EXCLUSIVE: Aditya Talks About His Bond With Father Paresh Rawal, Relationship With BumFaad Director Anurag Kashyap

Actor Paresh Rawal’s son is all geared up to make his debut with the Zee5 original film Bamfaad. The film has been helmed by Anurag Kashyap. Bamfaad is a love story that is based in the hinterlands of India. This is not the first time that the country will be a witness to such a film and therefore in order to leave an indelible mark in the minds of the audience the film in the true sense of the word needs to be really ‘different.’

We got in touch exclusively with the lead actor Aditya Rawal who plays Naate in the web film and he spoke to us at length about how his fascination with the craft began. He also shed light on the relationship he shares with his father and whether it was a conscious decision of his father to not launch him.

Speaking of his initiation into acting, the budding talent stated even though his main attention was on football for a long time he couldn’t be oblivious to this craft (acting) and it is but natural because both his parents were an active part of films and theatre. Quipped he, “I was always in and around the world be it films or theatre, I always attended my parents’ rehearsals on stage, I used to do some college theatre as well. Till 20 my main focus used to be football. But gradually, I started feeling creativity was my calling and in between 20 to 21, I had made up my mind.”

He went on to shed light on how used to watch films with his father as a child and also went on to reveal how he takes the advice that his father doles out to him, “I used to read plays he was working on, watch movies with him. We always speak to each other; he is always at hand to guide me and advise me. Although the decisions I take are my own. The sort of work we do, my brother and I, we both have our own way of working but we always have our parents’ advice and guidance to fall back on. All of the things he says is pertinent because he knows what is useful to an actor and what is not useful to know. But one thing he said before I started working on this web film, he has seen me prepare hard for months before we went out to shoot, he told me, ‘you have done your hard work but remember to unlearn it before you step in front of the camera so that you can have fun and be spontaneous.’ That sort of stayed with me, preparation is necessary, it is important for your performance but at the same time, it is important to leave your homework aside and live in the moment that is created in front of the camera with your co-actor and the director.” Aditya contended.

He went on to state, that the character he was playing and the milieu he is part of in Bamfaad was a driving factor for him because in reality, he was far from that. He related, “what was most attractive to me was it was such a different world and character from who I am and the world I am part of, so I would get to learn and explore something I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. The writer and the director are both from UP and they are very observant people, they have drawn their own experiences and flavour to the character and the world. So, that was for me very attractive. Earlier, I had actually written a script that was based out of Lucknow. That was the beginning of my process. Once I got into the film, I did the recce, I could observe the people, how they dress and react to situations, that was very enlightening. We came back, did a few workshops, trying to figure out the dynamics.”

Speaking of his launch by Anurag Kashyap instead of his father, he stated point-blank that getting launched by my family wasn’t there on his to-do list and nor was it something his father or mother had decided. Asserted, “We never really had a plan to launch me, my father had a career where he worked his way up, he found some fabulous directors and he expects very much the same about me and my brother. We don’t believe in curating an image or creating a perfect project to be launched in. It was always about putting your head down and working hard and look for opportunities that come my way.” He further went on to reveal a list of films he thinks his dad really worked wonders in. he revealed, “I feel my dad was great in Uri, Sanju, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye and the list is endless.”  

He went on to disclose how he lapped up the role, he disclosed he had earlier auditioned for a role which the casting directors thought he was perfect for, but due to his age, he was rejected. “I had actually auditioned with casting director Taran Bajaj who used to be an assistant with Honey Trehan, I was too young for that role, all those years ago but that audition really went well, but it was because of the age factor that it didn’t materialise and then I went to London to train in Physical Theatre and then moved to NYU (New York University) for dramatic writing and then I came back and got the script from Ranjan, and he seemed to think, I would fit the part, I was incredibly pleased that he remembered the audition that I did so many years ago, he called me to audition for Bamfaad, we did a couple of rounds and Ranjan seemed to like my audition and the rest is history. S

He further went on to say that he always looks up to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and feels he is an absolute institution. Aditya stated, he has always loved his work and therefore it was really heart-warming for him to be working Kashyap in his film.

He further shed light on the rumours of Mr Kashyap being a little too overbearing on the set. He stated, he was pretty prepared for the role and he knew what was the mindset of the character and therefore it was not required for him to direct him as much. “Yes, it is my debut as a lead role in a feature film but I have acted before, but it wasn’t a case of being a complete novice on set, we had done a few workshops and we figured out how the other person likes to work as well, I understood this is the kind of thing he is looking for and he might have figured out if I want something from him, I have to direct him in a particular way. But then it happens, with every actor. It was just, by the time we went on set we were very well prepared so there was no need for extra direction. But finally, the reins of the film are in the hands of the director so that is a part and parcel of the game, Aditya concluded.

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