Interview: 'I don’t see anything as entirely negative or positive': Jhansi actor Raj Arjun on acing grey characters, life learnings and more

The 50-year-old actor has given an impressive performance in the recent Telugu web series, Jhansi.
Raj Arjun
Raj Arjun

Low-key actor Raj Arjun lets his work do the talking. In his nearly two-decade-long film career spanning works like Black Friday, Dear Comrade, and Secret Superstar amongst many others, he has delivered many convincing performances. The 50-year-old actor, best known to nail negative shades has given an impressive performance in the recent Telugu web series, Jhansi, which premiered on Disney+Hotstar. The film revolves around child trafficking with a fearless but amnesiac cop as the protagonist and Raj Arjun playing the villainous businessman Caleb who is intense and cruel in an eerily calm manner. We caught up with the award-winning multilingual actor to know more about his role. Instead, he gave us an acting class with his insights!

How did you get into the skin of Caleb? Do you relate to him in any possible way?
It was not a big deal since it’s a revenge story depicting how we react to certain things in life, the same way Caleb does. I just needed to be present in the same situation and feel what Caleb was feeling. It didn’t require hard preparation, rather I emoted naturally. However, I did work on my look, outfits, and body language to encapsulate the mystery around his aura. I’m always looking for something which can haunt me from inside and challenge me and Caleb was all about that. Sometimes I feel that I relate with each and every character I play. Perhaps, people casting me think that I’m suitable for the role or somehow my personality is relatable to that particular character and so offer me parts. Caleb is relatable as he speaks less and is soft-spoken like me. The way he reacts resembles me in some situations.

Has it ever happened that people in real life have had notions about your personality based on your portrayal of negative roles?
Yes, but I like that as that’s my achievement as an actor if my character impacted the audience so much. It has happened to me in my son’s school and in my building but I take that as a compliment. However, in real life, I’m not that negative.

As an actor how do you aim to break the notions Indian society has with negative roles?
I don’t see anything as entirely negative or positive. I see a character as a character. Throughout my career, I haven’t tried to pretend a negative person. I just believe in authenticity. I feel the character which you have been given is a responsibility. You should just fulfill it without any hesitation. If you start thinking you are playing a villain, you will make an extra effort to look negative thus overlooking the nuances of the role. It doesn’t look good on screen because an actor should always live in the character and portray it the way it is.

Coming from Bhopal and working in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema is a big feat. How do you handle it?
I feel happy about it. The cultural difference is there but the soul and emotions remain the same. I feel excited while doing multi-language films because they give me a vast space to showcase my versatility. Though, I still have a long way to go.

You took a break from small roles a while ago, why so?
Yes, because I had forgotten what I came to Mumbai for. It had become a maddening chase for roles and proving my existence without thinking much. Suddenly I realised this is not what I want or will make me happy so I stopped doing small roles. I thought I’ll do only what satisfies my thirst as an actor. I was working on myself a lot in that period and eventually things started shaping up well!

What are the key learnings of your life?
Be very healthy and positive. Keep your mental health balanced. Keep working hard towards your ambition with immense positivity and enthusiasm. Don’t despair when things don’t go your way and maintain consistency.

Jhansi is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. 
Mail: priyamvada@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @RanaPriyamvada

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com