Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I've always believed that the artiste is the one who has his pulse on the society and who, in many ways, represents the conscience of society in terms of engaging standards that we need to live by.
In 'Haraamkhor,' I have explored a few things which I wouldn't have been able to do in bigger films. The process of shooting this film was so organic that it enhanced me as an actor and an artiste.
People expect comedy from me but I am not just a stand-up comedian anymore. I act on stage, host 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' and also conduct interviews on my show. I have grown as a person and an artiste.
I would be fooling myself if I thought I would succeed as an entrepreneur. Maybe my base as a theatre artiste gave me the confidence as that's when you start feeling you can do something on your own.
When you step inside a set and transform into a character, it's your first brush with that role. It doesn't matter who you have worked with. Every character will be a first in your life as an artiste.
I actually admire the Indian artiste 'Lost Stories.' He made a remix of my song 'Faded.' That is really good and cool because it actually represented Indian music. I just loved the song; it so unique.
I believe in an artiste's life, there are two kinds of awards - first is the appreciation and good wishes he or she gets for his work from the audience and secondly, the recognition in the form of awards.
Things like dressing, postures and gestures are under the artiste's control. If I'm performing, my safety is primarily my responsibilityso I shouldn't end up doing anything that would infuriate the audience.
I have made a promise to myself that I will have no limitations as an actor. I have realised I have to pay attention to the commercials or the business aspect of cinema, but deep inside, I am purely an artiste.
Bollywood gives you an immense reach. The stars have a huge fan base. The amount spent on promoting a film is incredible. To be part of such productions, in some way or the other, is a blessing for any artiste.
To be honest, until I started dubbing, I didn't realize the amount of work of a dubbing artiste puts in. Especially the artistes that dub for villains. They really stretch their vocal cords to a different dimension.
The performance of Carnatic music is multi-dimensional and layered. A performance is at once an artiste's cathartic process of personal exploration and an open energy exchange with the audience: a release and a conversation.
You have to be gifted to begin with, of course, but what follows is a process that takes a very long time. You train, you listen, you travel, you follow artistes... all of it goes into making you who you are as a performing artiste.
I feel like I'm on crutches when I have to go by the dialogue sheet. I want the artiste's natural, spontaneous reaction and vocabulary so that it adds a genuine flavor to the scene without which the sequence becomes entirely cinematic.
No artiste wants to be boxed. We thrive on challenging roles, and they can come from anywhere. I consider myself blessed to be recognised as a pan-Indian actor. Yes, it means more hard work, prepping more for the roles, but I'm all for it.
It's never easy for me to say goodbye. I get attached to people very quickly, and with 'Raw Stars,' my connection is even more special. I'm in love with their music and perhaps their biggest fan. I think every artiste on the show is mind-blowing.
It's hectic at times, but this is what any artiste wants: a hectic life with lot of travelling, performances, lots of love from fans, the opportunity to compose songs back-to-back, and a chance to share the stage with maestros like Zakir Hussain.
After marriage, I will have two sets of parents who are proud of me. And I also know that I won't do anything that will embarrass them. That is the trust they have in me and the responsibility that I have as a wife, friend, and also as an artiste.
Reading has made me more open, has improved my understanding, and has made me a better artiste, but it also makes me live in my own bubble. My mom keeps asking me, 'What do you read in that room the whole day?' Once I am into a book, I will finish it.
I'm neither excited nor worried when my film releases. As an artiste, I would definitely want people to like my work... that's why we are here. But I don't really sit up and look at reviews. I have never sat down to ponder over what others have to say.
I am honestly very intimidated when I meet new people and they expect me to be the onscreen Vir. On stage, I say a lot of things I might never say in real life; I am never the life of the party. People are quite surprised to see that I am more of a quiet artiste off stage.
If I had not made a film like 'Vaanaprastham,' I would not have been able to go to Cannes or any other festival. I would not have had a chance to act as a Kathakali artiste. I would not have had a chance to be with some of the greatest Kathakali artistes. I consider all this my good fortune.
If my stories make people uncomfortable, because it questions your set ideas and value systems that are convenient for a group of people or ideas that promote patriarchy and religious fanaticism, then my job as an artiste and a writer is done. The more you will cry foul, the louder my characters will speak.
I believe that the environment at home has been fairly secular and liberal. And most times, it comes from my mother. Our culture is very strong, but at the same time, she's a very free-spirited person. She's an artiste, and that's the environment I grew up in, where films and music were respected and meditated upon.
I think I'm a story-based artiste. So I would opt for the performance-oriented role. I usually go by intuition while choosing a script. Also, I do not analyse my performance, nor do I bother about how my film has been performing at the box office. I personally love challenges and am game for taking up things which I haven't attempted before.
