Mudit Nayar: Isharon Isharon Mein is like a breath of fresh air on television

Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Q. How challenging is it to play a deaf and mute character?

Of course the initial challenge was to learn the sign language. I started with the classes and am still doing training on the same. I even watched movies around the same kind of characters to polish my movements. And now, the challenge is to strike a balance between being technically correct and acting in a way that even a layman understands the signs. It will be a constant process for long, I feel.

Q. Has there been any moment during shoots when you blurted out dialogues by mistake?

When we have the scenes with the entire family, after three-four rehearsals, I end up remembering all the lines. So every time someone misses their dialogues, I start getting restless. The dialogue is almost right there on my tongue. Thankfully, I haven’t spoken during the takes yet (laughs).

Q. Deaf and mute characters are either used as an emotional angle or comic relief. Your character Yogi, for a change, has been shown to be quite normal.

I am not saying this because it’s my show or I am playing Yogi but he is the most normal character that one has ever seen. From an outsider’s perspective, one would think that he is disabled but his family has never treated him differently. We are not showing him weak or a ‘bechara’, there’s no scope of sympathy. He is a prankster, and his father is fed up of him. Yogi is like any brat on TV, it’s just that he cannot speak or hear.

Q. Do you feel the audience will connect to a show like this?

I think it is bit of a gamble. It is a very different show and we don’t know how the audience will react. But they would get connected to the concept. We have seen everything on television and it soon gets repetitive. Isharon Isharon Mein is like a breath of fresh air on TV. It’s a light-hearted show and the treatment is also very beautiful. There’s no over the top drama or characters, and everything is very relatable.

Q. While Gajraj Rao directed the promo, you also have stalwarts like Kiran Karmarkar, Sudhir Pandey, Sulbha Arya among more as part of the cast. How has been your experience working with them?

I have worked in the industry for eight-ten years now and have worked with many seniors. But for the first time, I was left in awe, when I saw Sudhir Pandey perform. He has such an amazing comic timing that I burst out laughing at his scenes. The other actors are also very supportive. They keep suggesting me new methods and that has helped me expand my range also. It has been a learning experience overall.

As for Gajraj sir, since he is also an actor, he knows about the frame of mind of an actor before a scene. He goes out of the way to make one comfortable. He is brilliant and a joy to work with.

Q. In your career span, you have done good but very few roles. Are you satisfied with your journey?

Honestly, I do feel that I could have been a little less choosy. Even my last show happened more than a year back. It’s not that there is a lack of offers, it’s more because I don’t want to do everything that comes my way. I want to be associated with different characters. This is why I move towards theatre during my breaks.

Q. You’ve trained under Barry John, the same coach as Shah Rukh Khan. Didn’t you want to try your luck in films too?

Obviously the plan was to do that. But it’s really difficult to enter the movies. I have done a couple of small roles in films. There have been a few more offers but nothing materialised. If and when the opportunity comes, I would be happy to give films a try.

Starting July 15, Isharon Isharon Mein will air Monday-Friday at 8 pm on Sony TV.