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My First Best Actor award is like being Born Again: Suniel Shetty
December 18th, 2009
When Suniel Shetty received a call from New York, he was talking to a journalist about a film called 'Red Alert the war within' in which he was playing a solo and a very intense role after a long time. He was talking about the happiness he got out in essaying the role as the leading man of the movie. He excused himself to take the call and within seconds his face lit up and he told, 'I just can't believe this. I really don't believe in miracles but this is too much. My friend in New York tells me that I have received the Best Actor award for my performance in 'Red Alert' at the South Asian Film Festival in New York. This is certainly something I can't take.' A few minutes later the producer of 'Red Alert', Suniel's friend, T. P. Aggarwal called to congratulate him. A few days later Suniel was walking the Red Carpet at the first premier of the film at the 40th International Film Festival in Goa and was surrounded by the media from different parts of the world who were eager to know more about the movie and his role. Few days later we met him in Mumbai and he was still very high about his first ever award for Best Actor in 22 years. Excerpts of Interviews:
Q. 1: How did you react when you first heard that you had received the Best Actor award at the South Asian Film Festival in New York?
Ans. 1: Honestly, at first I felt some one was pulling my leg. But when Mr. Aggarwal himself called me, I was thunderstruck for a few moments. I had never had the privilege of winning and award presented by even a suburban Lions Club or some organization or any magazine from within the country and getting my first award was a great moment for me. Every actor craves for recognition, awards and applause and anyone who says he or she doesn't must be lying. I was not so happy at any other time in my entire career than now. I knew I had done the kind of work I had never done before, but I did not expect any award like always, but this sudden recognition and that too at a prestigious festival was something that took quite some time to seep in.
Q. 2: What do you think went in your favor to win the award?
Ans. 2: On the whole, it was the film itself and then my role in it. With the help of my director Ananth Mahadevan who helped me in living up to the kind of difficult role I had never played before.
Q. 3: What is the movie 'Red Alert' all about?
Ans. 3: It is about the most burning issue that has been playing havoc with the country during the last forty years. It is about the Naxalite movement especially in Telangana in Andhra Pradesh. It is not fiction, it is a reality. It is about the impact of a movement led by the landless and the hungry against the system. The film is based on a real story of a man called Narsimha which was published in The Hindustan Times papers which caught the attention of my director. He wanted to make a film on the burning issue. He needed a producer who would have the guts to make a film like this. He found that producer in Mr. T. P. Aggarwal and his son Rahul who were willing to take the risk. They had made several commercial movies and lost a lot of money. This time they were not interested in the money but making a movie like this could serve a purpose and give them a name as makers of purposeful movies. That was the beginning of the making of 'Red Alert'. I salute Mr. Aggarwal and Rahul for making such a bold and timely film.
Q. 4: What is your role as Narsimha?
Ans. 4: I play a laborer who has a wife, Bhagyashree and two little children. I supply food to a group without knowing what they are and what they do. Gradually the group makes me or rather forces me to become a part of them. I see all the cruel killings of innocents and policemen. I see a whole movement fighting for their rights even at the risk of giving away their own life. I am scared in the beginning and want to run away but all roads are blocked for me. They brain wash me till I am forced to pick up the gun and pull the trigger and kill first remorselessly and then ruthlessly. I become a part of the movement till I realize the futility and rebel against the revolutionaries. It is what happens after that which makes my character very significant.
Q. 5: Did you feel the power of some of the best actors in the industry working with you in this film?
Ans. 5: I was damn scared, by God. Just imagine. I, who was only considered as an action hero facing the kind of actors like Vinod Khanna, Naseeruddin Shah, Seema Biswas, Ashish Vidyarthi and Makrand Deshpande. It was a great learning experience for me. Working with them for days together in the forests where most of the film was shot was like going to an institute where some of the best teachers were waiting to teach me what great acting was.
Q. 6: Do you think your fans who have loved you as their "Anna"; the action hero will accept you as Narsimha?
Ans. 6: They must and if they really love me they will. I have tried my best to show them that I can be a good actor and I think they should like to see their Anna grow into a better actor.
Q. 7: Where do you go from here?
Ans. 7: This award has given me all the respect, but it has also given me a great sense of responsibility. I cannot dare to do bad work from now on, that's for sure.
Q. 8: What about your plans as a producer?
Ans. 8: I started off with some very ambitious plans, but things did not really work out the way I wanted them to. But I have not yet given up. I am now producing a film called 'Rave Party' which is based on the true life story of the young men and women from rich and influential families arrested during a party in Juhu and their association with drugs. I have some other big plans because I know I cannot go back but have to only move forward if I have to continue in this great industry.