‘Were you playing to the gallery or were you in the moment?’: Keval Arora

We started this exercise where we had to blindfold ourselves and explore our space, and if we ran into someone, we had to recognise who it was. When my turn came, I walked around and reached Keval, touching his face. When people started laughing, I pretended not to know who he was, feeling his beard and glasses, and well, the little hair on his head.

“You didn’t recognise me?” he asked me later.

“I was playing for the gallery,” I said.

“Were you playing for the gallery,” he probed, “or were you in the moment?”

That triggered something in me. He helped me realise that your truth is more important than how the audience is responding. Are you doing it deliberately or are you lying to yourself? That’s how I joined The Players.

Meeting Keval was a life-changing experience. Spending time with him meant you were always learning something in a completely democratic space, free of hierarchies. He was always there as I got my breaks, critically analysing my performances. Even now, when I look back at Raanjhanaa (2013), which in Bollywood vocabulary was my big break, I remember asking Keval what he thought of my work in it, and he said, “It’s good, but it’s not new. I’ve seen it before.”

And I thought, chalo, there’s still work to be done.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub is a Mumbai-based actor.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!