Shuddh Desi Interview with Sushant Singh Rajput
Sushant Singh Rajput is a man of few words but his acting on screen speaks louder than any words. Debuting with the heartwarming Kai Po Che earlier this year, he is already being touted as someone to watch out for. With Maneesh Sharma's Shuddh Desi Romance opposite Parineeti Chopra up next, to be followed by Raj Kumar Hirani's Peekay with Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma - there is some weight in the hype that surrounds him. In an exclusive interview with Filmicafe, Sushant opens up about being Raghu in Shuddh Desi Romance and what makes the film a standout romance. Read on.
Shuddh Desi Romance is a very unusual title. Why is it fit for the film?
Sushant: We were thinking about the right title to suit the film. The film itself is so refreshing, so new that we had to come up with something equally unique and quirky. The film talks about Indian sensibilities and romance in a real space as it normally happens in our life in India, which is why we went with Shuddh Desi Romance.
Is Raghu like you and how much of him is you?
Sushant: When we started with the film, I remember reading the script for the first time instinctively reacting to it and getting all excited about it. Personally I am not like Raghu but I have seen or come across him somewhere in my life. I understand him and what he is going through. I know his psychology and can relate to his internal conflicts. There were some similarities I connected with and many dissimilarities I had to work on. Finally when we started shooting for the film I was fully Raghu. When we were filming, the spontaneity I was coming up with was Raghu's and not mine.
As an actor you work through yourself into the character by figuring out all the similarities that you have. The similarities may be quite less so then you have to invent the character's background and do lots of research to figure out his psyche to give you the authority to pretend to be him. You have to make yourself believe that you are the character.
Raghu is sandwiched between Gayatri and Tara. What do you have to say about your leading ladies Parineeti and Vaani?
Sushant: Oh, they are fabulous. Speaking about Gayatri - Parineeti she is fantastic, passionate and extremely spontaneous. As an actor all you have to do while you are working with this kind of a co-actor is react to her and the chemistry looks organic and real. She would never complain when I would tell her to rehearse again and again, so I feel she deserves every bit of credit (laughs).
Talking about Tara - Vaani she is very driven. For someone who doesn't have any formal training in acting she was really confident in front of the camera. She has a great screen presence, is hardworking and has all the right ingredients for making it big in the industry.
You are sharing screen space with Rishi Kapoor as well. Your interactions with him look particularly hilarious, what was it like working alongside him?
Sushant: Rishi sir and I are from a different school of acting. He is so hugely experienced. The way he approaches his character, the way he approaches every scene - you get to learn so many things from him. Working with him was a huge learning experience for me.
Yash Raj Films has been a staple of romance over the years. What makes Shuddh Desi Romance standout?
Sushant: Most of the romantic films which we make are deliberately designed in a way to escape from our daily boring lives. The reason for this being that the mainstream audience is somewhat less attentive towards non-fantasy orientated films. In that way, Shuddh Desi Romance is a complete departure. The romance is in a very real space as it normally happens in our lives. Jaideep and Maneesh had researched intensely for this film to come up with something which is interesting, quirky and honest.
We address the confusion related to love and infatuation and the signs of love and infatuation which are so interchangeable at first. Then we also talk about the psychology of today's generation. We are in a confounding situation right now. We don't know what to do, whether to stick to our culture or not. Inbuilt in that culture are many contradictions and hypocrisies. There are certain protocols and norms we must follow in the industry. All of us who dare not to follow those rules, we are strictly being judged in a negative manner. We are all such people who are trying to think differently anf live differently. The film tackles all these hypocrisies in our society in an entertaining manner. The funny thing is all of the characters themselves don't do things intentionally. They just follow their heart, act out of biological scripting and then don't know what do to deal with repercussions of not adhering to society's protocols. The romance of Shuddh Desi will be a refreshing change for all of us.
How would gauge the success of a film like this which aspires to bring about a refreshing change?
Sushant: I seriously don't have the intellectual curiosity or endowment to describe why some films make a certain number at the box office and why some of the very good films find it so difficult to even find a good release. I don't know the reason. There is sometimes a misguided enthusiasm about all these big star films which are almost all okay in content but then everything else is there for them. The entertainment industry is growing at such a fast rate. The number of screens is increasing every year. We also have a newly prosperous middle class who are open to more realistic cinema and independent films with independent visions. There is a hope that even these realistic films which are high on content, are marketed well and have good actors would do 150 - 200 crores in the next 3 to 5 years.
Toronto audiences will be seeing you at Toronto Film Festival. Looking forward to it?
Sushant: I am very, very excited. It is a matter of great pride that our film has been selected. Even my first film Kai Po Che was picked for Berlin but I didn't get a chance to go there. This time I've packed by bags and am all ready (laughs).
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