When I saw Shadab Kamal in Zee5’s web show ‘Akoori’, I had no idea that he was the same person I had seen in the trailer of the film ‘B.A Pass’. His look and body language was very different. It might take a while to recognise him when you see him in the trailer of his new film ‘Gaon The Village No More’. Perhaps, that is the sign of a good actor. Every time he takes up a new role, he is a different person altogether. Here are excerpts from an interview.
You play the protagonist in ‘Gaon The Village No More.
Yes, I am playing the protagonist in the film. His name is Bharat. The entire film is following this character’s journey. He wants to fulfil his father’s last wish. He comes from the city and is a very thoughtful person. He is actually a very conflicted person and that is what makes him interesting. His intentions are right. He wants to do things which would benefit the village but things do not go according to his plan.
How did you prepare for the role?
We went to the village a few days before the shoot started. That really helped us we became very familiar with the milieu of the village. The villagers knew us and we knew them. There was no demarcation between us and them. We only went to our hotels after the shoot to sleep. Apart from that, we were in the village for thirty days we shot the film for. The villagers were very sweet and cooperative. Generally, there is a lot of chaos and noise on a film set. But, shooting in the village was a completely different experience. It was a very peaceful environment and there was no disturbance.
How did your journey as an actor start?
Initially, I was doing plays in school. I studied in a boarding school in Gwalior. I learnt all about theatre and acting there. That is where it all began. I continued acting after coming back to Kolkata, which is my hometown. I did theatre for several years in Kolkata and we travelled to different cities and countries with our productions. My first film was ‘Chittagong’ in which I played a small part.
You played a male gigolo in ‘B.A Pass’ and a transgender in your recent web show ‘Akoori’. Did you have any apprehensions while taking up these roles?
The only apprehension I have is being typecast. When people typecast you, you have to take a call what you want to do. After doing ‘B.A Pass’, I was getting a lot of offers for films which had sexually explicit content. I did not take up any of those offers and waited for a while before something different was offered to me. All the projects I have done are completely different from each other. I will make sure that people do not typecast me as an actor.
What are you doing next?
I did a cameo in ‘What The Folks 2’. Season 2 of ‘Akoori’ has been sanctioned and we will start shooting for it soon.