Known for his versatility, actor Vinay Pathak believes in pushing the boundary. He does not believe in the binary of realist and escapist cinema. For him, films come from someone’s reality. In a chat, he talks about audience reception, his understanding of humour and why he continues going back to theatre.
Excerpts
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It is a family film and I was asked to play the role of a younger brother which I agreed happily. Harsh Chhaya is our old friend and when he wrote his first film, he asked me to read it. Earlier he wanted to do the role which I played in the film but then he decided only to focus on direction and that is how I got the job. As all the co-actors knew each other very well, the set was more like a family get together and we all enjoyed shooting the film.
What is that common denominator to connect with audience?
An average viewer wants to watch a good story told well on the screen. He or she does not search for the self in the actors performing the role though they do want to relate to what is happening on the screen. There is a list of films which don’t have any popular actor and still they were hits. It is because of the fact that the story was good enough to compel the viewer to continue watching. The honesty in storytelling is essential as the viewer will get to know if you are faking it.
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You have done some films which are known for their portrayal of real life. Do you think cinema is no longer an escapist medium?
Glitz and glamour still attract the audience and they cannot stop watching that kind of cinema because it exists for years. But the alternative exists, and that is a good sign. It is like a bookshop which has Premchand but you don’t buy Premchand every time. You will buy a film journal or a sports magazine sometimes. We produce about a 1000 films per year and they all are different in their sense. That is the beauty and if only one kind of cinema is produced, it will get boring. Art, in itself, is an escapist idea because it asks you to indulge and it takes you to a different world. Every film is reality-based. It is just that some have bigger lens!
Having done many comedy films, what is your idea of humour?
Main achchi script ka mureed hun. I am personally a very composed person. But my face suggests that I am joking even if I am saying something very important. No one will take it seriously that I am a serious man (laughs). Humour is not just about making people laugh, it is sometimes a satire, sad truth or a dark reality. Sometimes you find comedy in very serious films as the satire is so strong that you end up laughing watching the film. Light-hearted comedy films are popular as people can relate more to it because they are surrounded by many difficulties in life. IPL and films are their way to come out of that burden.
How important is theatre to you?
Theatre is an integral part of my life and it is more important for me because I started my career with it. I have learnt all my acting skills from that medium and whenever I feel that I am losing something, I go back to it. In last 10 years, the theatre scene has changed for good and there is penetration of theatre in smaller cities. From a niche idea, theatre is moving towards a popular discourse. It shows how evolved and educated the masses are getting. It should not be for niche people but for everyone.