You know him as the devoted, loving and caring husband to Neena Gupta in the Amit Sharma directorial Badhaai Ho but to us, Gajraj Rao is the man who rose to the top with hard work and persistence after debuting the industry with a minor role in Shekhar Gupta’s coming-of-age, Bandit Queen.
While some claim that Gajraj tasted success overnight after his portrayal of Jeetendra Kaushik in the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer, they often overlook that he also has titles like Black Friday, Love Per Square Feet and Budhia Singh – Born to Run to his credit.
Gajraj’s story has been an inspiring one, especially for those who enter the industry without any film background. He started out as a theatre artist back in the 90s and now, he is one of the sought-after actors in the industry.
In an exclusive chat with Indulge, the actor, who will next be seen in the Kannada version of Zee Theatre's acclaimed teleplay Gunehgaar, speaks about his artistic journey, expanding his horizon and much more...
Let’s start with your artistic journey in theatre. When did it all begin?
My theatre journey began in the nineties in Delhi but when I came to Mumbai, cinema took over my life and I lost touch with the stage. But an actor is always hungry to challenge himself and this is one of the reasons why I have returned to the theatre with Gunehgaar. After so many years of leaving theatre, I can now experience it again via teleplay, thanks to director Akarsh Khurana.
Tell us how teleplays are different from stage plays when it comes to the creative process.
Even though a teleplay is filmed, its treatment is almost theatrical. The shots are very long and one has to learn the lines thoroughly. The experience was very satisfying because there was no break in the performances. Of course, we had retakes and we were not exactly performing live yet the treatment and the set design were very close to a stage performance.
Tell us about your role in the play Guneghaar.
My character's name is Trilok Bansal who invites two guests into his home on a rainy night. One of them is Mrinalini, a crime journalist played by Shweta Basu Prasad and the other is Inspector Om played by Sumeet Vyas. Then the story progresses to reveal how their past and present are interlinked. My character's guilt and innocence are in question throughout the story. Is he a victim? Or a criminal? How is his life connected with two complete strangers? The story depicts what happens when someone is pushed beyond a certain point of endurance and that there is always more to a situation and a person than meets the eye. It also shows that every action has a consequence.
Where do you feel more at home? At movie sets or at the theatre?
Regardless of the format, an actor feels at home when he is asked to play a part in a good story.
Kannada content is more significant now than ever. Any film or play you liked recently that resonated with you?
Kannada theatre is so rich and diverse and now so many young filmmakers are steering Kannada cinema in a new, exciting direction. I am looking forward to working in Kannada films after watching Kantara which has the most incredible cinematography, music, direction and performances. It has such great visual power and it was such a compelling cinematic experience. Also, the success of the KGF franchise demonstrates the resurgence of Kannada cinema as does the popularity of even a small-budget satire like Humble Politician Nograj.
Summarise your journey so far as an actor for us.
When I look back, I remember the years when there was not much happening. Post the success of Badhaai Ho, I have started receiving pivotal parts which were written especially for me. Earlier I was happy to just work with friends but now I am able to choose from a wide variety of roles. And this journey continues with more films, OTT shows and hopefully more teleplays.
Email: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03