Abhimanyu wants to leave behind a legacy
With Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (2018), Abhimanyu Dassani may have chosen a debut vehicle that’s far from mainstream, but the risk paid off. The film won several accolades at various film festivals, and his performance was appreciated as well. His next film, Nikkama, is going to be an entertainer and also features Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The actor is currently shooting for Aankh Micholi with Paresh Rawal, Vijay Raaz and Sharman Joshi, among others. Abhimanyu says, “I feel like I am not shooting for a film but attending acting workshops. Even when I don’t have anything to shoot, I am on the set to observe these people. With every conversation that you have with any of these actors, there is so much to learn. I am just enjoying my process and trying to gain as much knowledge as I can.”
Abhimanyu feels that the industry has a tendency of stereotyping people. “There are many actors who are doing the same thing and there is nothing wrong in that but I choose to be versatile and would like to show my range. As an actor, my constant challenge is to break my image. For my next film, my body language and my voice have gone through modulations. I am now shooting my third film which doesn’t have any action and is an out-and-out comedy. For me, acting is pushing the envelop of conversation,” says the actor.
All geared up to join a business school for a career in investment banking, the actor had a change of heart after he spent a summer in the US. He soon enrolled in a film school, and since, then he hasn’t looked back. “My dream is to leave behind a legacy. I want to be a part of cinema that’s timeless just like Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) or A Wednesday! (2008). Even films like Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989), you watch it today and its as relevant as it was three decades ago. These films can be enjoyed by several generations. My aspiration is to be part of such cinema that lives way longer than just that initial weekend,” he says.