‘Good work satisfies; is fuel for boosting one’s career’

To the connoisseur, Saurabh Shukla needs no introduction. His ‘Jolly LLB2’ and ‘Raid’ set the box office afire. He is shooting back-to-back films, and three plays in which he stars, are currently doing the rounds across the country. His new play ‘Jab Khuli Kitaab’ opened at the Royal Opera House, in Mumbai, last weekend.

“I am on a different high these days and that happens when a new play opens. It opened on September 29 and we got a great response. It has a big cast of about 25 people and is a musical. The interesting thing is that this show is a family-based story. It’s about an old couple, who have been married for 50 years, and they decide to separate,” said the actor, who has written and directed the play.

Shukla was in Lucknow to wrap up his part during the shooting of ‘Family of Thakurganj’.

“The play is based in a small city, Mukteshwar, with cultural overtones of Gharwal region. I play the lead with Iravati Harshey making her theatrical debut. It also stars Danish Husain. Currently, three of my plays are being staged,” he said. The other two are ‘Baraf’ and ‘Two To Tango, Three to Jive’. He is set to bring ‘Jab Khuli Kitaab’ to Lucknow during the Repertwahr Theatre Fest in December. Shulka has shot DaasDev, Jolly LLB2, Abhi To Party Shuru Hui Hai and now ‘…Thakurganj’ in the state capital.

Dressed in white kurta-payjama and sitting cozily at the Butler Park adjacent to Bhatkhadey Music Akademi (where his parents taught music), he said, “It looks like I am doing too much work but it’s not so. That I am able to take out time for plays means I am going at the right pace. I shot for ‘Raid’, then ‘Abhi to party shuri huyi hai’ and now ‘Thakurganj’. Next, I will be doing a web series that will keep me very busy followed by Yash Raj Films’ ‘Shamshera’. ‘DaasDev’ also released in between, but was shot in 2014-15. It’s just a coincidence that it released now.”

Along with producer Nikhil Advani, he will direct the shooting of his next film in Lucknow. “I was supposed to start the end of the year but due to my film commitments I am not able to give full time to the project. Also, some signing of actors and other preparations are underway, so we hope to start the film here by early next years. Some actors have been locked but the formal announcement will happen by December.”

Talking about his next project, he said, “The Web series ‘Verdict’ has a wonderful story, where I play a very important character. The series has been ‘mentored’ by ‘Jolly LLB’ fame Shubhash Kapoor. The 10-episode series has an ensemble star cast.”

Elaborating on the multiple projects he is doing, Shukla said, “Doing less work is not my intention. My intent is to do what I like and can justify. If I get four films, that I find good, I will do all four. The satisfaction of doing good work acts as a fuel for boosting your career.”

His last release, ‘DaasDev’, did not do well. “It did not make money the way it should have. But, I feel there are many factors including the release of a film, its reach, publicity and others, which govern the success of a film. Whosoever saw the film, gave a good feedback of the film and my work. It happens sometimes that director has a vision which does not work!

He compares it with sport where you win some and lose some matches. “Sudhir is a fantastic person and filmmaker. One has to dare to make such film. Success or failure is not in our hand. Leave alone film-making, if you do something just for success then that is not always possible. Success can be a by-product of what you do. One should just listen to their heart and work. Success comes automatically and if it does not come then it teaches you a lesson to prepare you for episodes ahead,” said the actor-filmmaker.

First Published: Oct 06, 2018 15:11 IST