Recently the team ‘Laughalaughi’ had a wonderful interactive session with Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, the star of “Chirodini Tumi Je Amar” and a popular face in television mega, ‘Tumi Ashbey Boley’!
We were glad to have spent such amazing time in the makeup room with him!
Interviewer: Was there any planning before entering this industry?
Rahul: No.
None can plan at the age of 3! It happened very organically. My dad was into acting and my mother is still in this profession.
What happens at times during theatre rehearsals is, most of the days, some people would be absent as everyone cannot make to rehearsals every day. Naturally somebody had to fill in those gaps and I was the one to enact those roles in their absence.
It was during those days I was introduced to acting, rather was learning lessons to become an actor eventually.
My stage appearance at 3 was merely a passing scene; but I love to mention it! (Smiles a little) First dialogue delivery was at the age of 5!
Interviewer: Why did you choose “Stage theatre” to showcase your skills and talents?
Rahul: I had no other option!
I wasn’t good at other subjects; like my elder brother was a brilliant student especially in Mathematics.
I could impress people only through this. I wasn’t meant to be an astronaut, didn’t have that level of intelligence l. I wasn’t meant to be a lorry driver, did not possess the strength and tenacity.
Interviewer: Your inspiration?
Rahul: My father.
He was short and at his time, cinema was the only means of acting. Being a resident of Bijaygar colony it was more than difficult to make quite an entrance into Tollywood industry at that time. Things have changed though.
Dad had too many responsibilities to look after and even a government job to serve. Dad was somewhat pestered between his dreams and reality which could be blamed for his early demise.
But by then he had already injected the addiction of acting into me.
Then there is Shahrukh Khan; being a 5 feet 7 inches Delhi boy, having no foot hold in the industry made such an amazing difference. He was a great inspiration.
Interviewer: Your idol?
Rahul: Shahrukh Khan.
Interviewer: Any reason behind playing the role in a TV mega once again?
Rahul: My son was born. I needed money for his Huggies! (Laughs a little!)
The type of movies I do they are mostly low budget ones. Commercial movies offer a good amount, but somehow slowly I started losing respect for commercial films, rather I realized I am not made for such commercial movies. I cannot dance! I cannot carry those movies lie Dev or Jeet da does.
I am more into realistic movies which has very little money. I am doing Mega for money. I had done many films which I did not like at all, just for money. Mega gave me an option to choose my films. Megas are not really permanent, but films are recorded in DVDs. One day my son shall watch them and will not like. Thus it’s better to do less bad work.
Interviewer: Any shareable moments from “TUMI ASHBEY BOLE”?
Rahul: We enjoy at lot at our make-up room, both the gangs of boys and girls. All of us spend a fun time there.
But yes, if there is a moment I would like to recall, that would be the sudden demise of our co-actor, Disha. We were all ready in the studio, waiting for our shoot when we receive a phone call telling us about her death. The person who worked with us till the previous night is no more! Shocking indeed.
Interview: your feelings about ‘Chirodini tumi je amar’?
Rahul: A film’s success can neither be realized nor understood at initial days. I got to understand the success gradually, weeks by weeks. Thus there was no such separate feeling.
Interviewer: Few words about your teenage lifestyle?
Rahul: I had watched a lot of beautiful girls (Laughs)! Had done a lot of mischief during school and college life! Even got suspended once but then went to watch Mohabattein!
Interviewer: Your future plans instead of acting?
Rahul: Shall again watch a lot of girls!(Laughs)
My wife, Priyanka believes in planning. I believe that, just the way we watch “Comedy nights with Kapil” for a hearty laughter; Gods must be watching (if they have TV sets!) every home when a lot of planning is done for a hearty laughter! It is so because no planning ever turns out!
Life doesn’t work on plans. So I don’t plan
Interviewer: Do you believe in love at first sight?
Rahul: Well, I believe in love at first bite. (Laughs)
Interviewer: What challenges you had to face before creating your position in industry?
Rahul: Actually, No. Maybe due to dad, many of his students were already established in the industry in different roles. One of them, Suman Das, was Ravi Ojha’s assistant who provided me with an opportunity in “Abar ashbo phire”. And then, there was no looking back!
Interviewer: Why don’t you prefer commercial films to show your acting abilities now-a-days?
Rahul: I was a bike mechanic in “Chiro din e tumi j amar”, but a good looking bike mechanic would have been more welcomed. That is where I somewhere ‘cut-out’. Then again, I am a pathetic dancer. I don’t enjoy dancing at all along with my incapability of moves. When I cannot watch Sunny Deol dancing, I think I should spare my audience from that torture!
Interviewer: Message to your fans and lovers?
Rahul: All my fans provide me with a lot of support and make me believe that India is still not an intolerant country as they are tolerating me!
Love you all!
Interviewer: Success mantra?
Rahul: Follow your heart. Follow your instincts. Don’t plan. Plans don’t work. One can plain failure but cannot plan success.
Picture Courtesy : Google and Facebook
Video Link : LaughaLaughi Exclusive Interview Coverage
