Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who has made a foothold in the industry with the success of his debut film 'Kai Po Che', says he never takes up work for commercial reasons and being a star is not on his mind
Sushant became a household name with his portrayal as Manav in popular TV show 'Pavitra Rishta'. But he quit small screen and entered Bollywood with the Abhishek Kapoor film which won him lot of accolades.
ADVERTISEMENT
"My plan A was not to be in movies, this was not my aim it just happened... I am going with the flow. I am not here for money or fame and I don't work for it either. I don't understand stardom and don't aspire to be a star... I want to be a number one actor. My agenda is and will be always to evolve as an actor," Sushant said.
The 27-year-old has a number of interesting projects lined up for release including 'Shuddh Desi Romance', 'Peekay', 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy' and another film with Abhishek Kapoor. "I feel very fortunate to work with such talented directors. It is an exciting phase of my life. I have my own reasons to do films and be in this industry. I don't understand commerce so I don't make a decision based on what the film will do commercially, he said.
"I am not insecure... I am going with the flow and learning each day. If I don't get right kind of scripts then I will do something on TV or theatre and be happy and excited as I am today," he said. On the potential of being the next superstar, he says, "There is a sense of huge responsibility... I am not bothered rather I am excited. I feel responsible as filmmakers want to convey certain things through the film and the character that I play. They expect a lot from me as an actor. "To achieve that kind of perfection you have to invest time in preparation. It is deliberate on my part to take two-three months time and do research and work, make myself believe that I can feel this character," Sushant added.
Sushant wants to be part of unconventional films and portray characters that are real. "I would like to portray characters that are etched out in good way. I am a good dancer, trained in martial arts.. I can do films that are conventional Bollywood films as they make money and entertain. This is not something I am looking for... I am trying to portray more realistic characters," he said. He believes his upcoming film 'Shuddh Desi Romance' is not conventional. "This film is also not conventional... It is not a typical love story. It is in very real space. We are not fantasising it. It is a romance that happens in daily life. It is quirky, witty, humorous. It is very real and that is why I opted for this film," he added.
In 'Shuddh Desi Romance' Sushant is seen romancing Parineeti Chopra and newcomer Vaani Kapoor. "Parineeti is very spontaneous and all you have to do is react. So the chemistry is organic and natural. Vaani has not got a formal training in acting but she is confident in front of camera and she is willing to learn. It was good experience working with them," he said.
Sushant left TV when he was at the peak of his career on small screen. He got bored of doing the same thing on a daily basis. "The show was going on and on. There was nothing new to say as an actor though I was in a comfortable space, was famous, highly paid. But then my agenda is and will be always to evolve as an actor. While doing the show I felt I was repeating myself there was nothing to learn and there was a conscious decision to leave the show," he said. But he is open to be on TV again provided he gets an interesting offer. "TV is a powerful medium and reaches every home. Next two-three years he feels there will be seasons of shows, there will be creativity and then it will be satisfactory," he adds.
He says though the film industry had a different notion about TV actors it is luckily changing now. "There is a mindset that this is TV or film actor. TV actors can be as good if not better than those doing films. In Hollywood all big stars or actors are doing TV as well as films. Here there is an issue. The audience patronises all kind of good films. Today the industry is changing so there is a need for good actors." Sushant has also expressed his desire to get behind the camera and direct films. "I am still learning every bit of filmmaking as it excites me. Every day of shoot I ask technicians how this and that happens. I want to tell my stories some day, I don't know if I understand the graph well or how to convey a story. The day I feel I am technically able to tell my story I will do it," he said.u00a0