He plays characters that tend towards the dark side. Neil Bhoopalam’s oeuvre includes roles in No One Killed Jessica , Shaitan and David.
It was the stage however, that introduced Neil to acting. “When I was 19, I was working as an RJ. I heard that Atul Kumar was holding some workshops, so I decided to attend them.” Neil eventually performed in his first play, Atul Kumar’s Voices . He went on to act in a number of plays, including Noises Off , The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek , directed by Rehan Engineer, Shiv Subramanium’s Clogged Arteries , among others.
“I’ve been in theatre for about 10 years now,” he says, when he was in town for yet another staging of Rajat Kapoor’s Hamlet the Clown Prince . “I play Fido in Hamlet …. He’s not the smartest clown, yet I’m playing the king in the piece. The audience enjoy the duality in my role.” He adds that he gets “quite a high” from doing comedy on stage, but that he prefers not to play “safe characters”.
Neil reveals that at the time he got interested in theatre, films were not on his radar. “I decided to become a professional actor six years ago. Opportunities came my way. I am fortunate that the directors I have worked with have given me the freedom to bring something to the table.”
His next film NH10 , in which he stars opposite Anushka Sharma, is being discussed much ahead of its release. He laughs and says, “I didn’t know that the basic plot is already out, until someone pointed it out to me!” The film is being touted as an action thriller to watch out for and Neil agrees. “This is yet another film that is not-run-of-the-mill.
Films like these were at one time part of a sub culture. But that sub culture has evolved into a much stronger thing. The generation I belong to has been exposed to so much, everyone’s kind of upping the game. There are some really sharp directors who have great ideas and stories.” He adds that to be a film actor, knowledge is essential to work with the right people and learn on the job.
Being versatile is important for Neil. “As an actor, you need to be able to do a variety of things. Otherwise you’ll be a one-trick pony.” Ask him which medium he prefers, films or theatre? Neil says: “Films have been exciting. But the training I have had in theatre has been essential. It is important to perform in front of a live audience.”
