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 Interviews 

Sahara Samay Interview of Aditya Sir

Interview Of Aditya Sir on India FM

"The kind of personality I have, if I am there in a lead role, a film cannot be 100% mainstream"  Aditya Srivastava 

By Joginder Tuteja, December 8, 2006 - 06:51 IST

In an age of popular films coming week after week and breaking the record of the last blockbuster in the way, there comes a small film like Dil Se Pooch,Kidhar Jaana Hai that takes an offbeat approach and narrates the tale of a couple that got separated post infamous Mumbai riots and met again in diverse circumstances. We get into an exclusive conversation with the male lead of the film, Aditya Srivastava, who has shown his mettle as a character actor in films like Bandit Queen, Dil Se, Satya, Ek Haseena Thi,Matrubhoomi and Dansh in the past.

You seemed to have a great start with films like Bandit Queen [1996], Dil Se [1998] and Satya [1998]. Why have you been not so high profile on the big screen even after being there for more than a decade? 
Well, I mainly look for interesting roles and interesting scripts. This is why I was there in films like Ek Haseena Thi,Deewar and most recently Dansh but then yes, they have been far and few. A lot of my time goes in my serial CID on television and hence until and unless I get to play a very special character, I do not really crave to be there on the big screen. 

So is your character that special in Dil Se Pooch & Kidhar Jaana Hai? 
Yes, thats true. The film has a backdrop of Mumbai riots and revolves around the characters played by me and Vani Tripathi. Both of us play husband and wife who get separated after the riots. What happens when we meet after years forms the crux of the situation. The irony is that while I am a cop, my wife is now a prostitute. How both of us decide to be together while being scared about the society and the fight that begins henceforth is the underlining drama in the film. 

Sounds rather interesting.
Yes, it is! Because while so many stories are told about people who died or got injured in the riots, there are so many terrible stories about people who were indirectly affected by these riots. Dil Se Pooch  narrates the tale about two such people. 

But dont you think that a film with a subject like this needs to be promoted well for its target audience? 
Yes, but then I may rather not comment on the films publicity. If my producers feel that they can get the movie in theatres after a 2 week promotion then they have their reason about doing so. I am not really getting into the whys here and would just want the film to do well whenever it releases!

Whats the relevance of the films title considering the subject of the film sounds dark? 
The idea is simple. Whenever you are on a crossroad, always listen to your heart. That's because the voice that comes from inside is never wrong. It never lies and always guides you well. This is what happens to the main characters in the film. When they are in crisis, they listen to the heart since it dictates what is right and wrong. 

For the first time in your career, you play a lead role. 
That's right and what an experience it was! In fact I was running away from the role but then it has turned out to be such an enriching experience in the end. Shrirang, the director of the film, had seen Satya and as per him, he had written the script keeping me in mind as the central protagonist. He was sure that he wanted to cast me in the role.

Most of your films have breached on being slightly offbeat. Is that intentional?
I won't say that I have a problem doing mainstream cinema. In fact I have been a part of such films like Lakshya or Deewar. But then let me be honest here. The kind of personality I have, if I am there in a lead role, a film cannot be 100% mainstream. It needs to have a subject which is different from what works as popular cinema. I can be cast as a villain in mainstream cinema but certainly not a hero. 

Is that a reason why you played the role of an evil lawyer in Ek Haseena Thi? 
True, the role was brief but was brought out pretty well. In fact I would also be seen as a villain in 2-3 Tamil films that I am doing. 

And release of Black Friday should be another example of that, is not that so? 
Yes, we all are quite relieved that the film would finally be seeing the light of the day after the Supreme Court judgment. With a Jan/Feb timeframe for the film's release looking probable, Mid-Day [the film's producers] would be devising a publicity strategy for the film and bring it to the audience. 

It could be a turning point in your career? 
Dekhiye aasha to nai hi rehti hai! There have been number of films that I have done with acclaimed directors in the past and I really believe that Black Friday by Anurag Kashyap would make its mark too. 

So what next after Dil Se Pooch and Black Friday? 
There is a film titled Raakh which I have done with director Hansal Mehta. It is a film in a complete commercial format with Sohail Khan and Mithun Chakraborty. I play a villain in the film. Beyond that I would be also be doing a film called Mohandas with Mazhar Kamran who is an established cinematographer. And no, before you start wondering, film Mohandas has nothing to do with Gandhi!!

Kaalo Movie Interviews 

 Articles & Reviews 

There are numerous reviews & articles on Aditya Srivastav & it is impossible to post all the articles & reviews...so only few reviews with relevant portion posted here...

'The Killer' gang has a breather before the shoot

[Anupreet SandhuPosted: Fri Feb 19 1999 IST]

PANCHKULA, Feb 18: 
Aditya Srivastava and Niki Aneja, would play the lead roles for the first episode of the serial - "The End", which will be shot at Kufri. The two were camping in the township at the residence of a friend on their way for the shoot.
Aditya is the new actor who hit the Silver screen with his role as the first husband of Phoolan in the "Bandit Queen", besides playing the fiery Inspector in "Satya".
Produced by Felix Sequeira and directed by Rajesh Ranasingle, the serial's first episode "The End" revolves around a psychopath woman (Niki), who saves a writer (Aditya) injured in an accident...
Meanwhile, Aditya who has already done roles which demand sheer gravity of performance, considers cinema as the ultimate goal of an actor. Coming from Allahabad, he started off his career with an amateur theatre in Allahabad and later moved on to the Sri Ram Centre at New Delhi where he was spotted by Shekhar Kapoor for his "Bandit Queen". From then on, his journey in films went on. Aditya has also acted in tele-serials like - 9, Malabar Hills and Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti.

An interview of Anurag Kashyap and the making of 'Black Friday'

Anyways, while writing the script few actors i always had in mind..the ones who didn't have to audition..I wanted KK to play Rakesh Maria..Naseeruddin Shah to play Tiger memon and Irrfan to play Badshah Khan..Aditya Srivastava was to play Dangle..Nowazzuddin to play Asgar Mukadam and Pankaj jha to play theba and Dubyendu bhattacharya to play yeda yaqub..Siddhu was the only choice for samra..We got some..others we didn't..Naseer dropped out because he did not want to play a muslim terrorist ..it was a very sensitive time then..Gujrat was burning..and you know how in times like that anybody could have stood up and said anything..Its a funny country..same reason why Irrfan dropped out..Irrfan said he had no issues to play Rakesh Maria..that put us into a sticky situation..the finance was raised by selling these three actors together for the first time..the financiers were pressurising us to interchange the casting of badshah khan and rakesh maria..they also told me i had a KK bias..i tried to show them how KK had a close resemblance to Rakesh Maria..when pressure got too much..i put my foot down..AM stood by me..we got away...Now if not Irrfan then who for Badshah khan..i immediately thought of Aditya Srivastava..but i had to show them why i thought so..i hesitantly requested Aditya to audition for Badshah..he had no problems, and was very sporting..sometimes it gets embarrassing..an actor you have worked with and appreciated twice before, you ask him to audition..he rocked..i knew it..

Aditya Shrivastav's Black Friday

By Surendra Hiwarale [ February 11, 2007 at 11:39 am]

The film started and I was taken into the entire conspiracuy of the bomb blasts. Aditya Srivastav aka Badshah Khan was known to me as we had worked with him in Ek Haseena Thi before. Before that my memories of him were of the straight forward honest cop that he played in RGV's Satya. When I was watching it I was constantly pulled in by his performance. Never ever did I loose a single frame whenever he was on screen. What I had liked about the film was its innocent approach towards justifying what happened. And three cheers to Anurag he managed to achieve it.

Its interval, Aditya Srivastav is no doubt my hero, KK still I do not like. We have chai, cigrettes, samosa's, and go back again. The film begins, Pawan too has had an impact on me and he is consistent even today. Aditya I like much more than yesterday. He rocks; I start to feel after Amitabh Bachchan he is the one who has the caliber when it comes to performing.

I can never be wrong in my judgement. As the film unfolds, I am reminded of the scenes that I know. Aditya Srivastav makes me further respect him as the most convincing Badshah Khan. I love you boss as an actor. Whether, it's his gradual progression when he realizes that he has been cheated by Tiger Memon. Jusy check him out in the scene where Theba (I think) tells him that their passports have been burnt. The fight that ensues there, immediately the next cut is of Aditya standing in the bathroom and guys the way he has performed actually made me feel that, this is how real Badsha Khan must have felt. It's so touching.. the scenes where he is constantly trying to speak with Tiger Memon, where in he keeps asking him to move him from Bombay, and his conctant trips to Rampur to jaipur to tonk to again jaipur to Calcutta are amazingly performed, I just loved the way Anurag has designed his emotional graph, which ultimately leads to his coming back to Rampur Badshah Khans native place. It was so well done. Badshah Khan surrenders, his first meeting with Maria, and him finally trying to turn the state approver just makes you feel bad for not only him but for all the boys who were a part of conspiracy. Aditya's track gets over and so does chapter three.

 

Off Bollywood - A breed of young actors chooses variety in portfolio over superstardom and money[Track-II Heroes]

Aditya Srivastava: Black Friday, Satya

...And they aren't the only ones on the Bollywood horizon'actors like Ranvir Shorey, Deepak Dobriyal, Prroshant Narayanan, Aditya Srivastava, etc are all bringing fresh vitality, vigour and also money and success to the alternate, small film movement in the country.

"Opportunities for us are increasing," says Aditya Srivastava, seen recently as Badshah Khan, Tiger Memon's henchman on the run in Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday.

Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar! A bittersweet life By Hansal Mehta

...After much hesitation and awkwardness, my worst fears came true. Manoj refused the film. He wanted to be part of a much bigger film. He wanted to support me but in a bigger endeavor. In despair I approached the very gifted and under-rated Aditya Srivastava for Manoj's role. Aditya agreed. The producer backed out...Aditya Srivastava showed no disappointment when I told him that Manoj would be doing the role offered to him. He accepted the role of Tito for a pittance. He even contributed money towards making the film. I think Tito is one of Indian cinema's most memorable characters. It was a great performance by a very magnanimous actor. 

Twelfth year, caught in the same case!
[Smita Roy, TNN Mar 15, 2009, 12.12am IST]

Having done a host of critically acclaimed movies, from Bandit Queen, Dil Se, Ek Hasina Thi, Black Friday, Aditya Srivastav is now excited about Gulaal in which he's seen portraying grey shades.
Besides films, Aditya is a known face on TV. But, incidentally, he has never done any other show apart from CID. "This is the 12th running year and somehow it's more of an emotional bonding I have with the serial now," he says. But why isn't he seen in any other show? "I took up CID because I simply loved the concept of the show. Today, its the only one of its kind crime thriller on TV. Unfortunately, this genre has not been tapped too much on television and the bandwagon runs after saas-bahu sagas or reality shows, either of which I'm not really interested in. If apart from CID there's something that I like, it has to be the movies I do!"
But unlike his counterpart and good friend Kay Kay Menon, who also arose from television, Aditya has not yet received the kind of appreciation and roles that he might deserve. To this, he says, "I'm doing this serial for so many years now, that I feel it would be unfair on my part to leave it just for the sake of films. In the process of trying to juggle both TV and films, it becomes a little difficult as I've dedicated 20 days a month to the show. That leaves me with 10 days for meetings, script readings or shoots for my films. But now slowly I'm doing some time management so I can work more towards films. Hopefully things should happen and by God's grace, I get more and better work."
Few people know that recently he had done a film as a solo hero called Dil Se Pooch Kidhar Jaana Hai, which he modestly confesses didn't work well at the box office and he wasn't surprised, as the marketing was next to negligible. But then he believes, "One should keep trying. I'm trying my best and what happens or what would happen would definitely be for the best. I don't lose heart and by the way there's another movie releasing this year with me as the protagonist. It's a daylight horror and a one of its kind... just like my show!"

Kaalo - Desert Witch Movie Review 

By Pankaj Sabnani, Glamsham Editorial [ December 16, 2010 10:39:43 PM IST ]

Aditya Shrivastav (CID fame) gives an earnest performance. 

Kaalo Movie Review By Taran Adarsh
[Dec16,2010] 

Speaking of performances , Aditya Shrivastav does well.