Court Tales

He is a prince in Sarila,a small state in Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh. But Samar Sarila,son of the present raja Narendra Singh,is playing a tragic role at present — of Ejlert Lovborg in Henrik Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler,the latest production of Mumbai-based Company Theatre.

“Lovborg is a genius,recovering alcoholic and a passionate lover who is destroyed by a manipulative woman whom he once loved,” says Samar,28,about the play that will soon travel to Delhi. “Acting was not a practical thing to do,nobody in my family had ever been on the stage or in films but my parents were supportive when I told them that I wanted to be an actor,” says Sarila.

He acted in plays in London where he was studying political science,and followed this up with French plays while attending a film school in Paris. “I arrived in Mumbai three-and-a-half years ago to try to get into films,” he says. Two films are scheduled to be released — Turning 30 by Alankrita Shrivastav and produced by Prakash Jha,and Life directed by Kitu Ghosh.

“Lovbord,I feel,got his creativity easily. I have to put a lot of effort to get to where I want,” he says.