Interviews
‘Theatre polishes your talent and gets you ready for cinema’
I am a self-motivated person. Since my childhood, after God, I thank myself, my physical being and my inner soul but if we have to take one name, then I will say Charlie Chaplin, says Rajpal Yadav
Born in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, versatile actor Rajpal Yadav has made his mark in Hindi cinema with his wonderful comic performances. He spoke to Raviraj Sinha about his life and upcoming projects
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Tell us about your journey
I am a graduate and after my studies,I did theatre for seven years in Shahjahanpur and Lucknow. Then, I joined the National School of Drama (NSD). After completing the course at NSD, I went to Mumbai. For one and ahalf years, I did various roles for TV shows and then got a chance in films.That’s how it all worked out.
When did you decide to become an actor?
I had been doing theatre since my school days. There was an ordnance factory in Shahjahanpur and we used to go there to perform. This factory was a matter of great attraction for me. I thought of joining the factory since it was run by the Ministry of Defence. I had a wish to join the Defence Services. Then I took active part in students’ politics too. Once Vibha Devi from Sangeet Natak Academy came to our place to hold a two-month theatre workshop. I took part in it and after the workshop, west aged a play in which I played the main character. I won a thundering applause for my performance. And that made me decide that I won’t join defence or politics but I will become an actor.
Who is your role model and who motivates you?
I am a self-motivated person. Since my childhood, after God, I thank myself, my physical being and my inner soul but if we have to take one name,then I will say Charlie Chaplin. When I watched Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator for the first time, I could not understand English. But then that was the film which changed my life.Apart from my parents, I feel inspired and guided by my guru Shri DevPrabhakar Shastri ji. My reel life is inspired and motivated by the love of my audience. They encourage me to never feel old and tired. I still say that it’s just the beginning for me, my best is yet to come.
What are you upcoming projects?
Coolie no 1 With Varun Dhawan, Hungama 2, produced by Ratan Jain and directed by Priyadarshan, BhoolBhuliya 2 ,directed by AneesBazme. Bole Chudiya is a good opportunity for me to act with Nawazuddin Siddiqui after a longtime. Hello Charlie, produced by Farhan Akthar, is also there.
You are very active on TikTok. Why so?
It’s a good platform to explore yourself. I can say there are no limits for entertainment. And on TikTok, you can make a person smile in a very short time. Many people are using this platform to showcase the irtalent. When I made an account on TikTok, thousands of people watched my videos. So, I decided to make good content for this platform.
What is the difference between Bollywood and the world of theatre in Delhi? How is acting in a film different from acting in a play? Often, we have heard people saying that working in theatre is more satisfying…
Theatre is like your second mother. It polishes your talent,personality and gets you ready for cinema. As far as I am concerned,there can’t be any particular yardstick for satisfaction. At one given point, one thing may satisfy you more than the other and it can be vice versa in another situation.
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