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Theatre was and will remain my first love: Bedi
Actor Rakesh Bedi is a busy man. Theatre, travel, writing, film direction and TV keep him more than busy. Moving ahead with times, he is all set to take a plunge in new age mediums too. “Lot of digital work in form of web series are in pipeline. I have not taken a full-fledged leap into it but people are trying to get me there,” says the actor on his visit to Lucknow.
He will be seen in a film on Uri attack, where he playing an ISI agent who is a mole for India. Besides, he keeps on making appearances in hit TV show Bhabhiji Ghar Pe Hain. But, theatre remains his first love.
“In last 39 years of my acting career, there has been no single month in my life when I have not stepped on a stage for theatre. Two years back, I wrote ‘Mera Who Matlab Nahi Tha’ which stars Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher and myself. I brought my solo show Massage in Lucknow and next we will showcase our new show Jab We Separated here on September 22,” he says.
Bedi is enjoying dabbling between different mediums. “I try and keep my life in enjoy mode. When does someone become an actor, singer, dancer or painter? When someone has passion about the same! This field I have chosen myself, if I can’t enjoy this then there is no point. I try to do my work with full sincerity so that I can enjoy the ‘ras’ in it, which I am always in search of. And, if there is no such ‘ras’ in my character, then I try myself and put it in the role so that my audience can enjoy,” he says. His new play Jab We Separated deals on a social issue. “Divorce between newly married couples is one of the most burning problems in India. In it, a couple has filed a case of divorce and has put a wall in between. The court has given them six months to reconsider and reconcile. I have tried to tap that period.” The play stars Rahul Bhuchar and Shweta Tiwari, while Bedi plays an elderly neighbour.
The actor is in no mood of taking up a full-fledged role on TV. “I am not in a mental state to do regular TV for 25 days from morning to evening. If I do that then I won’t be able to do theatre and travel, as both are very connected. Like for play Mera… we went to the US last years and in 46 days we covered 23 different cities.”
On being asked if he is happy with the current trend on TV, the ‘Shrimaan Shrimati’ lead says, “I strongly believe in one thing and that is never complain…ki humara time bahut accha tha aur aaj ka time accha nahi hai! It’s an evolution in which bad things automatically filters out. In TV today, at a certain level creativity is getting over. In times of ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagai’, we were never told by anyone about how to go about the show. It was entirely writer’s call but today its TRP driven. If Nagin is a hit and people are liking it then what can I do. Best, I can do is stay away from what I don’t like.”
Before Wrong Number, that brought him to Lucknow, Rakesh Bedi had done many plays here. “I will like to say that art and culture in Lucknow has evolved and progressed. ‘Pyaar’ and ‘dulaar’ that we get here is phenomenal. Many times the audience is not able to catch our nuances but when it does ‘apna seena 56 inch ka ho jata hai’. And, this happens here.”
On the future of theatre he says, “Lot of time people talk about future of theatre. It has survived for last 3,000 years. When films came there were doubts; then came TV, then internet, mobile, now web series but theatre has survived and will forever.”
I strongly believe in one thing and that is never complain…ki humara time bahut accha tha aur aaj ka time accha nahi hai! It’s an evolution in which bad things automatically filters out. RAKESH BEDI ACTOR