Interview: “It will be an honour to play Karn in a live-action Mahabharat film” – Gautam Rode; Read On-

"It will be an honour to play Karn" – Gautam Rode Interview:

Gautam Rode is undoubtedly one of the most popular faces from Indian television. Over the years, he has gone on to play several memorable roles. Gautam spoke about his past work, projects, and one of his most memorable moments with Shah Rukh Khan. He also drew light on the key differences between shooting for TV shows, reality shows, OTT, and films.

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“Yeah the process is different.  Reality shows you’re shooting round the clock. You’re shooting for only two days a week, and it goes on for 2-3 months till the time the season gets over. So there is a......In terms of whatever they tell you, there is a teleprompter; otherwise, you’re interacting with the guests and everyone so they tell you what exactly they want out of the guest. In terms of if it’s an emotional moment then you have to deal with it like that. If it’s comedy then you’re just fooling around with them. So that’s about reality shows. Television is a different ballgame. In television you reach the set and mostly 90% of the time you’re getting the script on the day of the shoot only. As soon as you reach the set, while doing makeup only they give you a script which you have to mug-up in way, and then you get used to it so much you’re not scared of paper, or in terms of ‘Aray abhi aaya abhi hi karna hai kya?’ It’s more of you get into that habit without getting pressured, so that’s the plus point of television where the whole process makes you tougher and makes you deal with any challenge that comes in front of you. But the drawback will be that there’s not much thought towards writing per se because the writers also have to churn out stuff every day. So every day, according to the TRP’s in a way or according to the tracks or according to who’s dates are available, they have to write stuff. So you can’t blame anyone in this. The whole process here is because the television is like Monday to Friday or these days they’re saying that it’s Monday to Sunday. Seven days a week also sometimes. So you can’t write so much from the start. So whatever feedback they get from the audience, they change it from the tracks accordingly. So that’s the drawback of television but the plus point is that for actors or even technicians for that matter, you’re ready for any curve-ball that’s been thrown towards you.

Then for films and OTT, like I’m working on OTT shows now. I’m doing three shows right now, different platforms. Netflix, Amazon, and Sony Liv. I’ve shot for two, third I’ll be shooting from this month end. So films and OTT is kind of more or less the same thing where they give you the script 1-2 months in advance, you sign the show 3 months in advance or something on the same lines. Then the rehearsals are there, meaning readings are there with the creators and creative people, so the points you have the notes you have you discuss it with them. Then you reach to a point where you see that you and the director are on the same page. Like “we’ve done 3-4 readings and now we’ll meet on the sets and whatever we have to improvise we’ll do it over there.....More or less that happens, so that is more organized. However, like I worked on a show recently only, where your work is only for 15 days but it’s spread for 2 and a half months! So it looks like you’re working too much for a long time but you’re shooting only for 15 or 20 days maximum. That is one thing where like in TV you’re shooting everyday on the set. Out here, you’re still busy but you’re shooting only for 15-20 days. You’re still tied up because you have to travel to different locations. Now in television there’s mostly a set 95% of the time. In the beginning they will take you for an outdoor schedule that will take you for 5-7-10 days maximum and then you come back to the set and you’re based on the set itself. Then in OTT it’s a different ball-game where depending on the locations, scenes, and outdoor schedules you’re traveling a lot. So the shooting is less but the ‘Taam Jhaam’ is a lot so yeah, these are the differences between the platforms” Gautam Rode said.

He then spoke about his popular show Suryaputra Karn and his experience while working on it. “It was very nice. By nice I mean in the beginning I was in two minds whether to go for a Mytho or not. Because once you’re out here perception is the key. So once you go into a zone, they keep offering you the same stuff. So I was double-minded until the time I started shooting. I was still second-guessing if I made the right decision or wrong decision to say yes to the show.....Till the time I reached the set I was second-guessing myself. In the beginning for the first 15-20 days it was tough because the language was completely different, very shudh. Then you’re wearing a dhoti, you’re wearing a mukut, you’re wearing jewellery, and you also have a bow in your hand, all of them together! At the end, it’s not a film or OTT where they will say you have time and we can do it peacefully. Over here you have to start shooting on the spot. So you have to be really sharp. Out here normal shows are easy because you can improvise and change the language you can play around according to your convenience but here you can’t change the language. You can’t change the ‘shlok’. You can’t change anything out here. That becomes tough as an actor as you have to recite a full monologue which is one and a half pages where there’s ‘shlok’ as well then you have to be very sharp and present over there if you want to do good. People who are bad also work on the shows but still get away with it, but a person like me who likes to be very very sharp and perfect, my whole thing is most of the times I don’t want to carry a script in my hand on the sets. That I do for my shows in OTT for sure but yes, in television if you’re getting the script and that moment only and you have to shoot in that moment only then you can’t help it. You have a monologue to say and you’re unable to understand and you’re like “nahi nahi mujhe yaad karne de” because you get the script at that time and you have to shoot at that time only so you have to be very sharp and present at that moment so it becomes very tiring.

So in the beginning it was tough, for the first 15 days when I locked myself, I used to ask for the scripts beforehand and then in the night I used to kind of remember and rehearse for the next days shoot because the show was on you, so it was your responsibility that you were the captain of the ship kind of a way. It’s around you. So if you’re faltering or fumbling on the set then people will not take you seriously then they will also act the same way....But if you know your stuff then everybody will be on their toes. So I’m that kind of a guy. So that’s how it happened, and I met my wife there, Pankhuri, we met on the sets and that’s how we became friends, as in that’s how we started dating and then you know the story,” continued Gautam.

The veteran actor then spoke about the possibility on playing Karan in a live-action Mahabharat film by SS Rajamouli or Aamir Khan. He stated that he’d be honoured if he was offered such a role. It is to be noted that Aamir Khan has confirmed that he’ll be making a film on the Indian epic. On the other hand, SS Rajamouli has gone on record to say that making a Mahabharat film is his dream.

“It’ll be an honour (to play Karan in a live-action Mahabharat film) because not for anyone else......It’s about the character itself. It’s not about who’s offering me the role. Either this gentleman or the other gentleman. It’s about the persona of Karn, it’s about that. It’s about nothing else. It’s so larger than life, it’s so righteous in its own way, it’s so Karn-oriented. See when I started playing it, it became a part of me. Then in joy you start living the character. At the same time, it’s a phenomenon by the end of it. So whoever is doing it, a sensible person for sure who knows his or her stuff, I’d love to be a part of it,  not because of their background, because of Karn, Suryaputra Karn, because of that, so yeah,” Gautam Rode said.

The 48-year-old then gave his two cents on “Nepotism” and spoke about his thoughts on the much-talked about debate over nepotism in the entertainment and film industry of India “See, I have a different take on it. See logically if I have  a business, and if my son and daughter are there I will tell them to take it forward rather than another person who’ll come and say ‘Theek hai mai usko de deta huun, aur mai isse karwata huun.’ So the question of nepotism I don’t understand in a way because at the end they’re doing it for their kids. If they don’t do it for their kids then but obvious we won’t. Then of course they’ll do it for their kids and we’ll do it for our kids. So it’s very simple that if they’re my kids then I will promote them. I will do something for them. So they call it nepotism or whatever the terminology is I don’t understand. But yes, I feel that when you give something, but if the person is not able to take it forward then stop it.....Then as a smart businessman or as a smart person who knows strategy, say that I’m doing it for my person, my family but the person is not able to take my legacy forward.....So wait, I have to run my business, I have to run my house also, so I’ll keep him aside and do something else with him......But he sits well for this and he’ll take the business ahead so let’s hire him for this? In my case, if I become a very big producer and my son is suddenly turned 25 and wants to act for example......I’ll say he’s good according to me because we’re biased towards our kids. However, if there’s some major fault in him then you’ll be smart enough to guide him and tell him that this isn’t for you. You’ll ask him to correct himself and work on himself if you’re a sensible guy. Otherwise if you’re mad in love then no matter what you’ll want to do something for your kids cause if not you then who else will do, which is also in a way correct. So you keep giving your kid a chance but he keeps failing. He isn’t able to connect well and even the audience aren’t able to connect with him, then as a sensible person I will step back and say ‘boss, one minute, you handle my stuff, come behind the camera, let’s take it in a different way altogether, let’s not keep following’. See if its your dream or passion you have to work towards it, then only it becomes your dream. For example, if you say that you wanted to become an actor since you were a child.....Although I didn’t want to but still, I still will have to work hard. If I want to become a cricketer then I will go in the field right? I’ll do bowling, batting, and fielding, I’ll do everything. Whatever my strength is I’ll catch that. But if someone says he’ll learn acting by simply joining an acting class then that won’t happen. See acting is something nobody will teach. It’s an experience and you have to live it. You get better with time, no matter how good you are. I feel like a newcomer even today. Even today I want to learn because every role gets a different challenge for you, so you can’t say that I know this, it’s impossible. If I never play Suryaputra Karn and say that I know it it means that I’m a fool. I have to put that effort, whatever 25 or 30 days rigorously, shoot for 14 hours, then be on the script for 5 hours, hardly sleep for 4 hours and then again you’re on the set. So you have to put that efforts if you have to be good, or if you want to be remembered, or if I want to give an interview to you. You will only take my interview if I’ve done something in life no? If I’ve done a good role. I’m not a social media guy, I’m an actor, and that’s my job. If I don’t do that then nobody will ask about me. Logically, if they’re your kids then of course you’ll do it for them. Who else will? But yeah, post that if the kid isn’t good enough then you should have the sensibility to take them back and put them into the business side. That sensibility is missing. Waiting for your kids to succeed in acting is too risky,” he said.

Gautam then narrated his most cherished moment with Shah Rukh Khan. When asked to name an incident with a Bollywood actor where the Bollywood actor was very nice to him and how he’ll remember that forever, Gautam was quick to name SRK and drew light on his interaction with the global star. He said that it was during the promotions of “Ra.One”.

“Shah Rukh Khan! So he came to promote Ra.One and he’s Shah Rukh Khan and everyone knows him so he came and suddenly hugged me and said “Gautam kaisa hai?” and I was like “He knows my name?”......Then he said “Dilli ka haina tuu?”. He talks like that only. People from Delhi talk like this only. I’m from Delhi so I know this. So yeah, after that I said “Haan ji” to which he said “Mai bhi Dilli ka huun” so I was like “Pata hai mujhe” so suddenly it was like I’m talking to a friend and it’s not only me. It’s like If they were 11 people in a group, if it was a band, if that band was playing a song....Not only the lead singers, but even the people behind, in terms of all the musicians, like somebody was playing the guitar and somebody was playing the piano.....I mean he went and shook hands with everyone. I didn’t see any other actor doing that. So that’s why he’s Shah Rukh Khan at the end  of it. He suddenly becomes your friend, out of nowhere you’re talking to the person for the first time and he’ll talk to you in a way where you’ll feel like your old friend is talking to you. Like I was standing I still remember at the time of Ra.One, we anchors get a Q in our ear. People who are inside will tell us that to do things like “Yaar ye line pe ye karlena ya ye line pe ye karwadena usse” and “ispe ye moment ban raha hai, acha chalo isko kheecho”....I mean that’s how anchoring is done. So in my ear something is being told and Mr. Shah Rukh Khan now had to say something, and then he told me in my ear that “Gautam ek kaam kar jo tuu bolega vo mai bolunga” so I was like “hein?” and he was “Haa yaar, jo tere kaan mai bolna hai vo mujhe boldiyo mai aage boldunga”......So I was like “yaar ye banda itna friendly hai” and he then asked me what to say, so when I told him what to say he was like “Yaaay dekh taaliyan baj rahe hai. Acha bola tune firse bol” so suddenly you remember these things. Out of nowhere if a person, a senior actor.

See, of course he’s a superstar but forget about that for a moment, but a senior actor from your field who’s been around before you, who’s been here for quite a while, who’s reached a certain level, he didn’t have to do this. He could’ve easily just shook hands and said nice meeting you and that’s it, which every other person does. So there you learn also from the person ki “Yaar ye itna humble hai banda......Superstar ka S bhi nahi lagta” so you start loving the guy. If you like him or not that’s a different story but once you meet him, then you become his fan. When I told him that I became your fan he was like “Nahi nahi tuu toh dost hai” something on those lines. These moments, they stay with you. I never met him after that, maybe bumped into him once but you’ll always say good things about him. These things turn out to be blessings and work for you......Just like how it’s working for him,” Gautam concluded.

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