The Best Men?

When he bagged the role of Mikhail,Shahid Kapoors best pal,in the film Kaminey,actor and theatre director Chandan Roy Sanyal had little idea how the film would fare.

Written by Jaskiran Kapoor

February 23, 2011 12:42 AM IST

4 min read

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj’s finds,Chandan Roy Sanyal and Deepak Dobriyal,make their way up the tinsel town ladder

When he bagged the role of Mikhail,Shahid Kapoors best pal,in the film Kaminey,actor and theatre director Chandan Roy Sanyal had little idea how the film would fare. He looked at it as just another addition to the work experience listed in his bio data. I was happy with the part and moved on,but I guess I got lucky, says Roy,about his role as a gangster that left a lasting impression. More work started pouring in immediately,but Roy preferred to be selective.

After a gap of two years,he has three releases lined-up: Faltu,a comedy,Tell Me Oh Khuda,a rom-com and action-thriller Love You to Death . Vishal gave me a wonderful character to enact. It was memorable and turned out to be my jump-board. It takes guts to cast newcomers, says Roy,who will soon he heading to the US for Deepa Mehtas Midnights Children,based on the classic by Salman Rushdie. Also lined-up is a Bengali film with Soojit Sarkar.

In the meantime,Bhardwajs other find,Deepak Dobriyal,who played the much-hated Rajju in Omkara where he ignited the evil spark in Saif Ali Khans character Landga Tyagi is also looking forward to a role reversal. He will be seen as the leading mans best friend in Tanu Weds Manu. Speaking about his role in the film that releases on February 25,he says,This guy,Pappi,is Madhavans voice in the film. He is his cousin and best friend and suffers from a verbal diarrhea. He steps in where Madhavan,the quiet one,fumbles.

Like Roy,Dobriyal also opted to be selective,focusing on quality rather than quantity. I refused more than 70 films last year,as I wanted variety… There has to be creative freedom, says the actor who was seen in Maqbool in 2003. He adds that the nature of struggle has now changed for him. Earlier,there was a struggle for money,food,shelter,now theres a hunger for good roles and bettering acting skills, he adds. In case of Tanu Weds Manu,he found the character of Pappi gripping and funny. The film is impressive,both because of its cast and visually, he adds.

Post the release this week,Dobriyal will be seen in Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehras Teen Thay Bhai with Om Puri and Shreyas Talpade and Mumbai Cutting. I am looking forward to both the films. In Mehras movie I am one of the three brothers at loggerheads and Mumbai Cutting has short stories, says Dobriyal. Directed by Kundan Shah,the story called Platform Number 5,has Dobriyal engaged in an ego clash with a train. He says,The film has this wannabe actor who wants to make it big in Mumbai,but the minute he steps on the platform he is pushed and shoved and misses eight trains.

Despite the success,both the actors remain rooted. Theatre continues to be Roys first love. Even Al Pacino returns to the stage to refresh himself. For me,its part of the growing up process to be on stage. It has refined my skills and made me a more controlled performer. Having received acclaim as a theatre director,he observes that a directors role is a more difficult one,when compared to an actor. A director has a lot of blood pressure to deal with… there is too much tension, he says,adding that he gets a wider audience with movies.