JOIN USRiding high in the saddle
By his own admission, Randeep Hooda has never considered himself a leading man even when he was one. More than a decade after his debut in ‘Monsoon Wedding’, and though the odds may not always have been in his favour, he has added dimensions to his characters, sometimes into even a fleeting part.
With Heroine, he has left no room for complaints, yet again. Looking back, Randeep says, “I was not too aware of the totality of the film. I knew it wasn’t a lengthy part but took it on and put in a lot of effort. I was delighted after watching the film. All thanks to Madhur (Bhandarkar),” he says.
His is not an overnight success saga. The breakthrough moment, in fact, came with ‘D’, followed by impressive acts in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaii, Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster, Jannat 2, ‘Cocktail’ and Jism 2. “My last six films have been hits,” he says and recounts how his theatre background has moulded his approach. “Theatre gives you a lot of confidence. To be a complete actor, one has to carry on the whole act at one go,” he says.
Evidently, he is proud to be part of Naseeruddin Shah’s Motley Theatre Troupe. “I am currently doing Bernard Shaw’s ‘Arms and the Man’ and I am enjoying it,” he says. The lessons from Shah have paid off. “What I have learnt from him is to be self-observant, to know yourself and where you are going,” he pauses to add, “To take your job seriously and be humble.”
Surprisingly, he finds films more challenging than stage. “In films, you have to maintain continuity two days later or six months later. That is quite a challenge,” he adds. Either way, he doesn’t want to be pigeonholed and continues to oscillate between films and theatre.
Ask him to choose between box-office success and critical approval, and he points out, “One is empty without the other. Commercial cinema opens up opportunities and takes you to people. Primarily, I never think of any part as a character role, the term is derogatory. My mug may not be in the posters or at the promotions but I do my job, and that enriches me. I know I’ve all the ingredients of a leading man. But even in a leading role, I never played the leading man, only the character. That’s the dichotomy,” he informs.
There is candour when he talks about Bollywood. “What is lacking here is originality.
There are good scripts and then there are good actors, you have to get them together.
Actors are taken for their marketability more than their ability,” he rues.
He has caught the wind in his sails, and is busy, neverthelesss there are other interests as well, playing saxophone for instance. But the quintessential equestrian enthusiast admits that nothing makes him happier than being with his horses. “Equestrian is a big part of me, it is an all-consuming sport. I plan to compete in the nationals in December. I have a few horses as well. When I am not shooting, I go to their world... And we talk,” laughs the horse-whisperer.