One more engineer -- director Nagesh Kukunoor was a chemical engineer before Hyderabad Blues beckoned -- has exchanged such an assignment for the limelight.
Sameer Dharmadhikari.
After six-and-a-half years of designing hydraulic machines, this six-footer chucked it all up to try his hand at acting. Mumbai called, but not before a brief stint with a theatre group in Pune where he hails from. Modelling followed. After lending his chocolate-boy looks to campaigns like Vimal Suitings, De Beers, ICICI Bank, Nescafe, even a contraceptive pill, Sameer got his big break as Raveena Tandon's young politician-in-the-making husband in Madhur Bhandarkar's Satta, which releases this Friday.
Satta has politics as its central subject. How does it fit into any newcomer's idea of a 'dream debut'? "Agreed, Satta raja rani ki film nahin hai but it starts with a raja and rani. As far as the script is concerned, I could not have asked for a better film. When you have Madhur Bhandarkar as director -- this is the same man who gave us Chandni Bar -- there was no way I could have let this film pass me. I was pretty sure what I was getting into," he says.
A common friend circulated his pictures around and Madhur saw them. Sameer was called for an audition after which Madhur gave him the "Do din ke baad phone karna" line.
Two days turned into eight. There was no sign of Madhur giving the green signal. Sameer met him and asked him for a straight yes or no. "I had no clue what the film was about, who my costar was and so on. Naturally, I was not sure if I was going to be selected. Besides, another filmmaker was waiting to sign me on. That offer too was equally attractive. Finally, Madhur told me since the producers of the film were a corporate company, he couldn't take the decision single-handedly. Only after everybody's approval would I be selected."
Sameer was indeed cast as Vivek Chauhan.
Ask him if working with Raveena Tandon gave him the jitters and he smiles. "I was nervous. Though when she was on the sets, she was just a co-actress, not a star. Besides, after we did a few scenes together, which included a bedroom scene, an emotional scene, a song and dance, the works, we were comfortable. Honestly, I looked up only to Madhur who kept egging me on to give my best. The rest of the world didn't matter. Besides, everybody was quite focused about work. There were no 'Mera juice kidhar hai' tantrums," says Sameer who also acted in a couple of Marathi films.
"I play Vivek Chauhan, a politician's heir who knows how to utilise power, both positively and negatively," he says. "I didn't really model my character on any of our contemporary politicians' sons though I picked various things from various people and made it seem like one character. I even copied Madhur's mannerisms."
"The film has turned out very well," he adds. "Jaya Prada loved it so much she is making it in Telugu. The film doesn't belong to any one actor. It is neither Raveena's film nor Atul Kulkarni's or Govind Namdeo's or Vallabh Vyas' film or my film. It is Madhur Bhandarkar's film. He has handled the subject very well. People will love it."
India News Feature Service
SEEN "SATTA"? Those whose answer is in the affirmative, are usually also seen asking a question. 'Who is this lad playing Raveena Tandon's hubby in the film?' This lookalike of Abhinav Chaturvedi or 'Nanhe' of "Hum Log" fame? Well, many people have said this to him and he agrees too. He is a 30-year-old Sameer Dharmadhikari, a Pune-based adman, sportsperson, theatre professional, engineer and well, national champion.
Well, if you can recall, you might have seen him in "80-odd advertisements including Mafatlal and Raymonds."
A mechanical engineer who worked for "six-and-a-half-years with Indian Railways' Research and Development department as designer merchandiser" Sameer had been actively into theatre "right from his college days" but "never had a drive for a hero". Hence, he got involved in sports. Played volleyball, swimming and polo at the national level.
"Since theatre was not commercially viable and I was not getting substantial roles to do, I dropped a few pictures of mine with a friend in the film business and forgot." One fine morning, Madhur Bhandarkar, called this six feet one inch man with impressive vocal cords at his office. "I was very excited, waiting for my turn to come, but when I went inside, he asked me for a tape which I never had. I suggested him to take my screen test. It ran for two-and-half hours."
Sameer was asked to deliver a lecture on the stage like a political leader. "My experience in theatre had come handy." Sameer had sleepless nights for two days till a nod came from Madhur on the third day.
"I was selected for a role in 'Satta'. I knew it was woman-oriented film but never mind, a good beginning was made," he says.
So he does not mind working in multi-starrers or playing a second fiddle? "These days definitions have quite changed in Bollywood. More you are seen in a multi-starrers, more you are noticed and as far playing a second fiddle is concerned, if the character is important, I have no ego hassles," says this cool guy for whom his "cinematographer wife is my best critic".
Wife? Well, yes, he is married for "eight years now" he laughs at your surprise.
This "home bug, not a party kind" is all geared up to play a fighter pilot in "Angni Pankh", a film directed and scripted by Sanjay Suri.
A different role? "Yes, for I can't play a gajar ka halva kind of easy romantic roles... "
A different man?
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If a man riding a 1956 Ariel Colt 200 motorbike on the streets of Mumbai looks familiar to you, then you might just have spotted Samir Dharmadhikari. The actor has acted in Satta, Raincoat and Agnipankh.
While Salman Khan and John Abraham's passion for bikes is well-known, little do we know about the effort with which Samir maintains his ageing beauty.
"This bike belonged to my wife's grandfather. After marriage, I managed to coax and cajole my in-laws to pass it on to me. This is the only dowry that I managed to get!" he says jokingly.
Not only does Samir ensure that the bike is spic and span, but he also uses it for joyrides. "It is a fantastic feeling riding this bike," says a dreamy-eyed Samir.
The actor, originally from Pune, started his career as a model. Innumerable print and television ads later, he shifted to Bollywood where he managed to bag significant roles in big films. Now the man is back in news with his latest success story -- Main Teri Parchhaiyan Hoon -- a serial on NDTV Imagine. In just a few months, the serial seems to have managed good TRP ratings.
"This is my first Hindi serial. Earlier I have acted in a couple of Marathi shows on television," explains the actor who thought of moving to television because of "the lack of good films in the industry".
However, he clarifies that he is still very much in the industry. "Currently I am working on two big-ticket productions -- Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya and Nishikant Kamath's Mumbai Meri Jaan." He plays the role of a king in the first while the second will see him working with Soha Ali Khan.
Samir seems to be enjoying his work in television. "This is not a saas bahu serial! Though it may sound strange, no one in my family watch these soaps. They are more into regional shows," says the actor when asked about the reasons behind the success of Main Teri Parchhaiyan Hoon. Taking a dig at the saas bahu soaps he says, "Neither is my wife the kind you see on these serials, nor is my mother-in-law similar to the snake-shaped-bindi-wearing saas you encounter in these serials! And, thankfully my mother and wife do not conspire against each other."
So what about Main Teri he likes the most? "The storyline is different. It is about a father who has to bring up three children after their mother passes away suddenly. And then, a teacher steps in to their house and helps bring up the children. I have a five-year old daughter myself and know how difficult it is to bring up children. All these put together, I am quite enjoying the serial," says Samir who feels bringing up girls is much easier than boys. "A girl is much more understanding, but boys are brats and bullies!" says the doting father.
Samir's wife is also working in the television industry as a cinematographer. "Aparna has worked a lot with Balaji Telefilms and is an experienced and well-known cinematographer. She is currently doing a lot of work with Pogo (children's television channel). Both of us being from the same industry has definitely helped us understand each other far better. I am a complete family man once I am out of the studio," concludes Samir.
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