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| The roaring sound of claps from the audience and the recognition from each person in my neighborhood based on my character gave me butterflies in my stomach and a crazy adrenaline rush |
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
My name is Suraj Sonik, and I come from a very loving and loud Punjabi family, which also makes me a hardcore family man. Regarding my journey, as I mentioned, I am more of a family man. Initially, my parents were not very sure about me stepping into an acting career, as nobody from my family had pursued such a path. My decision to come to Mumbai did not happen overnight; it took a lot of thinking, planning, and convincing my family.
I had no financial or strong contacts backing me up in Mumbai, so I was all on my own the minute I landed here. However, as I kept moving forward in my journey, I met a few amazing people who turned into friends like family. I also encountered different artists with extraordinary talent, and very soon, Mumbai became not only the city of dreams but also my second home. The people of this city, my audience, have been very kind to me.
2. Did you ever think or dream of being an actor?
Yes, I always wanted to be an actor since I actually learned to walk. However, my dream turned into ambition when I first performed in Ram Leela as Sita Maa and Laxman Ji. The roaring sound of claps from the audience and the recognition from each person in my neighborhood based on my character gave me butterflies in my stomach and a crazy adrenaline rush. So, my dream turned into a hardcore ambition, and I decided to come to Mumbai to turn it into my reality.
3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an actor?
To approach anything, you have to take some risks without thinking about what anyone would think of you if you did this. The same people are going to associate themselves with you once they see you reach a certain level. So, take risks that are worthy, make mistakes, learn from them, and keep upgrading yourself as an artist. I believe there’s an artist in every human breathing on this planet. Some have a fearless attitude to showcase, while some are shy. Some actually sing on stage, while some remain bathroom singers.
So, believe already that you’re an artist, just skill yourself more and more. Open yourself as a human, talk to people related to your field, and learn the tiniest things around you because as an actor, every observation helps us to characterize ourselves in front of the camera. Rest, believe in God and keep doing your hard work.
4. If not this, what would you be doing?
If not an actor, I would definitely be a cricketer because when I am not shooting, I am usually on cricket grounds playing on turfs late night or working out to keep myself fit. But I love cricket, and my idol is also Virat Kohli. So, if I ever get a chance to play him in a biopic, I think I would want nothing beyond it.
5. For a complete outsider with inroads, what advice would you like to give?
Like I said earlier, if you’re an outsider, just take risks with whatever confidence you have in yourself. You can expect more rejections compared to a known personality, but nothing beats hard work, be it any profession. And just don't give up; you will find the loophole to stand beside the known professionals.
6. What is your mantra of success?
For me, never giving up no matter what the situation is and running straight towards what I want without falling into the wrong pitfalls has been my mantra to where I am today. With wrong pitfalls, I mean the distractions that are not very useful for you to get towards your goal. I am human, and not that I haven’t been distracted, but at the end of the day, when I sleep, I just ask myself, "Have I worked enough towards my goal?" and that instant slap of inconsistency hits me, and it’s enough for me to get back on track.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
There’s no single favorite book; I have a few. Namely "Rich Dad Poor Dad," "How to Become People’s Magnet," "Don’t Believe Everything You See," and one personal favorite, "Aur Kuch Pane Ko Reh Gaya" by Irrfan Khan. It’s refreshing to read his experiences regarding the industry; it helps me stay sane in my journey!
Bio
This is Suraj Sonik. He is an actor and has more then 39k followers on Instagram.
Interviewed by - Ashmeet Kaur
Edited by- Arunangshu Chatterjee
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