‘Theatre isn’t a stepping stone to cinema’

Talktime Kumud Mishra

He claimed to fame with his supportive avatars in films like Rockstar, Airlift, Sultan, Rustom, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and many others. Mishra will now be seen playing a lead role of an impersonator of Charlie Chaplin in his next Ram Singh Charlie. He talks to Sangeeta Yadav about his journey so far

Tell us about your upcoming movie Ram Singh Charlie.

It is directed by National Award filmmaker Nitin Kakkar. Playing an impersonator of Charlie Chaplin has been the most challenging role I have ever done thus far. It is a very complex character. I had to lose 24 kg in three months. In the film, I had to ride the rickshaw carrying two-three people and we shot this scene for five days. Even physically this project was very demanding.

After a huge success of Tiger Zinda Hai at the Box Office, the film is now having its World TV premiering today on Sony MAX...

I got to play a R&AW agent for the first time. When I read the script, I liked it a lot and knew that this film has a lot of potential to be a hit. Moreover, with Salman Khan on board, the film is bound to be a huge success. He is the tiger of Bollywood.

Who is the tiger in your life?

It is my son, Kabir. 

How was your experience working in Tiger Zinda Hai?

When I was getting briefed about my character Rakesh, I visualised how my character would look. The character itself has its own role to play and contribution to make in the entire film. He is someone who is lazy but very intelligent. He has no fixed ideology except to do good to other people. He is not willing to take the risk and get into danger at this age but because he had a history of his own, he gets associated with the mission risking his life. He is the only man who doesn’t hold a gun in the entire mission and brings some comic relief. Though my scenes were less, the character was so intrinsically created by the director Ali Abbas Zafar that it looks complete in itself with multiple layers to it.

What was the most difficult thing for you?

It was difficult to do action though I didn’t have heavy scenes. I was suffering from back pain. My physiotherapy was going on the set and the doctor was always available. After the shooting got over, I was on bed rest for two months due to slip disc and sciatica. Probably it is my passion and the will power that made me shoot.

How did this injury happen?

I was exercising in the gym and I didn’t realise that I was not doing it correctly. I felt the pain in my back but I didn’t stop myself from exercising. I had never thought that this will become so big.

How important are supporting actors in films?

Without supporting cast, no film can be created. One can’t base the film only on the shoulders of hero and heroine who are characters only. There was a time when the supporting actors were considered as the stock characters. If an actor is playing a widow or a police officer, they used to get that kind of roles their entire life. But now nobody wants to be that any more. So filmmakers are looking at character and not personality and coming up with interesting supporting roles and trying out different actors.

Do you think theatre is the stepping stone for cinema?

No, theatre is not a stepping stone or a training ground for actors to foray in cinema. I didn’t do theatre thinking I will get work in cinema. It is wrong to say that those who have done theatre are now getting accepted in movies. Theatre itself is an independent art form. Both the fields have their own strengths and weaknesses. Since cinema has a good reach and more money, who would not want to work in films?

Do you get nervous attacks?

Yes every time I do a role. I get very nervous even if it is for three to four minute because you don’t know how it is going to get moulded and received by the audience. You think you have given a good performance but how it comes out on screen is what matters to me.