'I'd like to become a director'

Known for dabbling in various roles on screen and stage, Vinay Pathak describes himself as an actor who has gone through the ‘navarasas’. With Bheja Fry, he earned the much-delayed stardom but what’s really great about this versatile actor is that fame has never really affected him. In fact, even today, he is okay doing just cameo roles and letting another actor take the limelight.

In the City, which he fondly calls “the land of ‘Nagarjuna’ (the hotel chain), for the play The Blue Mug, Vinay plays himself and presents his real life memories. He is someone who can make you laugh at the drop of a hat. But when he picks out his own memories, they are not always funny.

“While reminiscing my life, there are many things that I have gone through as a confused youth, as a struggling actor and reaching where I have reached today. Yes, there is a humour aspect as I always like to see the funny side of everything. Life is not a serious issue that one should break one’s head about. Live it light and you’ll see yourself change,” says Vinay.

Struggle and Vinay have gone hand-in-hand. When he was an actor, struggle is something he expected and took it. But when he decided to get into production with Dasvidaniya, he thought things would lighten up but it was a struggle yet again.
“Dasvidaniya was a script I was so close to and no matter what, I wanted to make this movie. I didn’t have much money in my pocket and I remember calling all my close friends and asking them to be a part of it and, true to their word, they were,” he smiles.
“Struggling keeps you on the edge. I like to struggle to do something new as it throws up new challenges.I would like to become a director after my struggling days as a producer are over.”

But that will take a while as his hands are full with projects like Pappu Can’t Dance Sala, Lakshman Rekha and Lucky Journey, where he will be mainly seen in cameo roles. But one project where one can see him in the lead is ‘SRK’. “And it has nothing to do with Shah Rukh Khan. It’s the short form for Shivaji Ramchandra Kote and it will be something to look forward to,” he signs off.