New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- Upendra Chauhan might not be the name that would instantly come to your mind when we talk about promising talents in Hindi films now. But then, this actor with a background in engineering is gradually making his presence felt in important works like 'Sam Bahadur', 'Bhaukaal' and now 'Daayra'. In Meghna Gulzar's new film, he played Inspector Vishal on Kareena Kapoor Khan's SIT team.
"For me, every process is different, but one thing is always common. I first try to understand what the character loves the most and what he fears the most. I believe human beings operate from just two things at the root level: love and fear. With Inspector Vishal, I wasn't trying to play a cop. I was trying to understand the man behind the uniform. Meghna gave me very clear emotional motivations and once I understood his belief system and his relationships, the body language and the rest started finding their own place naturally," he said.
This is his second film with Gulzar after the National Award-winning film, 'Sam Bahadur'. Chauhan said that working with the famed director has been one of the biggest learning experiences of his career. "Her narrations are incredibly detailed. She doesn't just tell you what the character is doing; she helps you understand why the character is doing it. She gives actors a lot of trust. As a performer, that freedom allows you to explore without fear. I genuinely feel she makes you a better actor because she constantly takes your attention back to the emotional truth of the scene," he said.
And in 'Daayra', Chauhan shared the screen space with the brilliant actress Kareena and the actor said that the 'Jab We Met' actress listens and makes every scene feel alive. "Kareena has such a strong screen presence, but at the same time she's very giving as an actor," said Chauhan, who played a cop in 'Bhaukaal', 'System' and 'Daayra'.
The actor, meanwhile, has also worked as a writer on 'Undekhi' and 'Bhaukaal'. "After spending years writing stories, screenplays and characters, something happens almost subconsciously. I can read a single scene and my mind automatically starts building that character's backstory, motivations and belief system. More importantly, writing helps me see the story as a whole. I understand the screenplay's rhythm, editing and how much my character should do and how much he shouldn't. It stops me from acting only for my own character and helps me serve the entire story," said the 'Rudra: The Edge of Darkness' actor.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.