Mithun Chakraborty forbid son Namashi to travel by Mercedes for auditions, asked him to take an auto: ‘I started my journey from zero’

Mithun asked Namashi to travel in an auto for audition

“When I started looking for work independently in Mumbai, I got an audition offer for an ad in April 2016. I told my dad about it and he said, ‘Go for the audition.’ But then he added, ‘You’re not going in the Mercedes today. The audition is in Andheri, take an auto from here, go to the jetty, then take another auto from there.’ He told me, ‘Today, my son is not going for an audition. Namashi Chakraborty, a first-timer, is going to give an audition. Go with that attitude,’” he said.

At the time, Namashi questioned whether travelling by auto really mattered. His father insisted that the journey itself was part of the lesson.

“He told me I had to start my journey from zero and forget the comfortable life I had lived till then. That day, for the first time in my life, I took an auto and went to Versova jetty. I gave a good audition, but the project didn’t work out. Still, that day taught me what independence really means. Even today, I travel by auto when I need to go somewhere. That day, he removed the baggage from my shoulders, he made me understand that I am independent and must do everything on my own. It was very humbling. I felt uncomfortable at first, but then I realised it was for my betterment.”

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People’s reactions changed knowing he is Mithun’s son

Namashi also spoke about how people’s reactions changed once they realised  he was Mithun Chakraborty’s son during auditions.

“The moment people found out I was Mithun Chakraborty’s son, they would make me sit in an air-conditioned room, which I hated. Other boys had come for the same audition I had, just because I’m someone’s son doesn’t mean I deserve anything extra. I have to prove myself. I would tell them, ‘Please don’t treat me specially. Treat me the same way you treat other actors.’ When you’re auditioning for the same role, talent should matter, not the surname. If the surname matters, then the entire exercise is useless,” he said.

Rejecting the insider-outsider debate, Namashi added, “I don’t believe in insider or outsider because in front of the camera, only talent matters, not your surname or background.”

How Namashi landed a role in The Bengal Files

Speaking about The Bengal Files, Namashi mentioned that while his mother mentioned his name to filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, the role eventually came his way only after proving himself through auditions.

“My dad shares a stronger bond with Pallavi Joshi ma’am than with Vivek sir. They’ve been friends for 40 years. Vivek sir has been associated with my dad since The Tashkent Files. When The Bengal Files was being made, my dad didn’t even mention my name. It was my mom who casually told Vivek sir that her younger son is also an actor. By then, my film Bad Boy with Rajkumar Santoshi sir had already released.”

 

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Namashi recalled being called to Vivek Agnihotri’s office. “I told him I wanted to work with him. He asked if I’d do a villain’s role. I paused for a second and said yes. Then he said, ‘You won’t do a hero’s role?’ I said yes to that too. He told me he thought I would only want to play the hero. I told him I’m open to everything.”

He explained that the role came after multiple rounds of auditions. “He auditioned me for the role of Gulam, then for another character, and then again for Gulam. There were three rounds of auditions, and only after that did I get the role. My dad had no contribution, and my mom didn’t get me the role either. I earned the character after three auditions.”