Ever since Sushant Singh Rajput made his relationship with Ankita Lokhande public, he has regularly been asked about his plans to get married to her. Now, the actor finally admits that the wedding will happen soon. He also reacts to reports that compare his career graph to that of Shah Rukh Khan's.
You have been in a relationship with Ankita for five years now. Is marriage on the cards?
Yes. Ankita wants to have an elaborate wedding. So, I need to plan for it. It's on the top of my priority list. We haven't fixed any date, but it should happen sometime soon.
Are you afraid that your female fan following might take a hit post marriage?
It's just a myth that once you get married, you lose your fan base. I think the audience will respect you more for your honesty and courage to stand by your girl. Also, as an actor, if you are skilled enough to be convincing in any role, then the audience will continue to love you.
Do you get bothered when your personal life makes news?
Why would it bother me? I am in a steady and dreamlike (sic) relationship with Ankita for the last five years, and I have always been transparent about it, and proud of it.
A recent report traced similarities between your career graph and that of Shah Rukh Khan's.
Shah Rukh is one of the main reasons I developed an interest in films in the first place. From being a great admirer of him as a school kid, and not being able to get an autograph from him on the sets of Swades (2004), to dancing behind him at an awards show, and then, getting invited to his house last year " it has been a long journey. Maybe, what we have in common is the passion for our work and the willingness to have
You have no godfather in the industry. Does that make things tough?
It's very difficult for an outsider to break in and then survive in this industry. But I feel, eventually, you'll be remembered for your passion, talent and hard work, not your surname.
Do you feel that your contemporaries are giving you tough competition?
There is competition, and it's tough. But most newcomers now are quite sure about their priorities and choices. So, we choose to learn from each other and get motivated. There is mutual respect, and we are working together to contribute to the metamorphosis our cinema is undergoing.
Being one of the highest-paid young actors, how important is fame and money in your life?
Fame and money are important and, at the same time, tempting. But after a point, they start to lose relevance. I love the fame and money my career brings, but I somehow find other reasons to love my craft more.
There is a perception that you are cut off " going by Bollywood standards of camaraderie " from the rest of the industry?
It's true, but that's not deliberate. When I prepare or shoot for a film, I try to stick around the world of the script because that's the only way I can portray my characters with confidence. And now, lately, whenever I am not shooting, nobody calls me, so I end up not socialising at all.
Your next two films " Detective Byomkesh Bakshy and Paani " are completely different from each other. So, have their preparations been challenging?
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is set in the Calcutta of 1940s, and Paani is a futuristic film. I have learned more in six months with Dibakar Banerjee than I learnt in the last eight years of acting. I have just begun working with Shekhar sir (Kapur) and it's magical. The last one year has definitely been the most exciting phase of my life.
Rumours are that you are doing Homi Adajania's next with Alia Bhatt, and the MS Dhoni biopic.
I have finalised two films, but I can't talk about them until the makers make an official announcement.
From engineering to acting, how was the switch?
Every time I made a transition, say from engineering to professional dancing and then to TV and films, it looked scary. Each day, it was like a pendulum swinging. At one point in the day, I would feel it was impossible, and the same day, I would feel certain about it.
A number of TV actors seem to be following you into films...
Actors working on TV are more confident now, and also, film-makers are opening their doors to them. It's a welcome change.
With over a year in Bollywood, how has life changed for you?
It has changed for the better. I've been getting good work and it's encouraging. People take me seriously and there are lots of expectations. It's the beginning of a long journey.
Absolute India:
SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT TALKS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING FILMS, BEING UNAPOLOGETICALLY RECKLESS AND THE IMPERMANENT NATURE OF FAME
Subhash K Jha
There is a lot of talk in the film industry about how much you've changed with success?
I don't think I have changed. Maybe the people around me have begun to observe me much more closely now than they did before. I am not blaming anyone but there are people who expect a newcomer to follow a certain protocol. I never followed that protocol even when I was in the television industry. I won't follow it now. I am very spontaneous in my behaviour to the point of being considered reckless. I am reckless, yes, but not thoughtless. I can focus only on one issue or one person at a time. Even my girlfriend ( Ankita Lokhande) has a problem with this. Thatalt39s the way I am.
Apparently you've been curtly turning down a lot of roles?
Very often when I know a narration is going wrong I still sit through it politely. Mujhe na nahin kehne aata hai. That gets me into trouble. Instead of saying no to scripts that I don't like, I begin to avoid the producers. Then they feel I am high handed.
Your friends say you don't take their calls?
(Laughs) Who are these friends? I am very happy where I am. I don't see myself changing. Its the attitude of people that has changed. When I switched from television to cinema everyone would say I think of myself as another Shah Rukh Khan. Now after I've done movies, the same people say that I am another SRK. So the perception about me has changed. Now they are saying I do very different kind of characters so I don't fit in as a typical hero.
How was the experience of working with Dibakar Banerjee in Detective Byomkesh Bakshi?
We've wrapped up the film. And I can tell you, it was one more learning experience for me. Dibakar trusted me completely. We had done workshops before we started shooting. So I knew exactly what he wanted me to do and how I should go about it. We had a lot of room for experimentation and I think I've grown as an actor. But if you ask what I think of my performance as Byomkesh I wouldn't be able to tell you.
Why not?
For the first time I didn't check myself on the monitor after every shot. That was a conscious decision. I looked, talked and behaved very differently from the way I am in real life. If I had seen myself on the monitor I'd have become very self conscious and it would have been difficult for me to do the next shot. I didn't want a visual self- reference as that would have distracted me from performing.
How difficult was it for you to transform from a 2014 dude to a 1940's Bhadra- lok?
It wasn't difficult. It was interesting.Dibakar gave me many tips and reference points. Besides I had a whole team looking after my clothes, make- up, hair etc. They made sure I looked the character. I also saw a lot of films from the 1940s and 1950s. How they walked, the way they talked, the way they did this and that, these were the details I had to understand on my own. I had to be convinced that I had to behave in a particular way.
Why have all your film roles so far been so unconventional?
An actor has to remember the primary reason why he chose the profession that he did. If every role that I do doesn't challenge me then what is the point of being an actor? Every character that I've chosen has made me evolve as an actor. And I am lucky that my directors have shown so much faith in my abilities. There is always that sense of exploration and excitement. I am not bothered with whether my characters are conventional or not because I am not in this for the designer labels and the autographs. I don't even want to go there. I am not saying that those who crave for conventional stardom are wrong in their aspirations. But that's not what I want.
Would you be uncomfortable playing the designer hero?
I won't be comfortable doing the normal. If I invest six months of my life in a role, the least I expect is to come out of the experience feeling good about myself. I won't play the conventional role even if I get big money for it. Financial considerations are not an issue for me. So far I've got the roles I wanted. If in the future that changes then we'll see.
Now you've Shekhar Kapur's Paani?
Yes, I get another chance to assume another character. It's completely a different world from Byomkesh. I take a 100- year leap. The difference is, I have historical reference points for Byomkesh but none in Paani. This is an open world for me. Every time Shekhar and I sit down to discuss my character we are inundated with ideas. Shekhar gives me a lot of room for innovation. That's what I find in common between Dibakar sir and Shekhar sir. Their knowledge goes way beyond cinema. They seem to know so much about life. It's human nature to imbibe and ingest knowledge about life as quickly as possible. But when you reach these filmmakers' level of self-awareness, going right is also right and going left is also right. These directors take my suggestions with an open mind. They believe kuch bhi ho sakta hai.
So what after Paani?
There is one more film. But I've signed a non-disclosure agreement. So I can't talk about it. Even if I've to wait six months to sign another film I don't mind.
What has life taught you during the last one year?
After working with Dibakar and Shekhar I've realised how limited my knowledge of cinema and life is. I now keep my opinion to myself. Why should I air my views when I know so little?
Your journey from television to the big screen has been a dream. Do you fear that all of it may be snatched away from you?
Of course, I am prepared for the downside. The new home that Ankita and I built and decorated together and moved into recently is the only material asset that I value. Everything is so impermanent. I wanted to buy a particular mo'bike. I finally did. But it was soon languishing in the garage. So this is what it is. For me the bank balance is not a sign of success. I had made a wishlist of five directors I wanted to work with and I've worked with four of them. That to me is success. Now I'm preparing another wish- list.
Did you have a house warming party?
No, after doing up the home we had no money left. But the minute I entered our new home with Ankita the house was warmed.
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(Credit: Sushitalover, Karen, majoni, Lunza)
No, after doing up the home we had no money left. But the minute I entered our new home with Ankita the house was warmed.
