“My phone has been ringing off the hook and my neighbours were shocked to see me at my menacing best as they know that in real life I’m a softie!” replies actor Abhimanyu Singh when asked about the response he has received for his most recent turn as a baddie in Sridevi-starrer Mom . From his debut with Aks in 2000 to his latest movie, Abhimanyu has showcased his depth in acting with a variety of roles though it is the negative ones which got him noticed.
As the actor gets talking about Mom, he reveals nuggets from how he prepares for his roles saying, “When the director narrated the story to me I understood what he wanted and thought I could showcase my talent here. It was a role where I could look dangerous and experiment with my look, especially in the climax. I worked on my craft, went to Delhi two days before the shoot and interacted with the local people and acclimatise myself to the setting.”
Abhimanyu confesses that it was a dream come true for him to share screen time with Sridevi and gushes, “It was amazing as she does such little work and to be part of her movie was surreal. I was initially nervous around her but she helped me settle down. In a couple of scenes I needed her support (in the climax scenes when I tried to kill her) and she asked me not to be hesitant and do justice to the scene. It’s an experience to treasure.”
In an industry where people get slotted easily, is there a fear of being typecast as a villain? “I would say that there is a shortage of on-screen villains who can pull off negative roles convincingly, in the current scenario.” says Abhimanyu adding, “I think once you get noticed as an actor you get roles irrespective of the characters you portray. I have always tried to portray each role as differently as possible.”
An actor for nearly two decades, Abhimanyu recalls his initial struggle to break in when he says, “I have taken my time to reach here. I had zero connection to Bollywood or movies when I started out. I worked in theatre for eight years where luckily Makarand Deshpande mentored me, helped me to improve my body language and voice modulation.
In Aks , I worked with Amitabh Bachchan and thought I would be a star but the film bombed and my struggle started all over again. I worked in television to pay bills but right now I feel I have reached a point where my craft speaks for myself. I have learnt the hard way that neither success nor failure last forever.”
Currently a part of the much-awaited NTR’s movie Jai Lava Kusa , he says it’s a grey character and an exciting project. He adds, “My character is that of an urbane and intelligent person who is very determined to get what he wants. Working with NTR was fun as he was very co-operative and is an amazing person.”
Abhimanyu is also awaiting the release of two Hindi movies apart from a Tamil movie with Karthi. Looking forward to doing interesting roles especially in comedy, he signs off on a philosophical note: “I have come a long way but have a longer journey to cover.”
