While one may miss his name when the credits roll but cannot overlook his stellar performances in films like “Million Dollar Arm”, “Shor in the City” and “Begum Jaan”. Engineer turned actor Pitobash has the ability to move the audience and his impeccable comic timing has earned him the reputation of being a good performer. He will be seen Sridevi-starrer “Mom” scheduled to be released soon. Other films he is part of are Anupam Kher’s “Gudde And Gudiya” and “T For Television” both of which are expected to hit the screen this year.
A satisfied actor who is on the lookout for roles with meat, in a chat talks about his journey so far, his latest film “Mom” and how he avoids being typecast.
On his role in “Mom”
I can just say that I playing something on the grey side. The film is a thriller highlighting the mother and daughter relationship and conflict. As you’d know by watching the trailer, it is about how far the mother would go to bring justice for her daughter. It is very difficult for me to unfold exactly what role I’d be playing because that’s the whole fun of watching the film.
On working with leading actresses like Vidya Balan, Sridevi and Raveena Tandon
I loved working with all of them. They are all seasoned actors and professional. I, on the other hand, am very young in that sense that I just started working in cinema seven to eight years before, so I learned from them. On a lighter note, when there is an interesting subject and the lead cast is a female, there are a lot of good supporting roles. Usually the established actors refuse it and the comparatively new actors get the offers to do some beautiful roles.
On becoming an actor after doing engineering
Acting, definitely was always part of the plan since my childhood. I was into performing arts before I got National Bal Shree Award at the age of 12 and was also good at academics. After graduation, the plan was always to join FTII or National School of Drama but I cleared my engineering entrance and got into Government College of Engineering. In my fourth year I got into FTII. So from engineering to FTII to Mumbai – everything was planned.
On the fear of being typecast
That fear is always there, not only for me, but also for stars. It is like if one genre of their film does well, then the pressure that only one kind of their films will do well rises. For an actor like me who does not have conventional image and physical appearance the chances of getting the same kind of films is more. That is exactly what I don’t want to do, so I take my time reading the script before picking any film and try to keep it as different as possible from my last. I am not in the race of hoarding wealth and that is a leverage for me to wait for the right role.
On “An Indian Tale” a upcoming Belgian-French production
We have a lot of good people on board for this film, producers from Belgium and France, an established European actor and an award winning director. It is a very unusual, interesting film about two strangers who don’t even speak each other’s language and reinvent themselves together.
