There is a difference between an actor and an artist

Neeraj Kabi

Kabi, who was recently seen in Avrodh: The Siege Within, chats with Musba hashmi on why he chose to be a part of the project, how he started out, how he thinks the theater is the lifeblood of an actor and that he has experienced nepotism in the industry on several occasions

What is your role in Sony Livs Avrodh?

I play Shailesh Malviya, a national security adviser. His job is to report directly to the Prime Minister for internal and international security. It is this person who has full command of all the armed forces. Even his progression to becoming the national security adviser is layered. He had to go through many positions during his early years. He has a lot of knowledge and is an absolute patriot. His thoughts concern only the nation and its security.

What prompted you to take on this role?

The scenario. Also the director, Raj Acharya, he was assistant director in almost three of my previous films. So when I found out he was running the show, I was hooked. He was very professional and he told me don’t take it because I’m telling you to do it, read the script and dig deep into it. This is what I did and I found my character very interesting. I’ve never played a role like this before and it interested me. Because every time I choose a role, I make sure I don’t repeat it. Also, the role is based on actual possession and that made it more interesting for me.

You started your career with The Last Vision (1997). How did you come on board for the project?

It’s a long story, but to make it short, I was doing my first TV series at the time for Sumitra Bhave, a Marathi director. She is a director that I really like and admire. I played a small part in this series and there were almost 16 people from the National School of Drama (NSD), juniors, seniors, and very senior people. We had to go to a village in Pune for a shoot and I decided to stay behind. Luckily, the NSD actors were hanging out that evening and discussing a movie shot in Odia that required someone who could speak the language and dance Chhau. I knew both. I heard them and thought I wanted this. Somehow I got the team number and got called in Mumbai. Early in the morning, I auditioned for the role. Then I left it and every four days I called them and asked if I was selected. I was told that for the role 14 NSD actors were rejected. I was convinced that I had no chance of getting the part. But again, I called them and they asked when I would come to Mumbai to sign the contract. This is how it happened.

Were there any apprehensions before starting to play?

Many of them. Because I wasn’t from the NSD or the Film & Television Institute. I had no formal theater training and that’s why it took me so long to find my place here. I decided to do it in 1990 and my first hiatus was Ship of Theseus in 2011. Sure, The Last Vision happened in 1997, but after that I had nothing at all. We have to go through a black hole in recent years. I don’t like to go into details because it’s like my iron shields that have helped me grow. I worked hard. My day started at 4 a.m. and I worked until 12 p.m. I did all the odd jobs for a living, never rested and wondered why nothing was happening to me. That’s why when Ship of Theseus arrived, I gave it all I could because it was like a do-or-die situation. And it’s a blessing that it worked out well.

As a theater actor yourself, how important do you think it is for the actor to experience the theater?

Extremely important and that is why I have done so many workshops for people over the years. Theater is an absolute foundation of an actor, which is why you see the difference between actors and artists. If you see Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Manoj Bajpai they are skilled actors which is why you see the quality in them as opposed to the stars. And I don’t blame them because the stars’ job is to entertain, to make us watch and to act, it’s not to get people to watch us, it’s about to make them watch the character. that we play. It is the opposite of the world of stars. This is why theater is important because, from understanding the script to the storytelling, it brings out the best in actors.

Have you ever felt like an outsider in the industry?

Yes several times. But I didn’t raise these incidents or issues at all. The reason being that I didn’t think it would immediately serve the purpose. That’s all I have to say about it. Most foreigners fall victim to nepotism, but it depends on how you take it and deal with it. I still take care of him, but I do it my way.