Posted:
Heyyy :) So, I'll offeR my perspective to you: I never watched any indian shows before IPK1. In fact, I used to make fun of people who watched Indian shows (no offense, people). Then I accidentally watched IPK 1 one day with a friend of mine and I absolutely despised Arnav's character. I literally watched the next few episodes for Sanaya Irani. However, as the show moved on, I started loving Barun's portrayal of Arnav. I actually have taken acting classes and let me tell you one thing, OTT acting is never considered good. Acting is done best when you can convey your emotions and expressions in a very subtle way and Barun is very good in doing that. The reason being: acting should make you think as if the situation is happening in reality. To learn more, you can read Audition by Michael Shurtleff. It is a really good book and explains the art of acting really well. All the best actors don't do OTT acting. As a neutral person, I would say that majority of Indian audience is used to actors who clearly show their expressions when the camera is double zoomed on their face with loud BGM playing. However, in other countries, the approach towards direction of tv dramas is different and the actors also play their parts very subtly. I've watched a lot of Pakistani shows and trust me, there is not a lot of shouting and changing facial expressions with a gazillion camera zooms. The most seasoned actors are able to convince the audience to connect with their character without any OTT acting. Just to give Barun a fair chance, watch him in Tanhaiyan. He has done a fabulous job in it. Even in IPK3, some of the really impactful scenes IMO were the first time he enters Vashisht haveli: you can feel the pain he is feeling, the poetry he recited for Chandini, the hatred on his face in the dupatta burning scene, all the nani-advay scenes where his hidden emotions really do come out and many, many more.
But I guess, to each their own, It is completely okay for you to have an opinion regarding him or to like or dislike him. It depends on the kind of actors you are used to watching. Also, if you do get a chance, try watching his movie Tu Hai Mera Sunday. He has done an amazing job in that as well. Lastly, just to alleviate any concerns, I'm not a blind fangirl. I live in Canada and am doing my Masters currently and I barely have time to spend on any activities other than school so for me, to take out 30 min or so each day is a really big deal and I only spend time on stuff which I think is worth investing my time in and I really do think that entertainment wise, Barun's acting is worth it because he i naturally very good at it. The plus point is that he's also a great human being at heart which makes me feel good about supporting him :)
Anyhow, long story short, try to follow the show regularly if you can and you'll get accustomed to his acting style. Its a bit different than others so maybe you just need to get used to it. If not, then i really hope you can find a show that you enjoy watching. After all, its just entertainment, right?
All the best to you :)
Book Talk
Anupamaa
