Kumar Gaurav: 'I'm an actor'
Finally, at 40 plus, it seems like Kumar Gaurav's second innings has actually started.
In the news because of his performance in the late Mazhar Khan's much belated
Gang, he has also acted in two rather slick telefilms -- Sikander and Chocolate,
both directed by Vivek Agnihotri -- which are due for release soon.
.
He speaks of the experience in rather
staccato bursts, as if unwilling to discuss a career noted, more than anything
else, for its massive run of ill luck. For Bunty,
as he is fondly known, is acknowledged as a fine actor. His very first film,
Love Story, brought him adulation and bouquets in no mean measure. The industry
pundits predicted that a star worth watching had been born.
Challenging roles like Janam (1985) and Naam
(1986) followed, but he was
unable to reactivate the audience's response to successful stars. Though
everyone acknowledged his acting capabilities, his career petered out almost
completely.
Life couldn't have been easy for this only
son of jubilee star Rajendra
Kumar. Bunty, who is
also Sunil Dutt's son-in-law, also had to witness close
friend and brother-in-law, Sunjay
Dutt, succeed as a star despite his exploits and personal transgressions.
Even as Gaurav, the actor,
didn't quite take.
Kumar Gaurav spoke to Lata Khubchandani about the strange twists and turns in
his life.
Tell us about Gang.
It's taken too long -- almost nine years to
make -- but we've all believed in the film and we were all friends of Mazhar's,
so it was a coming together of like-minded people. At the end of the day, I
don't quite know how it'll work for the audiences, but we've had great team
spirit during the making of the film.
It is not a typical formula film?
Well, it's not an art film. But if you mean
has it got six songs and dances, no it doesn't. It's a commercial film though.
Did the fact that it was hanging fire for
almost a decade act as a deterrent?
I can't say at this point. You have to see
the film. I don't think it looks dated.
And your role?
It's about four friends, their life and times
and what happens to them in a city like Bombay. It's a film about bonding.
You've also done two telefilms. How did that
happen?
See, I'm an actor. It doesn't matter whether
I perform for the small screen or the big one. As long as the script is
inspiring and it motivates you to perform, what more can one want
Sikander is based on history. How difficult
was it?
It was exciting for me because I'm playing a
grey character for the first time. The role is based on the character of
Carlos. It's a film on terrorism.
Is working in a telefilm a different kind of
experience?
The only problem is that the budgets are
small so you're sort of doing work that fits into those production values -- as
far as the acting is concerned, it's the same. It's a great effort to make
something look cinematic despite it being on television, especially since it is
not a soap. It's a telefilm; it follows the modus operandi of a film really
And Chocolate?
That's a thriller too, but doesn't have as
much action as Sikander. It's about four friends who go to Switzerland. A crime
is committed there and you try to find out who's done it. Working with Vivek
Agnihotri was fun because, unlike serial makers, he wants to make something
slick-looking and different. Since there were no constraints of trying to
please distributors, etc, he was able to cater to a niche, rather upmarket
audience rather than an entire audience full of middle class values.
Your production company Chakra's first film
was shelved. Why?
Everyone was not happy with the way it was
working out so we decided to shelve it.
And now?
I'm working on some new scripts. I've
realised I'm bad as a producer, so let's see what we'll do. I might be acting
in a film -- it's in a state of consideration, but I am working on a production
of my own. I might direct. I don't know yet.
And you advertising outfit, Colosseus?
It's doing very well. We're shooting music
videos majorly. We've done almost 45 music videos.
Post: April 2000
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