‘I DON’T BELIEVE IN LAST MINUTE INSPIRATIONS’
Amol Palekar and wife Sandhya Gokhale on the actor’s return to theatre, his second love
Actor-director Amol Palekar has returned to theatre after 25 years with the Hindi play titled Kusur (The Mistake). Staged recently at the ongoing Bharat Rang Mahotsav by National School of Drama, the play which has been adapted from the Danish film, Den Skyldige (2018) has been written and co-directed by him and his wife, Sandhya Gokhale. In a candid chat, the duo shared their thoughts on the play, working with each other, and more. Excerpts:
This is your 75th year and you have returned to theatre with a limited show play. Was it a coincidence or was it preplanned?
Amol: No, it was not preplanned, nor was it all of a sudden. For the last few years, I have been thinking about the kind of love and affection the audience keeps showering upon me. It is overwhelming. Not having acted or not being seen (as they call it), for over 25 years and still people walk up and say, “We miss you, we need your kind of performances.” So, then, Sandhya came up with this idea. She said, when you turned 70, you went back to your first love — painting. Now, when you turn 75, why don’t you go back to your second love, which is theatre? I decided to take up the challenge. And this could be my way of giving it back to the audience. I am conveying my gratitude in this way.
What about being a painter, has helped you in your journey? Amol: Being a painter has given me only advantages as a performing artiste or director. As things take shape in terms of colour, form and texture, I try and fill the space, meaningfully. And, there should not be even one stroke that looks out of place. I don’t want a single stroke which I may find unnecessary later. This process is what I have carried out in all my fields throughout my career.
So, this was the best way to convince Amol? How easy or difficult is it to work with him? Sandhya: It is very difficult to convince him to act. This is not because he is fussy. He has no frills and is very simple. However, he has the most basic approach. The project has to excite and challenge him. When I saw the Danish film, Den Skyldige, I thought maybe this could work. When I wrote Samaantar (2009), I first had Girish Karnad in mind. But when Amol read it, he snatched it. We have a similar thought process, aesthetics and sensibilities. He is truly a contemporary man and you never feel the generation gap.
Amol: I would like to add. In theatre and in films, one of the fascinating areas I find and keep exploring is interpretation. I try to, without changing that line or comma, say it differently and at least equally, if not more convincingly. In this process, arguments happen, sometimes even fights. But that’s the beauty of the whole journey. It goes to show that the end goal for both is the same — to achieve something and make it as effective as possible. I need somebody like her. We have worked together as a team for eight films, we know how to complement each other and get the end result from performances without ego hassles.
Theatre is about give and take from your coactors and the audience. What is your process and does it differ with the new actors?
Amol: Though I like the compliment that I am contemporary, I belong to the old school of discipline. I don’t believe in last minute inspirations. It is a group activity, so, the entire group has to be on the same page. These are the lessons I have learnt from my gurus. They drilled these lessons in me that, ‘It is the impression of being happening now that you create during a play’. This is how, in fact, you get to know how great or good an actor is. A great actor will own his lines, and will never make it feel like it is that of the writer’s. I do not know whether I am a great actor or not, but I try and reach that frame of work.
In theatre and in films, one of the fascinating areas I find and keep exploring is interpretation. I try to, without changing that line or comma, say it differently and at least equally, if not more convincingly. AMOL PALEKAR ACTOR-DIRECTOR