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 Raj Singh Chaudhary is responsible for the making
Anurag Kashayp’s Gulaal. It was his story idea that inspired Anurag
Kashyap to make a hard hitting film on. The film has now opened to
great reviews and audience response is multiplying with every show. The
soft spoken newcomer, who plays the main protagonist in Gulaal in a
free wheeling chat, shares with us his journey and his resilient wait
for seeing his debut film as a main lead release.
Raj was studying Software Engineering in Bangalore
when he was suggested by friends to try out modeling. He got his
portfolio done and entered the Mr. Graviera contest and also came
fourth at the Gladrags Manhunt contest. “I did a few modeling
assignments after that for brands like Allen Solly and Van Heusen, but
these were more for time pass for earning some extra money during
college. After I finished my engineering I started a company with two
of my other friends and in one year’s time I realized they have been
cheating me completely. I went back to Kolkate where my parents were
settled. That time I was juggling between starting my own company or
take up the admission for a MBA course that I had got in the US. Just
that time around a Kolkata based filmmaker Tapan Jha selected me for a
Hindi-English film. But since it was taking time to take off, Jha
suggested me to go to Mumbai and do a workshop on acting.” he tells us.
“After coming to Mumbai, I realized here the norm is
that if you have to become an actor you have to take dance, fight,
horse ridding classes which is okay but as two-three years pass by one
gets completely lost here as there was no one here to properly guide a
newcomer. It was during these times that I wrote a story on my college
hostel days on ragging and what inspired me to write this story was
Satya. I always wanted to write something as real as stark as Satya
was. Pankaj Saraswat who had acted in Anurag Kashyap’s Paanch
introduced me to him. I narrated my story to Anurag and he told me he
would get back to me on it. He wanted my story to have a backdrop and
it was decided as Rajasthan. Few months later he was back after
translating my amateurish attempt at writing into a completely mind
blowing script which is Gulaal. He even selected me for a role in it.
Gulaal that time was being produced by Jhamu Sughand but then financial
problems erupted for the film and the shooting got stalled. Had Gulaal
released back then, it would have been Anurag’s second film. During
that waiting period Anurag took me up as his assistant for Black Friday
and I played a small part in it. Later he used my short story to make
the script of No Smoking for which I assisted him as well.” says Raj.
Finally then Gulaal got the finances it needed and
it took off. In the meantime Raj acted in Sushil Rajpal’s Mehmaanjee
which set to release soon and is based on the theme of groom abduction
which still prevails in interiors of Bihar. He also bagged an ensemble
cast film Meridian Lines which deals with the Karma theme. It stars
Irrfan Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Abhay Deol. Also on the cards is Waiting
Room that’s set in a quaint railway station waiting room.
Talking about Gulaal, Raj says, “The film is set in
Rajasthan exploring the dynamics of royalty vis-à-vis the democratic
system. Sectionalism today has set everywhere in a big way and the film
is the true reflection of where our nation stands today.
I am playing a Rajput prince of the erstwhile
fictional kingdom of Rajpur, who stakes claim to his legacy. The film
is about India and I am confident the youth will identify with it.
Whoever has seen the film has said that it is Anurag’s best film so
far.”
Raj considers working under Anurag both as an actor
and as an assistant, an enriching experience. “I have grown as an actor
working with him. He has been like a strong pillar for me and that
helped me in my trying times.” says Raj.
“It is wonderful time for someone like me to be in
films right now what with lots of good work happening around; directors
open to experimenting and the increased level in acceptance of diverse
subjects.
Raj is keen on doing films that have a perfectly
blend the commercial with the artistic. “But right now I am hardly in a
position to dictate terms. It all depends on how Gulaal does.” he
admits candidly before signing off.
Sampurn Media
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