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Which Actor Wants To Play Osho?

June 21, 2023 14:29 IST

'This man could hypnotise you with his voice, his words have so much depth.'

IMAGE: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later Osho, with his disciple Vinod Khanna. Photograph: Kind courtesy Twitter

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who has played Manto and Bal Thackeray, now wants to play Osho.

"Unlike us who look at the world in the usual way, his nazaria (perception) was different," Nawaz tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya. "I don't think there was a bigger philosopher than Osho."

Material things -- be it a car, a house or a new suit -- have never meant anything to you. But there must be something you aspire to own.

My only dream is to play different characters.

These days ek shauk chada hai (I have this burning desire) to play Osho on screen.

This man could hypnotise you with his voice, his words have so much depth.

I've been reading his writings for years now and in the last year-and-a-half, I have begun to think that if I were to live this man's life on screen, it would be a beautiful experience.

While playing Osho, I would get to read him more, know more about him.

Unlike us who look at the world in the usual clicked way, his nazaria (perception) was different.

In this era, I don't think there was a bigger philosopher than Osho.

You know, he said something really profound about acting too.

Share it with us...

He said live your life like you are acting, and when you are acting, it should seem like tum zindagi jee rahe ho (You are living life).

 

IMAGE: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rohan Mehra and Shreya Dhanwanthary in Adbhut.

What a beautiful quotation, it encompasses everything..,

Haan, sab kuch hai iss mein (Everything is in it). I was completely floored by his words, his perspective.

This goes beyond Stanislavski (Konstantin Stanislaviski, the Russian theatre director best known for developing the theory of acting which has come to be called the Stanislavski System or the Stanislavski Method).

If we change the direction of our thoughts even slightly, we can understand reality as it is, like he did.

Among your upcoming films, there is The Maya Tape...

That's a long-delayed film. I have no idea what is happening with it.

I am more excited about Adbhut, a supernatural thriller by Heropanti director Sabir Khan, an interesting and engaging film.

Sabir has taken a 360-degrees turn and the character I'm playing is very different from anything you have seen.

IMAGE: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sharib Hashmi and Bhumi Pednekar in Afwaah.

A recent release of yours, the Sudhir Mishra-directed Afwaah, impressed critics but couldn't find takers among the audience while The Kerala Story, which released on the same day, became a blockbuster.

Afwaah had a very limited theatrical release. It would have been better if they had released directly on OTT.

Afwaah and The Kerala Story are two very different films in terms of perception.

As a star, you must have heard several rumours about yourself. Which afwaah or rumour hurt you the most?

They all hurt.

But you have to remain positive.

IMAGE: Salman Khan, Harshaali Malhotra and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 has been announced. Will we see you reprising Chand Nawab?

Mujhe to bilkul nahin maloom (I don't know). But yes, if I was offered, why not?

ROSHMILA BHATTACHARYA