Shades of an Actor

Earlier this year,Divyendu Sharma was faced with the task of filling Rakesh Bedi’s shoes in the remake of Sai Paranjpye’s Chashme Baddoor. The actor even admits to have been a bit confused about the decision because of the iconic status the original has achieved. Sharma was chosen for this remake by David Dhawan after his debut feature Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) won him praises for his comic timing. “A second film is always harder than the first one since expectations are high,” says Sharma. But as the aspiring poet,who mouths funny lines,Sharma’s impeccable humour had the audience in splits yet again. “It was a good start to the year,” he says.

Now,a bigger task awaits the actor. He is to move away from the funnyman image for Zaalim Dilli,directed by Japinder Kaur Baweja. Yet,this is one of the primary reasons why he chose to do this movie. “Bollywood has a tendency to typecast the actors. Post PKP,I got several other offers to do similar roles. Coincidentally,even my second film was a comedy. So it was important to try something else,” he says. In the role of an aspiring IAS officer,Sharma is looking to not just transform his image into a serious one but also exhibit new shades of his acting repertoire.

For Sharma,acting was something he yearned for ever since he decided to make it a profession. A two-year diploma in acting from Film and Television Institute of India,Pune,further strengthened his resolution. After a few years of doing theatre in Delhi,he came to Mumbai. Though he initially did supporting roles,he wants to change it now. “Personally,I would just be happy acting,but the role of a lead actor puts you on a higher pedestal,” he says. With Zaalim Dilli and Rajat Mukherjee’s Rave,he hopes to achieve that status. He also knows the risk is much more. “You carry the burden of a film on your shoulders. And very often,when a film fails,the lead actors bear the brunt of it,” he adds. But as actors,Sharma believes,one must be willing to face the double-edged sword.

Ever since his debut,he has been known for choosing roles that are unconventional but in the commercial space. “When I decided to play Liquid in PKP,many of my friends told me that it would hamper my image. But I knew if the audience responded to Liquid,I would have passed the test,” he says. Today,he aspires to be part of good stories. He is also drawn to drama where he wishes to play a character with negative shades as well as the role of a detective.