Q. There are few actors in Indian cinema today who have the kind of the diversity to their acting resume as you do. You’re able to convincingly portray completely different characters — such as Bhiku Mhatre in Satya and Dr Siras in Aligarh — and you do so with such enviable ease. How do you make your acting look so effortless on the screen?
A. [Laughs] This is what I have done since the age of eight or nine. This is what I have been doing. I was fascinated by acting and this is what I was passionate about. I just love transforming myself into somebody else. I just love researching on the character and like to have discussions over it. I also like the idea of seeing myself so transformed that even If I am seeing myself on screen, I should not believe that this is me in real life. And that part really fascinates me. I love the creative process that allows me to get in character, and to transform myself into somebody else.
Q. Do you have a special process for preparing for each role?
A. For each role, there is a different process and a different approach. It is very difficult to explain it. Over the years, I have learnt the craft and the different approaches to it. But yes, you learn all these under some teachers, great directors of theatre and cinema, and you keep improving. And it helps in leaving behind your flaws or certain things which are not required anymore. You grow with each passing day. You also evolve as a person, and if you are evolving as a person, the actor inside you will definitely get better.
Q. How does critical acclaim, or for that matter dismissal, affect you?
A. I feel very happy as long as they are not critical of me [laughs]. I also feel happy that critics, the audiences, the elite ones, the bourgeoisie and proletariats, I mean every class appreciates me. First of all, I must say that I act for myself because it gives me immense satisfaction. It gives me immense enlightenment when I am preparing for any role or when I am acting in front of a camera or on stage. It all stems from there. So, when you transform yourself for a character and if it is received well from every segment, it only pushes you to do better every time. But for an actor to grow, the personal needs of an actor should also grow.
Q. To what extent has the Indian film industry changed over the years in your experience as an actor?
A. It has changed immensely for actors. It has also changed for directors. If a director wants to make any film, there are independent producers to produce that film. Now, if 100 films are being made, approximately 70-80 get released. Earlier, if 100 films were made, only two got released. So now is the best time. Multiplexes need these films now. Multiplexes have so many screens now that need to be filled by releasing new films. At the same time, we need more producers and more theatre. In this country, theatre is becoming less popular by the day, which is a very worrying sign.
“Humein Oscar isliye nahi mil pata kyunki hum sahi filmein nahi bhej pate hain [We don’t win Oscars because we are not able to nominate the right kind of films there]. We are only interested in internal politics and interested in favouring our own people.We are not interested in favouring that project which has the ability to win the award. ”
Q. Do you think the divide between commercial and parallel cinema has now blurred to an extent?
A. I came in the ’90s. At that time, commercial cinema used to dominate the industry. And I was shying away from doing that. And I had a very long struggle in this industry. But when my film Satya became a blockbuster, it was like a game-changer for me. After this film, I could demand as an actor for a good script and good directors. But at the same time, there were not many films to choose from. So, I could say that I started my journey from here and I tried to bridge that certain gap between parallel and mainstream cinema. Because I also chose films which were not completely mainstream but were somewhere in the middle. There are so many films of mine which fall under this category. My intention was to be a part of every genre and of every great story irrespective of the genre it came from. I always say that an actor should not have his favourite genres. He should look for a good story and a great character to play. This is what I have been doing all these years.
Q. What do you look for in a character?
A. Uniqueness, dimensions, gravity and the positioning of the character. These are a few important aspects of a good character.
Q. You will be next seen in Naam Shabana. Could you tell us about your role in that?
A. I am playing the character of an intelligence chief, who is very emotionless and engrossed in his own business. For him, the nation comes first and his duty is his priority. And his job is to spot the young talent who has the abilities to be an agent. And it’s a big responsibility. And intelligence agencies do this. And it is a very serious film where we are telling the story of the making of a spy, and of her journey.
Q. Do you think the industry is now witnessing a change as far as women-centric films are concerned?
A. That’s because the kind of actresses who are coming up are very independent-minded. They do not want to just stand next to the hero. They want to be the centre of the story. Women of today are very, very independent-minded. And they know what they want to do.
Q. You hail from Bihar and it is quite evident that Bhojpuri cinema has deteriorated over the years. Any plans to make an effort to revive this regional form?
A. Yes, you could say that I never made an effort towards it. And I could not make an effort because my life has been very, very busy. Because I did not become a superstar overnight and my life never became so easy that I could start dictating my own terms. It took me so many years just to survive in this industry. Since the last three years, I could feel that I am getting more space for myself. But there are a few people who have approached me and if something good comes, I won’t mind. Let’s see how it happens.
Q. Why do Indian films always fail to win at the Oscars?
A. Humein Oscar isliye nahi mil pata kyunki hum sahi filmein nahi bhej pate hain [We don’t win Oscars because we are not able to nominate the right kind of films there]. We are only interested in internal politics and interested in favouring our own people. We are not interested in favouring that project which has the ability to win the award. So, when you are sending a film for the Best Foreign Category, we need to start sending films without favouritism and favours. Then only can we get an Oscar. Otherwise it will always be a distant dream.
Q. Any director you have loved working with, or would like to work with?
A. More than working with a director, I want to do good stories. It doesn’t matter whether the plot is old or new. I want to be a part of a good story rather than to be with a particular director. If you notice, I have worked with many new directors and also with the old ones. It’s just that I am only interested in being a part of a great story more than anything else.
Q. Every time you play a grey character, you make it somewhat comical. Do you make deliberate attempts to do so?
A. I have realised that whatever grey characters I have seen in my real life, I have always found them amusing to a certain extent. If you listen to them properly, you would realise that they are not so learned and they are not exposed to the world. So, the comedy or humour comes from there. And that aspect of them makes them look more human. That’s their vulnerable side. That they are not literate, learned and their exposure to the world is very limited.
Q. If the opportunity comes, what kind of films would you like to produce in the future?
A. Again, great stories. Great story in any genre will be welcomed. Look, I have done both Aligarh and Budhiya Singh. You have seen me in Gangs of Wasseypur and at the same time in Special 26, and now in Naam Shabana. These are the kind of roles I do. And I would like to produce the same kind of films. Good stories should always be promoted, whether it is a short film or any regular full-length feature.