Method actor
After being around for 17 years in showbiz, television’s popular face Raqesh Bapat shares his journey and talks about his upcoming film Savita Damodar Paranjpe.
How will you define your character in the film Savita Damodar Paranjpe?
Learned and practical, my character Ashok is literally the third wheel encompassing Trupti Toradmal and Subodh Bhave’s characters in the film. He is a TIFR scholar and yet a believer in transcendental entities and gets intertwined in the lives of these characters on a professional and personal level.
What kind of prep work did you do for this role?
I have portrayed the role of Shekhar Tamhane, who is the original writer of the play. Apart from cast table reads and workshops, a one-on-one interaction with the writer and understanding the layers attached to this character while making it my own was the aim.
The film is being produced by John Abraham, how is he as a producer?
John is one of the humblest and intelligent producers I have worked with. He knows his content and has mastered the art of box office crunching. Being in the industry for long in front of the camera, an actor works closely with the crew and producers and is at an advantage of making the right calls on their own production.
How is your rapport with director Swapna Waghmare Joshi?
Swapna is a gem of a person and an excellent filmmaker. We go back to Saath Phere, the TV show she directed. The camaraderie has always been natural and helps us understand one another.
Please share the ups and downs of your 17-year-long career.
It’s been a joyride and a teacher. When any medium that one is a part of is successful and people love your work, that is the biggest ‘up’ for me. As for downs, I don’t consider there are any, it is only feedbacks to learn, adapt and move on.
What is your focus as an actor?
Performance-oriented and author-backed roles that challenge me to push my limits.
A lot of actors are doing regional films today. Why so?
Some of the best content we see comes from industry sections that are rooted in culturally and artistically rich regions. Be it Marathi or Malayalam, writers dare to attempt unheard stories and makers take that leap to showcase them. Also, budgets are not flamboyant, which makes it compulsory for most content to be strong.
