The fun Hasn't Stopped

Vinay Pathak is a consummate performer and there are no two ways about it. The versatile actor has given us some memorable performances on screen, but no one tells you is that he is equally impressive off screen. Whether it is at a press conference where you will see him ribbing his co-stars and director or whether it is a conversation, where he’ll high-five you, crack jokes, offer you a sweet or two or put on accents, varying from Bihari to American to English while answering your questions. Some people presumably are born actors.

Pathak’s currently being seen on screen in Bajatey Raho, an ensemble movie where his performance is once again being appreciated. Going by his choice of roles, it would seem that the actor particularly enjoys doing ensemble movies. “I have made a career out of it,” he bluntly states it. “Most of the films I have done had an ensemble cast and I am proud of them. “Johnny Gaddar, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Bheja Fry— I had such a ball making that film, he adds— and even Aaja Nachle, which didn’t do well...” lists Pathak before saying it like it is: “Ensemble films is something I am for. There is nothing wrong with them as long as there’s a story.As long as the movie is not just about song and dance but has a story point, I am for it.”

The importance of the story is a theme that Pathak reiterates throughout the interview. That is probably what explains his choice of films. There’s the big budget, production house-backed movie, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi just as there is the offbeat Bheja Fry or Chalo Dilli. Never mind that some have been hits while the others have sunk without a trace. “If we only looked at results of the films, no one would do anything original would they? Everybody would only do a Gangnam all the time!” he quips, adding, “I subscribe to the Gita’s philosophy — of only putting in efforts without any expectations of the outcome. When I do a movie, I am just looking at a story to tell.” 

Mixed Doubles, Pathak admits, was one of those gambles that paid off. “Mixed Doubles was one-of-a-kind. As I recall, we’d announced Bheja Fry at the premiere of Mixed Doubles,” he says before fondly reminiscing, “The great response we got from the audience for Mixed... just gave us the fillip and that is when we, Rajat Kapoor, Ranveer Shorey and I, decided that even if (Bheja Fry) was a small film, we’ll make it.”

The rest as they say is history. “Bheja Fry made about twenty times the money that was spent on it and that’s the trick. It is about telling a good story,” he says, again.

Criticality of the story aside, one cannot ignore the importance of talent now can we? Average movies have done well because of good actors too. For someone with talent as acknowledged as Pathak’s, the actor is quite nonchalant about his prowess. “I am just doing my job,” he says. “As an actor, it is your job to make the role believable.” But he does acknowledge that his acting has its individuality.

“You can have five actors saying the same thing, so as an actor I’ve got to work on saying the dialogue in my own way while staying true to the character. So, yes, in that regard, acting for me is a constant exploration of finding ways to keep it believable and real.”

Now, a conversation with Vinay Pathak is quite incomplete if you don’t talk about his on-screen partner — Ranveer Shorey. There are barely few films that don’t have the two together. “We enjoy working together,” Pathak admits before adding Rajat Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla to the group. “We do films and plays together. But we are friends as well, so there are lots of times when we sit and talk of everything else besides films.” “They are my support system,” he warmly notes before choosing to talk about his forthcoming projects.

“From plays to movies, I am doing lots of stuff. We will be coming to Bangalore in December with Nothing Like Lear and in terms of movies, I am doing Gaur Hari Dastaan. It is the biopic of the freedom fighter, Gaur Hari Das and I play the titular role. The movie spans his life from 35-70 years.”  And then, ending the interview on a perfect note, he says, “Acting is great fun and the fun hasn’t stopped for me.” We’ll high-five to that.