Shadek, the role Sudipto Balav plays in American action thriller Extraction , on Netflix now, is an unforgettable one for him. “When Sam (Hargrave) briefed me about Shadek’s introduction, he told me that if I pulled this off, then people would not forget me either,” says Sudipto. “I also realized the scene sets the mood of the film.”
With his long hair, a paunch and an ominous air about him, Shadek is the henchman of Bangladeshi don Amir Asif. It might be a relatively small role, but it leaves a punch, says the actor.
Working in the American action thriller, directed by celebrated stuntman and director Hargrave, was an enjoyable experience, even though he did not get to share screen space with Thor fame Chris Hemsworth, says Sudipto. “Shadek has an interesting look in the film. If you go to any rustic neighbourhood, you will see a person like Shadek. Shadek is obnoxious. He is tough.”
Sudipto is no stranger to Malayalam cinema. The audience accepted his Freddy Honai in 2 Hariharnagar , a sequel of the 1990 comic thriller In Hariharnagar , wholeheartedly. After 2 Hariharnagar , he also acted in Anoop Menon’s Lavender , the Murali Gopi-film Tiyan and Humans of Someone , a tribute to legendary Malayalm filmmaker Padmarajan.
The Bengali actor now based at Los Angeles has done over 30 films in Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada put together.
Excerpts from an email interview.
How was working with Sam Hargrave?
He is phenomenal. A wonderful human being to work with. He is technically sound and immensely experienced when it comes to stunts. He is prepared for everything and his team is incredible. He had the right setup and expertise to make a film like this. The action scenes of Extraction redefine the action in cinema.
What was it like being Shadek? How did the role come about?
The experience was mind blowing. I was completely moved by the professional approach and meticulous planning of the Hollywood crew, getting to work with someone like Sam Hargrave the director... Thomas Newton Sigel, the cinematographer who won the Golden Globe for Bohemian Rhapsody while shooting Extraction and, of course, getting the opportunity to interact with Chris Hemsworth.
Well, landing the role is an interesting story.... I had taken a break from acting in 2017 and was busy focusing on my resort in Coonoor near Ooty. That’s when the casting director of the film got in touch with me. In fact, I had sent my self-audition from Coonoor.
How are actors and the film fraternity negotiating these challenging times?
Like most other industries, the entertainment trade too has been majorly hit by COVID 19. One of the major issues is payments getting stuck and the uncertainty as to when work will resume. Most of us are freelancers and are paid on project basis. I think it is extremely important to be patient during these times and just be a little supportive of each other and believe in the fact that this too shall pass.
OTT platforms have changed our viewership habits. Is it an interesting period for actors and directors?
OTT is definitely a game changer in the entertainment scene and no way can this be ignored. The market has suddenly opened up as the viewing has become global. However, this means it is time to focus more on content as the options are extremely wide-ranged for the viewers. For directors, this is the right time to tell their story exactly the way they want to tell it because there is an audience now. We are fortunate enough to be a part of this transition where the work that we do is on a global platform.
