Don’t take it lightly, talk it out: Darsheel on mental health problems
With the play, Two Adorable Losers, based on mental issues, the actor says reaching out for help can make an impact on how we feel
Caught between back-toback interviews, actor Darsheel Safary, has not had his lunch, and admits he would like a bite but delightedly agrees to a conversation. The Midnight’s Children (2012) actor features in the play, Two Adorable Losers – one of the many pieces to be staged as part of The Great Indian Theatre Festival. The actor discusses an array of topics from the plot of the play, his special involvement in it, the need to put up qualitatively rich and relevant art, to how our deepest thought processes and dreads should be shared and dealt with.
What is it like to be a part of a student-teacher alliance again?
It is nostalgic and quite touching. Taare Zameen Par (2007) happened when I was only ten years old, and it will always occupy a special spot in my heart. Having said that, the teacher-student relationship in that film is very different from what I contribute to in this production. Had it not been an off-beat experience, I don’t think I would have agreed to partake. The play revolves around two main characters; a Mathematics teacher, who hails from Odisha, speaks English with a heavy Odiya accent and is unsure of addressing an audience at a college function and a third year student of psychology, who is terrible at statistics. Their inadequacies run parallelly on stage and develop a bond of dependence. The alliance, therefore, poses serious social and personal questions through slapstick comedy.
Tell us if you personally relate to the struggles depicted in Two Adorable Losers, if at all there is something.
Of course there is! Every person in life, I am sure, has suffered and struggled with inferiority complex one way or the other. It happens.
However, it is important to identify the problem and reach out.
How can an actor categorise? I really don’t understand how to put acting in water-tight compartments. My knack for acting remains, regardless of the media. May it be the stage, screen or OTTs... my dedication to the craft does not change.
What do you think of theatre festivals?
Theatre festivals provide a platform for all kinds of stories — folktales, classics and novel ideas too. That is encouraging. Stage acting should be promoted across the country and not only in the big cities.
We do not find people your age in theatres. How do you think drama can be made a hit amongst the youth?
I think attracting an audience comprising all age groups is only possible through quality content. Contrary to what you have just stated, our play has always had a strong young footfall. So, I think quality is key. If you have a script that reflects individual experiences and life in general, people will certainly relate to it. Age is no barrier in that case.
Two Adorable Losers talks about personal battles and complexes. What would be your message to the audience?
Mental health should not be taken lightly. Each one of us needs to comprehend and recognise the power of sharing. Talking it out, reaching out for help can make a huge difference to how we feel, as the inner workings of the mind are not always in our control. It could be a counsellor, a friend, sibling or your parents; the minute we share our anxieties, the burden decreases a little. I do not know of any person who is balanced enough to contain it all, and yet, carry on happily.
I really don’t understand how to put acting in water-tight compartments. My knack for acting remains. My dedication to the craft does not change, regardless of the media. DARSHEEL SAFARY, ACTOR