Actor-turned-director Sujay Shastry’s latest release, ‘Gubbi Mele Brahmastra’, is doing well. The story reflects the sentiments and emotions of the common man.
Lead actor Raj B Shetty, according to Sujay, has captured the fear, sadness and joy of the ordinary man really well. “There are no exaggerated dialogues or unbelievable emotions,” Sujay tells Metrolife.
The project also happens to be Sujay’s directorial debut. What took him so long to turn a director? “Entering the film industry was accidental. I began my career in theatre and remained there for a while till I got the chance to work in films like ‘Bell Bottom’, ‘Birbal Trilogy’ and ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’. It is after these movies that I decided to explore a career in the film industry.”
Turning a director was also an accident for him. “I wanted to act and maybe explore direction later,” says Sujay.
How has theatre helped him? “My first brush with theatre was at the age of 10 in Holy Christ School in Jayanagar. Theatre is like a workshop that helps you hone your acting skills. Rigorous practice helps in better pronunciation and diction. Theatre holds the solution to a lot of issues that may crop up in the film industry,” Sujay explains.
‘Gubbi Mele Brahmastra’ has serious undertones neatly wrapped in comedy. “I am known for my comedy but that doesn’t come easily. It is hard to make people laugh. You need to have good timing and only then comedy works well. I also feel that acting can’t be taught. It is learnt on the job. A good actor is someone who knows the pulse of the people. He will then be able to deliver exactly what the audience wants,” he explains.
Sujay says he owes his strong foundation to his stint in theatre and in the television industry. “These two platforms help you pick up the nuances of acting and direction. They provide you with strong skill sets that come in handy during certain situations,” he adds.
The success of any film depends on the content. “It doesn’t matter who you cast, good content is what carries a film forward. Not everybody can become a hero,” he observes.
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