I Have Always Loved the Theatre and Cinema Right Since I Was Little

I believe that we make our own destiny so don’t stop until you have finished. Keep at it, enjoy the journey, learn from your mistakes but always keep attempting to be your own kind of an actor. Don’t ever copy anyone else.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I am an Army kid born in Calcutta, now Kolkata, and brought up all over India. Studied in some very small towns so my exposure to cosmo or metro life happened around 7th grade. So call me a late bloomer in many ways. I gained my confidence and worked to groom myself post that time.

I have never had a lot of close friends and spent a lot of time reading in libraries, being actively involved in school activities, playing a variety of sports, and literally opening my life to any new experience I could get my hands on. I have loved travelling since I was little, and cherish those memories as very special.

I think my travelling gives me broad horizons to see life, people & cultures with an open mind and over time, an asset to being an artist/ actor. I could easily channel all that learning into my craft. And this definitely made me a more humble person too.

2. Did you ever think or dream of being an actor?

I have always loved the theatre and cinema right since I was little. But Post College, my parents, whom I worship, wanted me to have a stable/ respectable job so I worked as a journalist for a couple of years. But my heart was always in the movies.

I looked forward to being part of the theatre in school & college. From playing a king, a dancer, an old woman to a bus conductor, I really enjoyed my time up on stage putting on different lives. The freedom to be someone else for a few minutes gave me an escape of sorts.

It finally took my best friend to really push me to come out and tell them that this is the dream I wanted to pursue and my parents have been the most supportive ever since. Although, they still prefer me to have some stability which is impossible in my job. I think they are happy that I am my own boss and it has helped me become an extremely independent and confident person.

3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an actor?

To me, it was always clear that I wanted to do a certain kind of work that was not cliché and created value for me as an actor. It had to be challenging without being monotonous, hence I could never bring myself to do TV. Everyone thinks being an actor is all about looking good, being glamorous, and having fun on the job, well part of it is true.

But there is also the struggle to get the kind of work you want to do, to spend days without work uncertain when your next job would come, working with all kinds of co-actors under varied uncomfortable circumstances sometimes, and trying to reach out to people constantly who you want to work with.

It’s an endless vicious cycle. No matter how successful you get, you will always want better and more and for that, you will have to be relentless and consistent. For me, the time off from work is always the time I spend learning more about my craft, and how I can better myself.

Learning a new skill, reading a lot, watching films/ actors of the world cinema and gradually I started writing which I found to be an extension of me as an actor. Maybe I will direct soon too as I see myself doing a lot more with my life than just act.

4. If not this, what would you be doing?

I can see myself doing a lot of things honestly like being a classical dancer, travel blogger since I love travelling, owner of a zoo that is one of its kind, or a director which might happen in the near future or even just a stand - up comic which by the way, I would love to try my hand at.

I have been told that I am a funny kid and I want to see if I am any good at making people laugh. But out of all those things, I love acting the most. It’s almost a cathartic experience for me.

5. For a complete outsider with inroads, what advice would you like to give?

Keep working and doing new things as an actor, do theatre, dance, martial arts, etc., if you can. But always keep learning. There is always scope to be better. And never ever give up on your dreams or on yourself. There will be ups and downs, but remember, not everyone is as lucky as you to be living your dreams.

Invest in yourself, trust your instincts, and be kind to yourself. Don’t ever compare. Good things sometimes take time, so hang in there!!

6. What is your mantra of success?

I believe that we make our own destiny so don’t stop until you have finished. Keep at it, enjoy the journey, learn from your mistakes but always keep attempting to be your own kind of an actor. Don’t ever copy anyone else.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

Currently my favourite is ‘The power of the Subconscious Mind’. I love self-help books and this one I have read several times. Its a free form of therapy without anyone sitting there to judge me, and gives me enough to introspect and learn more about myself.

Also, a great book to really use your mind as a tool to get ahead in life, not just in your career. I love balance in my life and it acts as my navigator every time I go off compass. I am someone who loves making a to-do-list and a vision board. So I can in my own small way, chart my own journey. But hey, we still can never really know what lies ahead.