Who says actors are maintaining their mental health: Sushant Singh Rajput

Sushant Singh Rajput talks about the demanding lives of actors, working in the West and more.

Actors are not restricting themselves to only Hindi cinema anymore. They’re extending their options by trying their luck in foreign film industries as well.

Sushant Singh Rajput says physical transformation is the most frivolous thing that an actor can do. (HT Photo)

On asking Sushant Singh Rajput if he aspires to act in the West if an opportunity presents itself, he says, “It might sound clichéd and repetitive, but this is what it is — I just want to do things that I am really interested in. It can come from anywhere. I am completely open to any platform, although I am not really seeking to go to the West.”

Sushant is someone who believes in doing intense research for his characters. Talking about actors undergoing physical transformation, he says, “Physical transformation is the easiest, but that gets talked a lot because it’s visual and people can see it. As an actor, this is the least amount of effort that is required. Other intricate details about a character are more complicated. We have created this phenomenon that having abs or a ripped body is what it should be, but it is the most frivolous thing that an actor can do.”

Elaborating on the method an actor follows to get the nuances of a character, he says, “People talk about actors being spontaneous, all that is bullsh*t, a lie. There is nothing like natural or spontaneous actor. There is always an artifice; you will always listen to action. You always know cut, and you are aware, so there is nothing spontaneous or natural. The moment you identify the things that make a character, you need to spend a certain amount of time doing deliberate repetitions of actions, so it becomes a habit and a part of you over a period of time.”

Considering the hectic nature of their job, ask him how actors maintain their mental health, he says, “Who says actors are maintaining their mental health? That’s a wrong belief. The most important thing that an actor could do to protect himself from all these things (pressures, demands, paparazzi culture, etc.) is just to know why a person is doing what he is doing. No matter what you do, and what you like, be it money, fame or competition — just make sure you know your reasons.”

The actor will next be seen in Drive, along with Jacqueline Fernandez and Chanda Mama Door Ke.

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