Don’t look for validation, just focus on work: Namit Das
After playing boy-next-door characters in many TV shows, actor Namit Das has proven his talent in films such as Sui Dhaaga and Pataakha (both 2018), and then upped his game with negative roles in web shows Abhay and the much recent, Aarya. He says, “It is always challenging to do roles one has not been done before. I am glad that people loved the performances.” Das believes being at the right place at the right time works in a career like acting. “The waiting game too can affect actors as the time between projects is tough to pass. There is a lot of negativity in the air, but one has to be positive and keep moving from one project to the other. I am lucky as I work on my music with my band, which has helped during the lockdown, as we have been putting up quarantine covers,” says the actor, who will be seen in Mira Nair’s next. With actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death sparking outrage and conversations around nepotism and camps in Bollywood gaining momentum, Das reveals that though his dad is a musician, he entered the industry as an outsider.
He says, “It takes time for someone who doesn’t have a godfather. But one has to put in hard work, even if you are a star kid. With Sushant, people forget that he was an extremely successful actor, who had achieved a lot at such a young age, which was possible only due to his talent. It is unfortunate he was going through some mental health issues and that needs to be in conversation. We need to learn about it. Let’s not blame anyone and instead of being judgmental, help someone who isn’t doing well in life. We have to become stronger and focus on talent. We need to think about how can we save ourselves from an emotional state where we want to end everything. The comparisons need to stop. Don’t look for validation, just focus on work.”
Das says that his mantra to remain calm and focused is to thank people during the highs in his life and introspect in a low phase. “Today, I am happy that people are talking about my work but when I didn’t have these highs, even then, I wasn’t affected.”