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My break was a period of great self-discovery: Abhishek

The actor talks to us about the challenges of making his character stand out in Manmarziyaan, out in the UAE this weekend.

FOR ABHISHEK BACHCHAN, the biggest challenge in Manmarziyaan was not to come across as boring and bland, especially because his co-stars Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal were playing firebrand characters. 
"One of the challenges that we had was how to keep my character interesting, when you have two other actors who are so high on energy and are so flamboyant. So, it was a huge challenge to bring a more subtle and mature character without making him a bore. I would like to believe that we managed to pull it off," Abhishek said.
The actor, who was last seen in the 2016 romantic comedy Housefull 3, is coming back to the movies after a gap of two years. He said that he still gets nervous in front of the camera and explained why nervousness is important to keep dreams alive and excel in a job. "Actors are always nervous. Regardless of how long you have been away from the camera - you could still be nervous about what you are about to do," Abhishek said while talking to City Times from Mumbai. 
He believes that this long break did well for him as an actor and also as a human being. "It was a period of great self discovery. I am glad that I did it and I have no regrets whatsoever for not having worked in movies for those two years, and I am happy as I believe that I have come back as a stronger actor."
"I think recognition and identifying a problem is 50% of the work already done. I think, to be able to recognise what the problem is and how you want to rectify it, then you are already on the path to correct it. Realising that, I want to take a step back, reassess and come back - that was already half the battle won for me when I decided to take a break," he added. 
But Abhishek added that he wouldn't recommend others to take a similar break because every person needs to find their own path. "In retrospect, I feel that the break has been absolutely essential for me. I can't generalise for other people because everyone has their own journey in life and they need to find out what they need to do with their lives. There is no rule book or a template. What works for me might not work for somebody else. Everybody has to discover their own path." 
After making his debut in J.P. Dutta's  Refugee, Abhishek's career was a mix of ups and downs. He is now hoping to change the course of his career after Manmarziyaan.  
It was also refreshing to hear from Amitabh Bachchan's son that he had no qualms in ringing up filmmakers and discussing the possibilities of working together in a movie. "My parents taught me very early in life that there is no shame in asking for work. They made sure that I was grounded. I have seen the struggles that my parents have gone through and I have experienced the struggle that I have gone through. I know what it takes to be an actor. I know it is not a cakewalk at all. Having been born and brought up in the film industry, you live very close to each and everyone's trouble and you see what it takes and feels to be a film actor or be part of films. You learn to respect the craft at a very early age. So, I have always been like this and I don't think that I have changed at all." 
 
Meet Abhishek Bachchan - The businessman
While Abhishek was away from movies, he was concentrating on his sports enterprise. So what was an average day in the life of Abhishek while he was running his business the last two years? "BUSY. You have to juggle a lot of things and I enjoy that. I have to run my sports enterprise, take care of the investment portfolio and also fulfill my film commitments by acting on sets. And I am loving every second of it and that's the way it should be. As long as you are happy doing what you are doing, it doesn't seem difficult.
 
Today, everything can be done on your phone. Your mobile phone is literally your mobile office. Thankfully, all the communications and meetings are done via phone. But then the fair amount is spent in the office, the film sets and at home." 
When you work in sports, it is common to meet inspiring people, so would Abhishek ever think of making a sports drama? "I think sportsmen are very inspiring figures, they are very driven, focused and they make great heroes. 
"Would I like to make a sports film? Yes, we have a production house and we would love to make a sports film should we come across a nice story. A sports film has to be a film about the triumph of the human spirit and not just about sports. The greatest sports films have been about human stories and that is something I would love to make someday."
 
 
 

About Manmarziyaan 
Manmarziyaan is a new age romance drama featuring Rummi (Taapsee) who is a free-spirited young woman. Her youthful desires have led her to Vicky (Kaushal). With his impulsive nature and shock of dyed-blue hair, he's the excitement she wants right now. And somehow she gets married to a simpleton played by Abhishek. The movie traces the journey of these three characters. The makers are hoping that the film will resonate well with the younger generation.
It was the mixture of writer Kanika's story, Anand L. Rai as a producer and Anurag Kashyap as a director that prompted Abhishek to sign this film. "Starting with the writer Kanika who told me the story and then having Anand L. Rai as a producer was fabulous since I have loved his vision as a filmmaker and most important to have Anurag Kashyap as my director."
He added that Anurag pushed him to come out of his comfort zone, and it helped because Anurag was also coming out of this comfort zone since he makes dark movies most of the time. "Since he is making a love story and this is not the genre that you associate him with generally. So it was a similar journey for both of us. I like the fact that it is a very contemporary film and the youth will relate to it." arti@khaleejtimes.com