Kavin Dave: Theatre gave me acceptance and escape from otherwise cliched world that exists outside

Flesh deals with a very sensitive and gruesome subject of human trafficking, which happens all over the world and one needs to really talk about this.

So, when Kavish (casting director) approached me for this particular character with  this kind of a subject, I just had to do it. Also, rarely do you find casting directors who are ready to experiment with actors and not stereotype them.

Well! There wasn’t any special preparation, it was more about looking for a world in which these guys exist. My character Jayant, who’s a transporter is a cold blooded guy for whom transporting is his job then be it loading children or loading aloo-pyaaz, for him it’s all the same. Human life doesn’t matter. I, who otherwise sleep early and wake up early had to sleep deprive myself to play Jayant. I actually did not sleep for all my major shoot days and that really helped me in feeling the grogginess and irritability of the character.

I started as a child actor at the age of 7. At that time shooting was more of a picnic for me than work. Then, my parents wanted me to focus on my academics so acting was left behind. Then, when I came in college I started doing theatre, learning the craft and that’s when I realised that this is what I love the most and want to do this for the rest of my life.

I have been really blessed... i started off with my theatre journey with the best teacher in theatre -Pt Satyadev Dubey. And continued working with the best directors in films, TV series, web series. I learnt the minutest of technicalities and other aspects of camera  acting at a very young age as I was a child actor. so, acting on camera was always my  comfort place. but, theatre gave me the most rewarding thing. It gave me  acceptance and an escape from the otherwise cliche world that exists outside. So, yes it has been a beautiful journey where I started of as nobody... and I still continue to be that as I have a long way to go.

Challenges were not different, they were the same as everyone else’s. I mean the same struggle and routine of going for an audition day after day after day.  At times you got through, other days you didn’t. Earlier, I  used to live in town, so my only life line was our Mumbai local & like a true Mumbaikar I travelled everyday (which I just love). I am thankful to God that I was fortunate enough to get work, one thing led to another. People started liking me, liking my work and I hope this continues.