodes, I’ve often had visitors on the set who came to meet the character, Dr. Ujaan Chatterjee, full of admiration at how he led his life. There were instances when a young boy would tell me that his mother had persuaded him to study medicine in order to become a Dr. Ujaan Chatterjee in real life! On occasions, I met young parents who had named their baby boy ‘Ujaan’ after my character. Till today, some viewers reach out and tell me how deeply they’ve been influenced by my character. Needless to say, this role that I played, that of Dr. Ujaan Chatterjee, remains close to my heart, and I have a deep emotional connect with Ujaan.
Personally, I do not go through any turmoil mentally when a project I have been working in for a considerable length of time draws to a close. Even on a daily basis, all the stress and exhaustion that I experience goes right out the moment I am back home, as I prefer to leave my work behind, the minute it is over for the day. When I am in the studio getting my makeup done, my brain is generating ideas and I am mentally prepping for my role. The instant it’s “pack-up”, I disassociate myself and go back to being Rishi Kaushik. When a certain project gets over, on the final day, I do feel a sense of sadness. It comes from the realization that I will probably not be meeting most of the crew and cast in the near future, certainly not as a unit. Personally, I have attuned myself to attaching myself to a role – whether a middle-class professional or an unscrupulous wealthy businessman – and detaching myself without any fuss when it is over.
(We’re clapping for this leading man’s sheer professionalism.)
Manali Manisha Dey – Definitely, I got plenty of recognition as Mouri (from Bou Katha Kao) but honestly, it is quite difficult to pick and choose favourites from the characters that I have played so far. For each role, no matter what its numerical chronology in my filmography, I have attempted to treat it as a brand-new beginning and approached with the same freshness that I would give my first role. If I don’t have an emotional connect with the character that I need to play, how can I expect to do justice to it?
- As for breaks between projects, my father counselled me right at the beginning that the acting profession is quite different from others, and so are actors. There are bound to be phases when an actor is not working. Temperamental sadness, anxiety, and negative emotions will only aggravate the situation when you are not performing or working professionally. Remain patient, make use of the phase to rest and relax, spend quality time with your loved ones, and hone your skills better so that when the next role comes along, you are fit and fabulous and bringing your best to it.
(Rock- solid tips from Manali to keep every professional motivated.)
Arpan Ghosal – When a project you have been working on for a length of time gains a fair amount of popularity, it is but natural that people start associating you with the character you’ve played. As actors, we have all experienced this in varying degrees. Viewers have identified me as “Dodo” at times instead of “Arpan”. It comes with our profession and I am quite proud about such recognition. It is what we aspire for as actors. However, picking a favourite is not just difficult but, in a way impossible, because each role I play is one I personally associate with and hence, a favourite in its own way.
- . As for the sense of void when a project gets over, that is natural too. You may have been working yourself to death to complete your work and suddenly, you realize it is all over – the crew and cast members are going their individual ways, and it is unlikely that you will be working as an exact same unit ever again. That’s a bittersweet feeling, somewhat akin to Dasami celebrations on Durga Puja. As for a period of lull in work, this is the time to start exploring and experimenting with your craft. Look for ways to sharpen your skills, methods, and knowledge. Learn newer things to keep yourself motivated. I personally believe that the period between projects should be treated as a phase of your individual growth as an actor.
(We hear Arnab. This is so relatable.)
Soumitrisha Kundu – I am happy that despite being fairly new, I’ve had the opportunity to work in several serials, films, and web series. I really can’t pinpoint any one character as my favourite because I believe that each in its way has contributed in some manner to further develop me as an actor and strengthen my successive role. If I have received recognition and love for a certain role, it is because I have been able to build on it from my past experiences. My profession demands that I remain in a flexible and fluid state – working with newer teams on newer sets all the time.
Variety is truly the spice of life when it comes to acting and actors. All the same, at every place I have worked in, I have got plenty of empathy and interacted with largely agreeable people. So, when it finally time to say “goodbye” to everyone after the project is complete, it is always tough. But, certainly there’s no cause for heartbreak!
(Three cheers for Soumitrisha’s emotional intelligence!)
Ranieeta Dash – Till date, the favourite character that I’ve played remains Baha (from Ishti Kutum) because of the tremendous love and admiration I received from countless viewers for it. When you have been enacting a certain character for a longish period, you do effectively lose yourself in the role and go with the groove – the crazy timelines, fast pace, and intensity.
- When the project comes to a close and it is time to go our own ways, there is a sense of sadness because the crew and cast tend to function like a family. But I have devised my own methods of coping with the situation. I think, “Whew! Now, for some rest,” and start looking forward to the quality time I can spend with my own folks. I may start planning a vacation to some place that’s been on my wish-list. As for work in the future, I prefer not to stress myself out thinking about what may or may not come my way. I keep looking to the future with a positive attitude.
(Simple elevated thinking this.)
Interviews by Antaripa Muherkjee and Neha Karmakar
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