The difficulty of playing Rudra !

Arshics

@Arshics

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Posted: 10 years ago

#1

In the already bhool bhulaiyya story of MAHAKUMBH,

It's not just the events, but also the characters that are quite complex

What adds to our problems is Babbaljis style of narration

He doesn't explain, or justify his characters or their actions

Many times he doesn't even set the ground or give any fore warning

His characters just explode on the screen and do their thing

Living us to piece it together and make sense of it

With every passing episode, if one thread gets unravelled

Many more get knotted up!

The most challenging, and nerve racking of these has been the hero himself

Rudra, as assayed by Gautam

Rudra, in his grown up avatar is an enigma

And conditioned as we were to the serenity of child Rudra

This Rudra seemed to start off all wrong !

So what's it?

Has Babbal failed to pass on the essence of Rudra to the writers?

Or has Gautam got it all wrong?

Or it's us who have to relook at Rudra ?

Babbal says this is what my Rudra at present is like!

Rudra is this wild untamed uncontrolled kind of man

Who has a lot of pent up rage, and you better accept him as that, thank you

If you want a calmer, softer Rudra, you are not getting it

At least not at this point in the story

So, I thought let's look at this Rudra, as THE Rudra, and try to see if we can justify and understand him

Rudra - a boy who lost his father at the age of 4 5.

And as he is a super boy, the memory of that day

Stayed trapped in his mind

He could not share the trauma of those moments with anyone

But the storm within him raged on

12 years later, another explosion, another fire, another repeat of him losing his father

This time his adolescent mind making even lesser sense of this tragedy

Now let's try to imagine this Rudra growing up

Extremely strong physically

Extremely developed intellect

Very very sharp photographic memory

Highly emotionally strung and very connected to the pain of his loved one

At the peak of his youth,with a latent awareness of his power

A lot of repressed energy

The power to change the world, the heart full of emotional upheaval

A body so strong, yet there is no outlet, no way to expend all that physical and emotional energy

Could that be why Rudra comes across as so highly strung?

For when he does get provoked, there's too much in him that explodes and that he has not yet learnt to tame or control?

Is this then the essence of Rudra? And we need to accept him as he is?

A very very angry untamed rustic guy?

Do share your views and let's discuss this enigma called Rudra

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Orchid

@_OrChiD_

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Posted: 10 years ago

#2

This is what I got from an article which is uploaded on GR's website.

I play a man named Rudra and Rudra is mysterious, enigmatic, aggressive.

Edited by Orchid25 - 10 years ago

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Arshics

@Arshics

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Posted: 10 years ago

#3

Originally posted by: Orchid25
This is what I got from an article which is uploaded on GR's website.
I play a man named Rudra and Rudra is mysterious, enigmatic, aggressive.

Ya I think this is how Gautam and Babbal have conceived him, and we have to accept this Rudra

He is not our conventional sweet hero, this one will make us reexamine our own thought process and Gautam will play him with this fire and passion!

Linda, this guy has a raw intensity and gAuti is packing all punches into this role!

Edited by Arshics - 10 years ago

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happychappy

@happychappy

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Posted: 10 years ago

#4

Arshi, forgive me for repeating myself..😛

Originally posted by: happychappy

...
The main scene on Thursday was quite shocking for me... A bit like Kungfu Panda meets Sholay.😲 Rudr resembled a wild animal closing in on his prey - the resemblance was surreal... AB's vision of Rudr is something we'll have to wrestle with... It's totally outside whatever I was expecting - rawer, stronger, in fact, feral is the word that springs to mind. And casting Gautam Rode is a surefire way of pushing viewers out of their comfort zone, and possibly even the actor.

...

Edited by happychappy - 10 years ago

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appukrish

@appukrish

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Posted: 10 years ago

#5

Rudra is definitely not our conventional sweet hero. For almost two years we got used to GR as Saras and getting used to a new look is not easy.

We knew from the promos of the show that Rudra would be raw, aggressive etc.. , but what we didn't expect was the extent of the aggressiveness. He seems like a wild animal.

This reminds me of the movie Ghajini. There too Aamir was like this, wild and aggressive and his circumstances also were similar to Rudra's. I guess circumstances could turn one into such a person.

If this is how ABji wanted to portray Rudra, we'll have to make peace with it.

All said and done, I still feel Rudra is shown way to aggressive. Hopefully once he meets his father, Dadi etc and the story moves on, we'll see a different Rudra.

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RANOU

@RANOU

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Posted: 10 years ago

#6

It's in its good time Arshi, I was about to write about same thing, I will answer you here and post it else, and you are very good in writing, from where you come with these words and descriptions 😊 you are among people to whom I love to read in this forum.

I don't like this aggressive caracter of Rudra, but I accepted it as something new at our TV. Sincerly, who tells us that in aaall this world, there is not really such people with an aggressive character like rudra, we saw it with Aamir khan in Ghajini like mentally troubled so that can exist. (knowing that Aamir had a very good critical response for this caracter)

I should also say that I read in an article that GR mentioned, with Full term, that his caracter is like "an animal" when he is angry http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Gautam-Rode-I-will-never-leave-one-show-to-go-to-another/articleshow/45855467.cms

I don't think arvind Babbal or GR or utkarsh missed this character, but certainly they want it like this, just like what you described Arshi, and they dont talk a lot about it, and they don't explain to the public "why he's like this" to let him mysterious. But is the audience will understand and accept it?! i doubt!

We have not yet reached that level of thinking in Indian TV, we only follows the gentle hero, saas bahu or love stories that entertain, and to reach this level I think we still need years.

The big problem now is that GR or Arvind Babbal should talk about it, to at least explain that the character is like this, "we want it or not it is designed that way" and should told us why they want him like this, so we "viewers" can understand the reason of this complex.

Sometimes I giggled when i heard others saying that the actor shouldn't exaggerate and must control his overacting or the director is OUT. The question is: who are themselves to find out how this character is?! and how far this aggression must be expressed?!! they are the director, or writer or creator?!!

For sure if the director sees the actor making an "overacting" he will tell him to repeat the scene. The making-of goes through several stages, and after the director, there is creation and production team, to be finally an episode we can watch on TV with what they want it to be.

Everything that comes into my mind on hearing these comments is the fact to laugh deeply from my heart, as if they were the ones who hold the keys of this character, and the director/writer and creation are children just playing to give us a cartoon.

I dont say to not criticize, far from this, We can always criticize everything in their work it's on no account perfect, but we never can tell them why you create such a character or to suspect anything like for exemple they missed the character, coz logically, they are people who know what they want, "we like or no this character" he will be there like this and with intent.

The mistake MK Team do in my view, is that they don't explain why "OTT Rudra?" (especially when they know it is necessary for our category of viewers, coz we don't understand randomly and easily beyond things, we need explanation and it is not our mistake, we are not used with our TV shows made before).

We have to admit, It is not an ordinary story, it's not an entertainment, and they want a message with it. We can always criticize but never doubt what they want to show us! All their team say "you accept you follow, if no, you can not follow, it's your choice" that's why it's not about TRP i guess. They know this is an experience to raise the level of TV and wait for public response, but anyhow at bottom, they want it to work of course, coz it would be a recognition to their effort, this is why they are happy every week with the show first in TRPs.

And since we are used to the entertaining shows and many of us still not able to think with logic in our analysis of things, And since this is a first experience, And since the team want it to work too, all I request and hope is that GR and Arvind babbal speak a little about the caracter of rudra to the media and they explain things to the viewers if they want people to follow and receive their message, there is few very few interviews and it will not help the show if they still like this, coz otherwise, except the few ones who use their brains to see beyond things, other people are not going to make effort and accept it and none will follow it after!

I already wonder how GR behaves with people who tell him that stuff, and when he reads such comments, he know for sure that people find him strange, surprising/ or overacting like they say, i'am sure! is that does nothing to him?!! is he and Arvind keep their disappointment for them?!! i don't know really!! It's true that he expected this, while saying a few months before this role is difficult, complex and can not be accepted from a lot of people, but I really don't want be in his place now! Hope for the best to all their team coz they work hard and whatever it is, their motive is for the "Good".

Edited by RANOU - 10 years ago

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MaddyO

@MaddyO

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Posted: 10 years ago

#7

Very interesting post & entire thread.

I had made a thread after GR entry into MK - it was not about GR but the character of Rudra. When young Rudra comes back to Maimui (after Udiyababa death) - it appeared like Rudra has kinda made peace & was content with Maimui - they showed some cute snippets - so why then the adult Rudra was in so much rage? If they had not showed us young Rudra's almost serene accepted avatar we would not be wondering at raging Rudra!

I so want to see a brainy Rudra not just brawny one. Frankly nothing to do with actor but he bashing up 10 people is kinda filmy. OK they have established by now that he has super strength & can take on anybody physically. I want to see Rudra using his brains now - surely a super being or protector of Mahakumbh & Amrut cannot be just rage & bang version.

Hoping to see more layers of Rudra - esp the brainy side. So far he seems like anybody can push his button & he will explode in anger!

Super strength should be with super brain - that is far more appealing.

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sp108

@sp108

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Posted: 10 years ago

#8

Arshi, whatever is the director's vision of Rudra, it needs to be translated on-screen. Babbalji can say anything off screen, but audience only evaluates by what they see. The only way to evaluate if the director's thoughts have been effectively translated on-screen, is the audience's reaction. If the audience is confused (and not by the plot which is intended to create suspense and hence confusion) by the portrayal, then there is a problem IMO. Having said that, I don't think it is the problem with the acting, but with the portrayal.

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happychappy

@happychappy

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Posted: 10 years ago

#9

Originally posted by: sp108
Arshi, whatever is the director's vision of Rudra, it needs to be translated on-screen. Babbalji can say anything off screen, but audience only evaluates by what they see. The only way to evaluate if the director's thoughts have been effectively translated on-screen, is the audience's reaction. If the audience is confused (and not by the plot which is intended to create suspense and hence confusion) by the portrayal, then there is a problem IMO. Having said that, I don't think it is the problem with the acting, but with the portrayal.

Well-phrased...👏

I feel that Mr. Babbal must have a method behind what appears like madness.

Just as Rudr develops magical levels of physical strength when he is in danger (remember the teenage Rudr breaking loose from his chains), so he has other qualities like the animal aggression which appears at certain times... Perhaps that is part of this particular super-man's persona, maybe there is a mythological? basis to the persona... Imho, this show is like an iceberg right now, what has been revealed to us so far is only a small part of the whole.

The confusion about the portrayal needs to be resolved by the maker himself - either onscreen or off. We can certainly have fun speculating about it in the meanwhile.😊

About the acting, I must say Mr. Rode has been doing well. He even manages to look quite authentically non-urban as well as non-urbane. Usually the eyes/expression can let the actor down when a city-slicker tries to play small-town boy, but no missteps here so far, on that count. ⭐️

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sjj23

@sjj23

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Posted: 10 years ago

#10

Originally posted by: happychappy

Well-phrased...👏

I feel that Mr. Babbal must have a method behind what appears like madness.

Just as Rudr develops magical levels of physical strength when he is in danger (remember the teenage Rudr breaking loose from his chains), so he has other qualities like the animal aggression which appears at certain times... Perhaps that is part of this particular super-man's persona, maybe there is a mythological? basis to the persona... Imho, this show is like an iceberg right now, what has been revealed to us so far is only a small part of the whole.

The confusion about the portrayal needs to be resolved by the maker himself - either onscreen or off. We can certainly have fun speculating about it in the meanwhile.😊

About the acting, I must say Mr. Rode has been doing well. He even manages to look quite authentically non-urban as well as non-urbane. Usually the eyes/expression can let the actor down when a city-slicker tries to play small-town boy, but no missteps here so far, on that count. ⭐️

well said happy di👏👏👏

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The difficulty of playing Rudra !

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