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Journalism of Courage
Shayan Munshi,who is known for his outings in Jhankar Beats and My Brother Nikhil and Bengali films like Bong Connection and Banshiwalla,will soon be seen in Ekti Tarar Khonje that also marks the directorial debut of award-winning cinematographer Avik Mukherjee
You were very successful as a model. What brought you to films; money,fame,power,ambition?
From the beginning,destiny has shown me what I am cut out to do. In my years as a model,I featured in some music videos. One of these,Yeh Hawa Kehti Hai Kya was very popular and drew attention to me. I am grateful to Pritish Nandy Communications for having given me the opportunity to embark on this new journey as an actor.
Not at the moment. I am focused totally on my acting that is very demanding in terms of time and commitment. It is a full-time job. I am enjoying the process. However,having said that,I am always open to endorsing a brand I believe in. Acting is a dynamic performing art. Modelling is nothing like it. As a model,you rely on your looks,personality,carriage,etc. However,I must concede that modelling made me very comfortable in front of the camera and gave me an overall awareness about fashion trends.
How would you define the character you are playing in Ekti Tarar Khonje and how close is the character to you?
The character I play is named Abhishek. He belongs to Chandannagar,a small town. But he wants to become an established actor which is not possible in this small town. Marlon Brando is his idol. He is also a walking encyclopedia in Hollywood classics. He loves music,listens to Bob Dylan and Dire Straits. He does not really know where and how to take off. He comes to Kolkata to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor. During the journey,he realises that he has a special gift 8211; that of the sixth sense. He is confused about the premonitions to begin with but comes to terms with them as time goes on. He is called to audition for a film. He is caught in the inevitable struggle between survival and realisation of his dream. Ekti Tarar Khonje is a journey filled with twists and turns that lie between these struggles and the dream. There is no resemblance between Abhishek,the character I play and myself except that we are both actors. I went and lived in Chandannagar for some time to get the feel of the place the character was rooted in.
How was Avik to work with as director?
Avik is an extremely talented person. I have had the privilege of working very closely with him. There is so much to learn from him since he has great vision and vast knowledge about films. I am truly grateful to Aniruddha Roychoudhury of Screenplay Films for giving me not only a wonderful film but also a great director who became my friend and guide. We met in the United States where I had gone after the release of Morning Walk. Collaborating with him has actually taught me a lot. He has an amazing understanding of every field in cinema though he is basically trained as a cinematographer. He was there by my side almost 24/7 during the first 15 days of the shoot. He had given me a solid back-story for the character I was playing. We developed such a rapport that he did not have to actually enact my scenes. I understood his visualisation of the character and worked accordingly.
How would you define yourself as an actor?
For me,acting is a dynamic creative expression. It is an interpretation of life. When I began my career as an actor,I had no formal training and followed my instincts. Spontaneity is what I relied on. Last year,I attended a few acting workshops in New York and also trained with a coach in Mumbai for some time. But working under Aviks direction was truly enriching and enlightening for me and for my growth as an actor.
You have also done the title role in Anjan Das Banshiwalla. Tell us something about your work in this film.
I think it was the producer who was keen to have me in this project. I think he felt that I fit the part and that is why Anjanda followed it through. It was an interesting experience. The best thing about Banshiwala is that I ended up playing the flute.
Among the films that you have done till now,do you look back on any film/ films you would like to mention as your favourite?
The Bong Connection was one film that really gave me an opportunity to perform. Jhankaar Beats is very special to me since that was my debut venture and till date I meet people who remember me from that film. ETK is by far the most creative project that I have been in. Just the experience of working with the cast and crew of ETK has been memorable. During the shoot,I became very fond of Dhritmanda Dhritiman Chatterji. His understanding and knowledge about cinema spills over into the other actors and helps us in our work. In the film,the character he plays,Ananda Babu,begins to take an interest in what Abhishek is doing or wants to do. In real life too,getting the best out of me in terms of performance became of prime importance to him without actually giving me any lessons in acting.
Which directors are you looking forward to work with?
There are many Indian directors I have deep respect for. An opportunity to work with them would be fantastic. To name a few,I would like to work with Vishal Bhardwaj,Anurag Basu,Anurag Kashyap,Imtiaz Ali,Navdeep Singh,Aamir Khan,Mani Ratnam,Aparna Sen,Sudhir Mishra and definitely Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I wish by then I have worked with at least half of the filmmakers I have named in the above list.
