9 min readNew DelhiJul 6, 2022 02:57 PM IST
Pavan Malhotra says he approaches every character like his debut with equal rawness and nervousness. The ace actor, who been making waves on the digital platform with shows like Tabbar and Grahan, is in his second innings, as per many fans. “Everything has fallen into my lap. If I try for something, I never land that role. It should come on its own. So over time, I stopped going to people to ask for work,” he told indianexpress.com.
Pavan, who’s been a part of the entertainment industry for over four decades, has been synonymous with some hard-hitting films in Hindi and Punjabi, and his performance-backed roles. These include movies like Black Friday, Road to Sangam, Bhindi Bazaar, Punjab 1984 and Children of War. But his craft wasn’t just restricted to critically acclaimed cinema. He has been equally involved in commercial films Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Jab We Met, Bang Bang and Mubarakan.
Pavan started his journey as an assistant in various departments on projects like Gandhi, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Khamosh and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi. But he says he says his days at the Delhi theatre helped him explore the actor in him. From TV show Nukkad to entering the OTT space, Pavan’s journey has been noteworthy.
Having worked with filmmakers Shyam Benegal, Deepa Mehta, Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Roland Joffé, Pavan is a recipient of a National Award for Fakir (1998). Pavan’s debut as a leading man was in Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro (1989), directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza. The film revolves around Salim, a criminal trying to start a life afresh, away from his past. But how destiny does not allow him a second chance, as he gets embroiled in communal tensions in his city.
Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro also starred stalwarts like Makrand Deshpande, Ashutosh Gowariker, Rajendra Gupta, Neelima Azeem, Vikram Gokhale, Surekha Sikri and Tom Alter. It went on to win a National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
Pavan went down the memory lane and shared how Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro came his way, and how it gave him the confidence to play a lead.
On landing the role
Saeed originally wrote it keeping Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah) in mind. One day at his office, he asked me if I was working out. I said I do occasionally. He asked me to start doing it regularly as I was to play Kareem, that’s what the character was initially called, before he was renamed Salim. I told him it’s an important film for him, so he should not take any decision in haste. He said it’s a decision taken after a three-month long discussion and in all his senses. I was not expecting that offer, so the next day I reconfirmed at his office. Saeed again said yes.
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Makrand Deshpande, who was also finalised for the film, was sitting there. I asked him if he’d wish to take a round of the area. I had done production for a long time there, so I knew it very well. I took him to Chor Bazar, Do Tanki and such places to observe people.
On his first day on sets
We shot for the scene where I go to meet this educated guy who’s supposed to marry my sister. Halfway through the scene, late Kundan Shah and Ravi Ahuja went aside and discussed something with Saeed. They were setting up the shot but when I saw them, I started wondering if I’ve made any mistake. I’ve never been an over confident actor. We can never be 100 per cent perfect.
Eventually, I never took time to do makeup. I just changed my clothes and blackened the moustache a bit as I had brown moustache, so I wanted to break image.
On being nervous
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I got such a good hang of my character, I never needed more than 2-3 takes. Unlike what people say, cinema is more difficult than theatre. In theatre we practice for 2-3 months. There, we get so used to acting in silence that even a small ring of a phone in the audience can disturb us. On the contrary, in a film, you do action, comedy, romance, drama, anything, you have ten people standing on your head. As an actor you have to keep repeating the same take and match it from different angles. Luckily, I’ve mostly got it right in just a few takes, and same happened with Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro too. But, a bit of nervousness is always there since you approach every project fresh.
Pavan Malhotra with Makrand Deshpande and Ashutosh Gowariker in a still from Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro.
On his rapport with the team
When we went to watch the film’s rushes, associate director Ravi Ojha took me aside started apologising. I got confused as to why he was doing that. He said I’m sorry Pavan, we took three months to decide the lead. There were two groups during decision making, one in favour of you, one against taking you. I was in the group that wasn’t sure about you. Today, when I saw the rushes, I realised nobody else could’ve done this role. He said the vulnerability and range that I brought to Salim couldn’t have been achieved by anyone ese. I asked Saeed what he thought about the rushes. He said, “My friend, we are making a great film.” He said he wasn’t comparing it with his previous work but with the quality work being done globally. Saeed never gave much of a reaction ever, so when the film released and after its first show, Saeed came out and told me nobody could’ve done this kind of work. He was a man of few words, so him saying that was a big deal. If your writer-director is happy with you, what more do you ask for.
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On things he’d change if he redoes the role
The pilot was much better than the way I dubbed it as I had no experience. Saeed told me, “Pavan, if you can do it there, you can do it here too. Just give me that.” I still feel we loose 20-25 per cent in distortion. That happens, even today. Now we shoot in sync sound, still we need to dub for scenes due to noise and disturbance on location. What you deliver while being in the mood of your character on set is difficult to recreate in the same pilot line later. So in Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, I couldn’t do that either.
But that doesn’t mean I could’ve done it any better. I replied just because you asked. Though I think I wouldn’t redo it today. It would just have been slightly better if I had dubbing experience. When you are new, out of the tension of doing it perfectly, you end up making mistakes, and then you try to hurry through the process just to ensure the shot gets okayed somehow. Today, I tell everyone to do it patiently and properly as it’s going to get imprinted for the next 50 years.
On his inspiration as an actor
I admired Balraj Sahni. You cannot mimic him and that’s his craft. Actors who you cannot do a caricature of are remembered. Like what Vicky Kaushal did in Sanju as a Gujrati character cannot be copied. He was that good.
Pavan Malhotra with Makrand Deshpande and Ashutosh Gowariker in a still from Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro.
Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro released in 1989.