Vinay Jain exudes serenity. At the press conference of the Feroz Khan-directed “Dinner with friends” while the rest of the cast joked and spoke to media persons, Vinay was mostly quiet. But when approached for an interview, he broke into a warm smile and readily agreed to talk about his life and career.
Vinay has won acclaim for his role in the hit serial “Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin” as Aryan. He's also essayed cameo roles in “13B” and “Cheeni Kum”. Vinay's latest feather in the cap has been the successful multiple staging of “Dinner with friends”, in which he plays a principal part. Vinay's love for theatre was so deep that it made him give up on a bright career as an MBA graduate. “I made some courageous decisions. The choices I have made in life have shown that real power is when without any backing, one can still make a mark. I was always a good student, but my desire to act was overwhelming. I worked behind the camera as an assistant director of ‘Pathar ke phool' and ‘Raju ban gaya gentleman'. In television, I was determined not to do the conventional ‘Saas-bahu' serials,” explains Vinay. He's satisfied with how his career has shaped up thus far. “Although I enjoyed my stint in television, I realised that it works like an assembly-line production. I wanted to push the line and experiment,” says the soft-spoken Vinay.
Once again, theatre beckoned. Vinay says his long association with Feroz Khan helped him to re-discover himself as an actor. “The script of ‘Dinner…' is incisive and wonderfully written. It's been a cathartic experience for the audience. In ‘Dinner…' I play Harsh, a lawyer, whose marriage is on the brink. He has fallen for a younger woman and is going through a period of great turmoil. The role demands for the display of raw emotions. I consider it my dream role as I have been able to traverse a range of emotions. I might add here that ‘Dinner…' also helped me to re-discover myself as a professional.”
A practicing Buddhist, Vinay speaks with passion of his ten-year long association with Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. “Ever since I took faith in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, I've realised that acting is an inner journey. To become a better actor, empathy is essential,” says Vinay.
Vinay is all geared up for an international film he'll be shooting for next month. There's another theatre project lined up with Ila Arun and K.K. Raina titled, “Marichika”. Vinay contends that this is a new phase in his career and that his resolve to becoming a better actor strengthens everyday.
