The Acting bug bit me at a very young age-Sushant

Sushant Singh Rajput's small-screen acting ambitions have grown into a big-screen dream. All set to make his celluloid debut in his upcoming film Kai Po Che! the actor takes us through his life

Background

I grew up in Delhi and Patna and completed my higher studies from Hansraj College in Delhi. I was quite a studious kid and went on to secure a post-graduation degree from the Delhi College of Engineering. I grew interested in dance after I saw a performance by choreographer Shiamak Davar's troupe. I was completely bowled over by his work and joined his group and went on to perform in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

His Dream

The acting bug bit me at a very young age and was interested in the performing arts since I was in school. While acting was just a hobby in my formative years, I thought of taking it up seriously only after I enrolled in acting classes. So I joined Barry John's classes, which further boosted my confidence. It was a turning point and I decided to come to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting in earnest.

My parents were livid when they heard about my decision. However, I defied them to follow my dreams.

In Mumbai

After I moved to Mumbai, I got a chance to dance with Ashley Lobo's troupe and learn martial arts from Allan Amin. Luckily, I found work in the film industry by assisting Mohit Suri during the making of Raaz 2. Despite all this, I continued my involvement in theatre and was a member of Nadira Babbar's Ekjute theatre group too.

I am very grateful to Ekta Kapoor for giving me a break in acting in Pavitra Rishta, which became highly popular. I had no qualms about the TV medium. Frankly, the medium is not important, finding expression for my talent mattered. I have done theatre, TV and now films. Money and fame don't drive me, performing and learning is important. The joy of doing something that I have always wanted to do holds the greatest value for me.

First Break

I was one of the very fortunate few to enjoy a successful stint in television in a short span. I was to go to UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) for a course in acting by the end of last year. But lady luck chose to smile on me early. I started getting a few interesting film offers. Casting director Mukesh Chabra called me for an audition for Disney UTV's Kai Po Che! Director Abhishek Kapoor and the studio thought I had what it takes to do justice to the character. And that is how I got my first break in films. As soon as I signed on the dotted line, I was given barely six weeks to get into shape as I portray the character of a sportsperson in the film.

At the moment, I am in a very happy space and derive my success from my family. Right now, I have a couple of very interesting offers, but I plan to take them on one at a time.

I will be grateful for the mileage that television gave me. It enhanced my confidence to face the camera and also earned me the love of my fans. credits sneha