Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - City
‘ COMMERCIAL CINEMA WAS NEVER PART OF MY PLAN’
Actor Divyendu Sharma says his inclination has always been towards ‘art and parallel cinema’
Actor Divyendu Sharma began his Bollywood career with the hit film Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) and followed it up with another potboiler, Chashme Baddoor, two years later. The actor, however, says what caught him by surprise was the way he became a part of commercial cinema, which was never on his agenda
He says, “Actually, I am not someone who plans his life. There were some things I wanted to do. I never thought I would end up on the commercial side of films. Coming from FTII (Films and Television Institute of India), I thought I would do art films and parallel cinema. But my journey started with Pyaar Ka Punchnama. I was clear that I would do what I enjoy. Even in my struggling years, I knew if I say yes to anything, I had to be very clear about it.”
The actor also says that he considers (the late actor) Farooq Sheikh and Naseeruddin Shah as his idols. “My inclination was never towards only being a commercial actor. I always liked this (art house) side of cinema more and that is why I wanted to do it.”
The actor says that since he has a theatre background, he could also never understand the commercial aspect of filmmaking. “I come from a theatre background. Hence, all these things are not part of my process. As an actor, there are films which I am not proud of and there are ones that I am really proud of. For instance, I am really proud of my film Ekkis Topon ki Salaami (2014). Not everyone would know of it but I know what a wonderful film it was,” says the actor, who was last seen on the silver screen in Batti Gul Meter Chalu.