Made in Heaven
Actor gets Best Actor nomination for at International Emmys
ACHIEVING STAR STATUS in Bollywood is a dream for several actors, but for Arjun Mathur, who started his career behind the lens, it holds little interest. “Scientifically, a star is just a big ball of gas which eventually implodes upon itself. So there you are,” says Arjun, who has been nominated in the Best Actor category at this year’s International Emmys for his role in Amazon Prime Video’s show Made In Heaven.
Arjun, who has acted in films like
Luck By Chance, Bara Aana, My Name is Khan, Ankur Arora Murder Case, among others, played a bold character in Made In Heaven — that of a gay entrepreneur, and people have applauded his nuanced portrayal in the show. The actor said that his phone has not stopped ringing ever since the Emmys noms were announced last week. The other Indian shows to be nominated are Four More Shots Please for Best Comedy series and Delhi Crime for Best Drama Series.
Made In Heaven chronicles the lives of two wedding planners Karan Mehra (Arjun) and Tara Khanna (played by Sobhita Dhulipala). Directed by Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastava and Prashant Nair, the show is set against the backdrop of big fat Indian weddings that reveal many secrets, and lies. In a chat with City Times over a Zoom call, Arjun talks being nominated for the Emmys, Made in Heaven and
finding fame in Bollywood.
I am starting to realise that this honour is more than just pride for me. It’s a huge responsibility — for my family, friends, co-workers and the country. I’ve never had to shoulder anything so big before, so it’s pretty amazing. It’ll be a great honour for me to be able to do it (win the award) for the country.
when you were filming
did it ever cross your mind, that this was the best effort you’ve put in and you would be up for something like this?
No, I never thought of that. All I knew was that I did a decent job and that I was working with good people, a great script and that we all did a fairly good job. I knew we were making something competent, but I had never imagined that it would resonate with people the way it did, transcending age, gender, nationality and race. Everyone loved it (Made in Heaven) so that in itself was such a huge reward. More than anything else, it’s the personal stories that I’ve heard from people about how after seeing the show they were now able to go out with their families, go to their workplaces or how the family was able to respect a queer member more after watching this show. These are immeasurable rewards.
has being on the ott circuit influenced your career favourably in terms of exposure?
A lot. The industry has known me to be a good actor for many years, but what I have been lacking in is essential box office numbers, so that’s what stopped people from investing in me as far as commercial films were concerned. But OTT has freed filmmakers of those shackles. They don’t have to worry about the pressures of the box office anymore. They can take risks, tell different stories, cast actors and work with technicians who have been waiting in the wings and have not gotten their due or have had good opportunities. Me and a lot of other people owe our success to the advent of streaming platforms.
as someone who has made a mark in the industry with no ‘star connections’, how would you describe your career so far?
It is not easy for anybody, with or without connections, to make it big in Bollywood. Everyone had their own set of struggles that only they were aware of. I was quite naive when I started, but I soon realised the systems that were at play in the industry and faced many disappointments and rejections. Such incidents used to get me down many times, but honestly, each time that I was told there is something I can’t do or can’t be (character), I used those experiences as my fuel. I used to tell myself, ‘I will show you’ and I found my way.
When commercial Bollywood was trying to slot me into a character I didn’t want to do, I wasn’t happy, but I started focusing on alternatives and independent work which was giving me satisfaction. I know my journey has been slower and has taken a lot of time, but I have always had the freedom to say no (to a project) which I think is a big deal.
We all measure success differently. For some people, it is all about heights of stardom and being chased by the paparazzi. For me, it’s about having the freedom to say no and do work that excites me enough. I think that’s a fair level of success. It’s very easy to whine about your situation and talk about how bad the industry has been to you, but I find it far more productive to keep your head down and just keep on working because there are no other rules in the industry. There is no road map or set way to it (success). At every turn, you will face the choice of either giving it all up or keep going. And I think one needs to keep going and eventually everything falls in place if you keep going long enough.
your role in is bold by indian standards. Do you fear being typecast and/or being isolated because of it?
That boat sailed a long time back for me. This is not the first time I’m playing such a character in a movie, I should have thought about it in my first film (Mira Nair’s Migration) or after that in Onir’s film I Am. I can only be typecast if I chose to let myself be. I may get many offers (to do particular roles), but the choice is mine. I did have that apprehension when we were about to shoot (Made in Heaven). When it (the role) first came to me, I thought to myself that I have done this twice before. I shared it (thoughts) with Zoya in our first meeting, but she just told me to read the script (before deciding). I took the script home and I read it, I liked everything it (script) was conveying and standing for and I just knew that I had to play the part. This character was much more powerful than my previous ones.
what is the best and worst thing about fame?
The best thing about fame is having a platform to spread a message or have the potential to bring about a positive change in society. But that’s only until it is acted upon. The worst thing is loss of privacy. I value anonymity, I hate being hounded by paparazzi. It’s not for me.