IS IT GAME ON FOR MR RIGHT?
He may be a TV heartthrob but Barun Sobti is an easy-going actor who doesn't strategise much and would rather go with the flow. He tells Angela Paljorhow his latest football film clarified his concept of acting He may be a TV heartthrob but Barun Sobti is an easy-going actor who doesn't strategise much and would rather go with the flow. He tells Angela Paljorhow his latest football film clarified his concept of acting
I would always look up to great actors and wonder if their act was part of the script or smart improvisation. So the first time I read the script of Tu Hai Mera Sunday, I got a closure and realised that everything was part of the script and as an actor, I had to figure out how to deliver my lines naturally, says Barun Sobti, who is back in his hometown, busy promoting his film Tu Hai Mera Sunday, set to release on October 6.
The Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon fame actor, who made his Bollywood debut in 2014 with the not-so-successful Main Aur Mr Riight, feels the USP of the film was its easy relatable language, context and realism. "It is simple and comes naturally to everyone. Though good scripts are in abundance, it is the actors who fail to narrate the language in consonance with the audience or interpret the roles in a contemporary context, says Sobti, seasoned by his many television and experimental film outings.
He plays Arjun Anand, one of the five friends who meet every Sunday at Juhu beach to play football the only way to get by in the crazy world they live in. In the process of finding a space to play football, they end up figuring out the real essence of their own lives.
However, Sobti didn't go through any rigorous practice or research for the film. "Milind Dhaimade, our director, had everything sorted out for us. Since the backdrop of the film is football, we had to look like we had been playing together for ages. For a month, we played with the coach of the Mumbai Football Club (FC) and another ten days at Juhu beach to figure out the difference between playing on a turf and a beach, recalls Sobti, who loves watching football but unfortunately doesn't find time to play.
"For the dialogues, we had workshops for 25 to 30 days. We worked on the scenes one after the other. Everything was recorded and the angles were figured out a wholesome rehearsal for the actors, director and the director of photography. And in the end, we started shooting and there was hardly any scene that gave any trouble, shares the 33-year-old actor.
For Sobti, working with Dhaimade has been a feast. "He is the centre of madness and intelligence. I really enjoyed working with him because, for one thing, he is so open to suggestions that no matter who suggests it, if he likes it, he will accept it. Also, not only do you get to learn from him but you get to discover yourself.
With the film gaining recognition after being screened at various film festivals the British Film Institute London Film Festival (BFI) in 2016, New York Indian Film Festival, Cinequest Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival in 2017 it is hard to imagine if it would have generated buzz in the first place. Ironically, when Dhaimade made the film, he didn't even think once about it being a part of any film festival. "Mostly all the films that are a part of the festival circuit are thought-provoking and serious. Our film does not fall in any of these genres. Rather it is the happiest film of 2017. Though I don't understand the concept, people feel that if a film has been received well at a festival, it automatically attracts respect which in turn works for us, says the actor who has been in the news recently for his TV series Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon III, which is ending abruptly this week.
However, Sobti has no complaints whatsoever about it tanking so soon. "I think I am among the very few privileged people who had the liberty and the opportunity to be a part of the entertainment industry. And if I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing. I have respect for every medium, be it TV, films or digital shows. Acting doesn't change. What separates each is the execution, which is majorly handled by the production team.
But he stresses on the enormous potential of television. "Unfortunately, people haven't tapped the potential of television which will definitely boost the socio-economic structure of the country. Personally, for me, the experience has been great so far.
The film also stands out for being an amalgamation of actors from various platforms. Working with an ensemble cast of senior and fresh actors has been a different experience altogether for Sobti. "I got to learn a lot from everybody. None of us had an attitude or ego; rather we appreciated the one who was really good at something. Everyone keeps on asking, What is your takeaway from the film?' Other than the experience, I have made really good friends. Dhaimade always says that keep the lot together, place a camera in front of them and a script will be made.
The actor feels that he is always misunderstood as being choosy and difficult. "I am a very simple person. I read a script and if I like it, I go ahead with it. Neither do I sit and ponder upon it, nor do I think of breaking stereotypes.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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