TV actors are paid according to popularity, not experience: Aamir Dalvi
Aamir Dalvi on why talent still matters in Tellytown and the joys of fatherhood in a chat with TOI
Actor Aamir Dalvi is a perfect combination of someone who's simple and sorted out. A reserved person by nature, Aamir comes across as someone who likes to keep things black and white. Aamir who was done shows like Main Aisi Kyun Hoon, Jabb Luv Hua, Saathi Re et al was recently shooting in Ahmedabad for Hum Ne Li Hai... Shapath.
Shooting in real life locations is not easy. How was the overall experience? Aamir says, "If one's concentration level is low, and one lets anything hamper one's performance then it will surely hamper one's performance no matter where one shoots. In real life, I am an introvert, but when the camera is on I am a different person. As actors we are always hungry about audiences, and it's fun when there are onlookers. But I let my work do the talking."
So do crowds scare him? "No. A bunch of people don't scare me, but I try and stay away from them when I'm on location. The funny thing was, there have been times when we were shooting and had cops running after us, thinking we were chasing real criminals! At times people don't understand that we are shooting — all this does disturb the momentum of a scene, but not me as an actor."
Whenever an actor takes up a cop's role, he always undergoes special training or takes inspiration from all the cops he has met so far. Has he done anything like that? "In my daily life, I have come across many cops and I have observed their body languages. I have my own idea of how a cop should look like, so I just went ahead with that image in my mind," says Aamir who is a petty criminal who later becomes a cop in the show.
Aamir was last seen on Chhal Sheh Aur Maat and Gumrah— The End Of Innocence. But he hasn't done too much TV. What's kept him busy over the years? "I am a photographer and it took me a year to set up a website," says Aamir who feels a "back up plan is important in showbiz. In the TV industry everything is temporary and the new generation of audience doesn't recognise stars who've not done shows in the last two/three years. Loads of senior actors are facing such situations. Budgets have changed — actors are now known by the characters they play and they get paid as per the popularity of their last show and not on their experience."
He adds, "Even after I became an actor, I continued to work in a call-center for three years. People would ask me why I was doing this job when I was an actor. Everyone feels all actors are filthy rich, but it isn't true. Today, I am choosy about the projects I do. I like to surprise my audience."
In the past, Aamir had commented that he loved playing grey characters. And he seems to be in favour of them this time too. "There is a lot of scope for a negative character. You can add lots of shades to it. If I play a good guy, I can only obey and respect people on screen which would be so boring," he says.
Trends on small screen change almost overnight. Once, there was a craze for fresh talent, but today showmakers are opting for well-known faces. Aamir insists, "Good work is always appreciated."
Talking about his family, Aamir is blessed with two kids. With a twinkle in his eye, he says, "With kids it's super fun. My wife often says that I will spoil them. It is difficult to be a dad of a eight year old daughter (Rashu) — with so much exposure, there are too many questions that she asks that I can't answer. I just tell her that when she will turn 15, she will understand everything. My son, Abir is a big nautanki,when I am out of town he calls me and gives me emotional lines and then says if he can play on my ipad."
Does being a father, hamper his image as an actor? "The kind of fan following SRK has is every actor's dream and he's a dad too! The audience likes us for the kind of work we do and don't care about our personal lives," he smiles.
Former cricketer Madan Lal is all set to make his television debut with "Hum Ne Li Hai..Shapath".
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