JOIN USMy reel characters have to create a fear within me. Be they comic or serious, roles are challenging when they scare you to the extreme and push you to question yourself as to whether I will be able to do justice to the character or not. I have always been on the losing side whenever I assume that the roles are easy to play,” shares Arjun Rampal, an actor who wants to overcome his fear factor.
“Undoubtedly, we play varied roles in different movies but the question that stirs me to the core is ‘what does the movie give me as an actor and how will it groom me as an individual.’ A movie can give an actor new looks, expressions and actions. Playing the character of a villain in Ra.One scared me as an actor but it also gave me a new look,” says Arjun, who gets immense satisfaction when kids recognise him as Ra.one.
The anxiety within Arjun has pushed him for intense roles. After playing the role of a politician in Rajneeti, the 39-year-old actor is back again with another serious character in Chakravyuh where he plays the role Adil Khan. “I am an intense person. I prefer such roles because they suit my personality. I enjoy doing topical films because the characters are real and larger-than-life.”
Prakash Jha, who has given Arjun opportunities to prove his talent through serious movies, shares a close bond with the actor. “In my struggling years, Prakash saw something within me and mentioned his movie on naxalism. After seven years he approached me again for Rajneeti and Chakravyuh. He had faith in me as an actor and it is for this reason I will be seen in his next movie Satyagrah as well.”
However, Arjun does not want to bind himself to stereotypical characters. For him, it is important to break the monotony and so he has worked in movies like Housefull, Rascals and will be soon be seen in a double role in Vashu Bhagnani produced and Sanjay Gadhvi directed Ajab Gazabb Love, which incidentally is also releasing this week. “It is refreshing to essay different kinds of roles each time but it is at this point that fear begins to loom. It is difficult to select movies because few roles create an image that could be easy to play but sooner or later end up grave.”
Speaking about Chakravyuh, Arjun admits that movie has been an eye-opener for him. “I visited a naxal affected village and I was shocked to see the atrocious living conditions there. People were deprived of basic amenities. The naxals are anti-government. They just want to throw the government out. There is no denying the fact that they are upset but the path adopted by them is wrong.”
Arjun will also be starring in Sudhir Mishra’s next Inkaar, as well as Nikhil Advani’s D Day where he plays a spy.