The trailer of the upcoming Hindi film S.P Chauhan - The Struggling Man was recently launched in Karnal, Haryana. Directed by Manoj Ojha, S.P Chauhan tells the story of a man’s struggle against alcoholism prevalent in the Haryanvi society back in the 1980s. The film is based on the life of a real person named S.P Chauhan and stars Jimmy Sheirgill in the lead role. Actor Yashpal Sharma, who is known for his work in films like Gangaajal , Lagaan , Aarakshan , Tubelight , among others, was also present on the occasion. Sharma, an NSD alumnus, plays the pivotal role of the lead character’s father in S.P Chauhan .
Excerpts:
How did you get associated with the project?
I play the father to the 10 year old Chauhan and also when he grows up. So, basically, my character goes through an age difference of 13 years. While preparing for the role I used to regularly meet S.P Chauhan’s real father in order to understand the character better. Even as Chauhan is busy helping others to give up on alcohol, his own father remains addicted to it. So a part of the challenge for my son is to convince me to quit drinking. It’s a very tender relationship that the father and the son share and I have tried my best to do justice to it.
As an actor who comes from Haryana, I am committed towards the growth of Haryanvi film industry so that it can stand alongside Punjabi, Marathi and other leading regional film industries. I have taken the pledge to take Haryanvi cinema to new heights.
Tell us about your film on a legendary Haryanvi poet...
For the last three years I am working on a film based on the life of Haryanvi poet Lakhmi Chand which I am also directing and producing. I will always be associated with all the good work that’s happening in the film industry here. So far I have only done two Haryanvi films and both have won National Awards. The Lakhmi Chand biopic will be made in two parts.
The shooting for part one begins this April . In the second part, I will essay the grown up Lakhmi Chand. Also, you will see me briefly at the beginning and the end of the first film as well. The idea is to remind the younger generation about the great poet, highlighting how a man who didn’t ever go to school became such a prolific poet through sheer passion and determination.
These days we are witnessing so many biopics on a regular basis. What, according to you, makes S.P Chauhan stand apart?
The film’s greatest strength is its simplicity. Today big budget films like Thugs of Hindostan and Tubelight are failing but content based films like Badhaai Ho and Andhadhun are working really well. The issues such as alcoholism, education, and women empowerment which S.P Chauhan deals with are really important and have great relevance not only for the state of Haryana but the Indian society at large. I have even done the casting for it and worked as a project manager, taking suggestions and advice from the various stakeholders.
If the quality of work is good, you don’t worry about the duration of the project. A highly professional team of technicians from the Mumbai film industry came to Haryana and stayed here for a long time and all of us worked together day and night.
In recent years, you have seemingly distanced yourself from Bollywood...
To tell you the truth, I am totally tired of big budget Hindi films as I find no creative satisfaction in doing such films.
I am really keen on doing small budget films with characters that offer greater scope for me as a performer. Now, I have done all kinds of regional films whether Gujarati, Assamese, Telugu, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Dogri, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Rajasthani and most of them have been successful, either critically or commercially. Also for the last three-and-a-half years I am really occupied with my own project on the life of Lakhmi Chand which has made it very difficult for me to take up other projects outside of Haryana.
How do you see this transition from an actor to a director?
It has allowed me to follow my passion more closely than I have ever managed.
I have always wanted to follow my heart but it hasn’t been possible while working on those big projects but finally I can exercise my creative control and it means everything to me. I have told the producer very clearly that I don’t want any interference in the creative process.
Tell us about your theatre work
I am involved in as many as 13 plays including ones with Nadira Babbar, Makarand Deshpande, Ramji Bali, and Gulzar Sahib. But I have taken a six-month break for now so that I can fully focus on the Lakmi Chand biopic.
