I REMEMBER FEELING OUT OF PLACE WHILE GROWING UP IN THE US
Adivi Sesh says that the dearth of Indian representation in West led to his firm conviction that telling stories about his country is important
Understanding his identity as an Indian while growing up in the US was difficult for actor Adivi Sesh, who has appeared in films such as Major and Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), among others, because there wasn’t adequate representation — on screen or off.
He says, “I never saw a brown Tom Cruise. I also always knew that my biggest success, if I ever made it in Hollywood, would be to play a comedian, or play a guy who works at a petrol station, or a software engineer, or a terrorist. I knew I wasn’t going to be the man carrying the next Marvel film.”
That’s the reason why he admits that this chapter of his life continues to influence his career till date. The 36-year-old shares, “I am a big believer in telling stories and ethos that have something to say about India. It is because I remember feeling out of place while growing up in the US and wanting to come back to India my whole life. So, that is tied into my psychology, so it sometimes happens without me realising it. Three out of my next five films are deeply rooted in the theme of India.”
Speaking about the changing landscape, Sesh notes, “Earlier, the American media, while talking about Indian cinema, used to refer to it as Bollywood. Recently, they listed RRR as the number one film, and didn’t call it a Bollywood or Tollywood project. Instead, they called it an Indian film. I’m truly proud that the word Indian started getting used once south Indian films started doing well in the Hindi [sector]. Now, I hope to collaborate with actors and artistes of all industries. It’s nice to make a film and find a new audience.”
With the West making the right noise with representation and the opening of doors, is Hollywood his next destination? “We can’t rule anything out. That’s kind of where I’m at in my head,” says the actor, who is happy about the lines between film industries in the country blurring.