Actor Rahul Dev Bose on playing a young Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Padatik’
If we go by the physicality, we would say Srijit Mukherji has done a great job in finding his ‘Amitabh Bachchan’. The tall, handsome Rahul Dev Bose with a sharp jawline and nubian nose, fits all the right bills to play a young Amitabh Bachchan in Mukherji’s next, Padatik, a biopic on ace filmmaker Mrinal Sen. We speak with the young actor, a very popular face in the Bengali entertainment industry, to know more about his experience in playing one of the doyens of the Indian entertainment industry.
Excerpts:
How was it playing the role of Amitabh Bachchan in Padatik?
Well, he’s a legend, so there’s this weight of expectation that I had to deal with. But more than anything else, I was just very happy to have been offered the role because I have always been a true fan of Amitabh Bachchan. Since I was a kid I have been watching his films on television with my dad, and later watching them at the theatres became like a ritual to me and my family.
How did you bag the role?
Oh that’s a funny story. I have assisted Srijit for some time and I think over the period of time I have done a few cameos in his films as well. It has been my longest desire to work with him as an actor, in a more enlarged capacity. And he knew that. So whenever there was a role where I could fit in, he would always give me a call. Padatik involves a lot of legendary characters from Bengali cinema. He offered me two characters…one of Amitabh Bachchan or another one, which I don’t want to divulge. When I discussed with him as to which one I should pick, he looked at me and said I think you have the physicality to play and look like Amitabh on screen. And yeah, that’s how I made it through.
How did you prep for the role?
I don’t think there would be many people who can’t impersonate Amitabh Bachchan, even after following him. I think we have all grown up impersonating him, putting ourselves in front of the mirror and uttering, “Aaj khush toh bohot honge tum…”. Grabbing his body language isn’t something very difficult but doing it accurately, yes, it is difficult. But again, we have to keep in mind that the character of Amitabh in the film is not the star, but the young guy who is starting out. Saat Hindustani is his first film, and my portrayal of the actor is before that. I read a few of his interviews about his initial days, watched Saat Hindustani, and of course received guidance from my director on the body language that he would want to see. I would say, the preparation was more as a fan, than an actor.
How do you prepare for your roles otherwise?
I generally look at what the story demands and what the audience would want to feel and the psyche of the characters. But here, the case was completely different. In a biopic, the understanding of course is less around the line or story or entertainment factor but more on the line of historical accuracy.
Playing an iconic character is a responsible job. Did you feel the brunt of it?
Of course I felt it, and this is just not any iconic character, he’s THE ICON. There’s absolutely no way to not feel that nervousness to play one of the two icons of the Indian film industry, one SRK, and the other of course, Big B. The responsibility lies more in the fact that this is the man the audience has seen. Even if there are people in the country who don’t know a certain actor of this generation, everyone knows Amitabh Bachchan. And at the same time, there’s an enigma attached to the gentleman along with a screen presence, and being able to mirror that is not very easy.
Was being an actor always on your cards?
Not really. I did act on stage, but that was for fun. I never really thought of taking it up professionally. Honestly, the world of an actor is not a very stable one and your parents wouldn’t want you to be unstable in your life. So, me wanting to become an actor didn’t resonate very well. I had hopes and expectations, but over a period of time I kind of thought that it wouldn't be viable. When I finished my Masters, I thought it would be better to go behind the camera if I had to work in the industry, because love for cinema has always been instilled in me by my professors. But something I didn’t count on was someone clicking my photographs and showing it to a television channel. I got a call, and things sort of happened very quickly. It was definitely not on the cards but destiny had other plans.
Tell us about the genres you would like to explore.
One regret is that, when I started working, the quintessential commercial Bangla chhobi (Bengali films) had taken a backseat, and we were looking at more cerebral content, more cerebral cinema coming to the audiences. A proper commercial cinema, with songs and dance numbers, is a genre I would definitely like to explore. I think I have it in me. People may not expect this handsome, educated fellow to do all those, but I think I will do a great job. The other genre that we really need to look at is horror comedy which is doing really good nationally. And most definitely, I would love to do a musical.
What else are you prepping for? Where can we see you next?
My next is a Hindi OTT show, Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, and that will be my first Hindi web series. Of course, I can’t keep calm. I am also prepping for this film that I am about to start shooting and I am taking dance classes for it, which is kind of fun. There’s also something exciting that I will announce soon.
