Go, Gautam

Gautam Gupta, son of Suniel Gupta, financier, is yet another new kid on the block. He makes his debut as an actor with RGV's latest offering, Go. One thing Gautam has going for him is his confidence, as we find out in a tête-à-tête.

Q.: Tell us about your first film Go.
A.: It's an action movie. That's unique for me because I'm starting my career with it. I'm playing the role of a young man, who follows his heart. He leaves his parents to prove a point, but he soon realizes that he needs to learn some lessons himself.

Q.: Not all actors from Ramu's camp have made it big. Where do you think your future is headed?
A.: If I think of failure at the beginning I'll never be able to reach my destination. I have a few goals, and I will do my best to achieve those.

Q.: Gautam Gupta in Go…what is with the 'G' factor?
A.: I'm also thinking…it must be more than a co-incidence.

Q.: How is your experience working with a film unit for the first time?
A.: I don't know about the others, but I enjoyed the experience. Ramuji tried to inspire me to learn something new all the time. It was quite interesting to observe him when he developed the scenes. He has an understanding of cinema. I enjoyed learning the real method of how a song is shot, how the lyrics work, how to act, how to enact action sequences, etc.

Q.: And what was it like to work with Nisha Kothari?
A.: She never let me feel like a newcomer to this industry. There are some passionate moments with her in this film and I thought I couldn't do them. There's a certain chemistry that we need between co-actors, but I had never worked with her, and, as a newcomer I had no experience of something like that. However, when the camera rolled, we went through those scenes without any discomfort. And most of the credit for that goes to Nisha.

Q.: Was there any disagreement between the director and Ramu over any scene in the movie?
A.: Never. It was a complete RGV project. I have just tried to translate his thoughts on the screen. We all worked so hard. He not only launches new actors but he always tries to do something innovative in his films. He always experiments with his views.

Q.: Nisha shows more skin in Ramu's films than in the others. Has she done the same in this film, too?
A.: She has done what was demanded of her, according to the script. You must have seen the promo. Everything is done to cater the need of the story.

Q.: Ramu always provides a second chance to his actors. Is it the same with you?
A.: Absolutely. I'm going to work in another RGV movie. Once the paper work is complete we'll start shooting. At this stage, I can't say anything more.

Q.: It's really tough for newcomers to get such filmmakers. But you have been lucky.
A.: Of course, it is my good fortune that he has chosen me for his film and has not changed the way I look, but, at the same time I'm grateful to director Manish who suggested my name to him. As a struggling actor, you meet several people for jobs. I met Ramuji and showed him my photographs to him, just like that. The result is my appearance in Go.

Q.: How long did you take to believe that Ramu had selected you for his film?
A.: It took some time, but I started preparing myself for the film immediately. It was my first chance and I was not ready to lose it.

Q.: Tell us a little about yourself.
A.: I'm a Mumbaiya. I studied in Velam, a boarding school at Dehradun, and then I completed my B.Com from Sydenham. I continued my education abroad. I trained at Barry John's acting school, and I also tried to perfect my dancing and fighting skills. In fact, I even learnt Kathak and Bharatnatyam. I have always wanted to be an actor. My father told me that he would finance my films but he would never introduce me to any director. Therefore, the struggle.

Q.: There are so many new faces coming into the industry. Do you see them as your competition?
A.: See, this is a large market. Films are made keeping in mind the actors and there is enough space for each one of us. I want neither to compare nor to compete with anyone in this field. I know Ranbir Kapoor and Haman Baweja, for example. They are friends, and I do not compete with friends. I believe in doing good films and entertaining people.

Q.: How filmy is the environment at home?
A.: It's a really cool environment at home. Both my father and brother Gourav are in this industry. They are financiers, so they are not too interested in the artistic aspects of a film. I concentrate entirely on the art and creativity in films, since I am an actor.

-Rajnee Gupta (SAMPURN)