‘ACTORS PERCEIVED AS MAGICIANS HERE’
Whereas in the West, they’re considered performers, says Irrfan
Acclaimed actor Irrfan is someone who has explored cinema in both Bollywood and Hollywood. Is there a difference between performing in the two industries? The key contrast lies in how the audience perceives an actor, says Irrfan.
“In our (Indian) cinema, actors are like magicians who come on screen and do something to engage and mesmerise. On the other hand, in the West, actors are performers, and the audience looks for a certain amount of nuance, subtleness... It is really an interesting area to explore for an actor like me,” he says.
Irrfan’s international films include The Warrior, A Mighty Heart, The Namesake, Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and Jurassic World, and his work in Hindi cinema, in films such as Paan Singh Tomar and Piku, also won him applause. Critics praise his performance for intangible elements and for how he can convey a situation or a reaction with mere silence sometimes.
Explaining how he goes about it, the actor says, “... A small expression, a small silence and then amalgamate it with the subtext of the situation.”
Looking back at his work, one can say that the year 2017 has been eventful for Irrfan. He worked in acclaimed movies like Doob: No Bed of Roses and The Song of Scorpions, and enjoyed commercial success with Hindi Medium, and his latest release, Qarib Qarib Singlle.
Asked if he is saying “yes” to more scripts these days instead of being picky like earlier, he says: “My criterion of a good script as the deciding factor has not changed. But scriptwriters are coming up with some brilliant stories and that is bringing all the changes in our cinema.”
In our (Indian) cinema, actors are like magicians who come on screen and do something to engage and mesmerise... In the West, actors are performers; the audience looks for a nuance, subtleness
IRRFAN, ACTOR