Bollywood's blue-eyed boy Sushant Singh Rajput talks about his upcoming detective drama and the much-talked-about kiss with Swastika Mukherjee
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's charming persona is just one of the reasons that make him a hot property. That he is an equally good actor certainly makes him one of the most bankable stars in Bollywood today. The actor, who will next be seen in Dibakar Banerjee's detective drama, based on Byomkesh Bakshi, will soon start shooting for Neeraj Pandey's biopic on Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni, spoke to HT City. Excerpts:
PHOTO: SAMIR JANA
Did you read the Byomkesh Bakshi stories before shooting for the film?
I remember one thing Dibakar told me before we started shooting. He said that I need to know everything that exists and only when I can destroy that, then only can I come up with something new. So I read every Byomkesh story available and then started shaping the character in my mind. What you see in the film is my interpretation of Byomkesh Bakshi.
How did you prepare yourself for the role?
Just changing the body language, the way one speaks, or changing the mannerisms doesn't help much. An actor needs to understand why a character exists, why is the filmmaker telling the story and then needs to follow it up with his research. But the research can't be put to use while facing the camera. What actually helps is the belief that you are not just enacting the character but you are yourself the character.
Your kissing scene with Swastika Mukherjee has been much talked about.
(Cuts in) I will do everything that is important to establish the character and required for the story. The smartest thing that Dibakar did was not to tell me about the scene. It worked well for the film. Even Byomkesh, the character, wasn't expecting it, so the expressions were quite natural. How accustomed have you become with the Bengali culture after playing the character?
It was both complex and easy developing the character. Given that Dibakar is a Bengali, he made sure that I accompany him to the recce to get a feel of the place and culture. I was in Kolkata for six-eights months before the shooting started. We could have imitated the character the way it has been created but then it would have become pretentious. From the very first day, I was convinced from within that I am Byomkesh, I belong to this city and I am a Bengali. It's my eighth year in acting and it's been a kind of revelation. The approach that I took with Dibakar helped me evolve as an actor.
Have you mastered the art of wearing a dhoti?
Absolutely, I've become a pro. I can now wear a dhoti even with my eyes closed. (Laughs)
Given that you are a youth icon, is it a conscious effort to endorse products and be part of social initiatives that always convey positive messages?
No, I feel this generation is smart enough to see through all the pretensions. Everything that I stand for, be it the films I do or the initiatives and endorsements I'm part of, I genuinely believe in them. It's not casual decision.
Any plans of doing television again?
Why not? I started with theatre, went on to do TV and now I am doing films. Every medium has its charm. If the content is good I can do a nukkad natak and be as happy as I am right now. (Smiles)
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