RADIO SARGAM INTERVIEW: RAHUL BOSE!

It looks like Rahul Bose has become everyone's favourite choice to play the role of the strong, silent type, who complements the stronger, more vocal woman protagonist. Be it Raja Sen in Aparna Sen's ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer' or the suave investment banker opposite the foul-mouthed ‘Chameli', Rahul seems to fit the bill. Not surprisingly then, the actor of films like ‘English, August', ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer', ‘Bombay Matinee', ‘Jhankar Beats', ‘Takshak', ‘Everybody Says I'm Fine' and ‘Chameli' is once again playing a character full of punch in Vinta Nanda's debut feature film ‘White Noise'. Excerpts from a Radio Sargam interview:

Isn't the role you are playing in ‘White Noise' similar to what you have done earlier?
Yes, I love to do the same kind of roles again and again (he says acidly, before laughing). I know what you mean. But I would say, all my characters have had a lot of different shades. Similarly, the character of Karan Deol that I play in ‘White Noise' may come across as someone I have played before, but he's not. But I think, after my characters in ‘Mr And Mrs Iyer' and ‘Chameli', Karan's character will complete my trilogy of playing strong, silent characters.

So what is the character like?
He's a foreign-return engineer who decides to become a filmmaker. He comes to India and gets himself a job that of an editor of this very regressive kind of television serial; the type you see on television these days. He decides to move with the flow and knows for sure that his time will come. His job sucks but he decides to carry on. He's also had a turbulent family life but he'd rather not face it, would rather not look at it straight in the eye but silently suffer.

And then?
He then meets Koel Purie's character. She plays a strong-headed, progressive scriptwriter who's been responsible for the success of this crappy soap. She's young, attractive and an alcoholic who's in love with a married man. She too is going through a lot of turmoil and the film has both characters meet each other who have gone through emotional ups and downs and who by the end of it, arrive at a common ground and help each other in laying their demons to rest.

What made you take up ‘White Noise'? The subject, your character or the set-up?
I liked the idea of the film's writer-director Vinta Nanda wanting to juxtapose the lives of the characters acting in the television serial (which is part of the film) with the people behind the making of this serial in the film. It will be for the first time that you will see the making of a television serial in a feature film. Cinematically the concept seemed attractive for me to be a part of. Also, art is all about pushing boundaries. I can't do anything that's formulaic.

Have you made your character look or behave differently in this film? If yes, how?
Yes, though I'm not chewing gum or walking in a particular style. (laughs). I have tried to internalise the performance. You will see the difference in my character's postures, mannerisms etc. In ‘Chameli', you must have noticed my character had this guilt hidden in him and so he'd always stand with his head down. As an actor you need to do these little things to make the character stand out. You will see that there is a lot of darkness to Karan's character of ‘White Noise', he's so rapt in his solitude.

Speaking of ‘Chameli', it got you good recognition?
I think the ball began rolling with ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer'. Then there was ‘Jhankar Beats' I was appreciated for and then ‘Chameli'. I enjoyed being part of all these movies. The role, story, the director, my co-stars, everything made a difference. I definitely feel that you can't act alone, that you need to have good co-actors to support you too.

And you shared a great chemistry with Kareena Kapoor in ‘Chameli'.
(Smiles) Yes, a lot of people did say that we looked good on screen. I think, ‘Chameli' was really different in terms of two actors coming from two, totally, diametrically different backgrounds and schools of acting. It was like the beauty and the beast. Ha ha.

You have directed Koel Purie in your first film, ‘Everybody Says I'm Fine'. Now she plays your co-star in ‘White Noise'
Koel has always been an astute actress, a keen observer of things. For an actor to play a variety of roles and bring meaning to each of them, he needs to drink deep from the cup of life and Koel has done that!

What next? Where do you go from here?
More and more films. I will be playing this rather Kafkaesque kind of character in Rajshree Ojha's next film called ‘Here And Hereafter'. I'm also writing my own script, which I'd hopefully direct as soon as I get time from my acting assignments. I'll soon be off to Los Angeles again to garner funds for my film which will be a seven million dollar project!