After the success of his recent projects Lukkhe and Made In India: A Titan Story, actor Lakshvir Saran opens up about his craft and personal life in a chat with HT City.
In Made In India: A Titan Story, you worked with Naseeruddin Shah and Jim Sarbh. Tell us about your experience. Was there a time you felt like a fanboy on set?
Lakshvir: “Yes, 100% with Naseer sir. I was constantly in awe of his presence and his little innocence, the way he carries himself. I feel the spark is still there, when he comes on set and he starts doing his scene. It hasn't really left him, which is beautiful after all these years to still have that. Also, he has a great command over the lines that are written. I've seen young actors become very keen about improvising, but sometimes we forget the value of written text itself and how much there is to find in the text that's already written.”
“With Jim, I think he and I became very close friends because he’s just a wonderful person, he's a great artist. It was truly special working with him. It's so easy to talk to him about the scenes, to discuss them. There is so much trust with him. I felt at ease, very comfortable. One of the most special things about him as an actor is that he's not predictable, he will constantly break things. If a scene is written a certain way, then he will try to not play to that emotion only. He will try and find something in the opposite direction and then still make it sort of real and believable. I think he's an exceptional talent, and it's very easy to act with him and also learn from him at the same time.”
You began your theatre journey in 2013, years before you moved to Mumbai. What kept you committed to the stage for so long?
{{/usCountry}}“With Jim, I think he and I became very close friends because he’s just a wonderful person, he's a great artist. It was truly special working with him. It's so easy to talk to him about the scenes, to discuss them. There is so much trust with him. I felt at ease, very comfortable. One of the most special things about him as an actor is that he's not predictable, he will constantly break things. If a scene is written a certain way, then he will try to not play to that emotion only. He will try and find something in the opposite direction and then still make it sort of real and believable. I think he's an exceptional talent, and it's very easy to act with him and also learn from him at the same time.”
You began your theatre journey in 2013, years before you moved to Mumbai. What kept you committed to the stage for so long?
{{/usCountry}}Lakshvir: “I wasn't thinking about on-screen work. I never imagined myself to be acting on-screen, coming to Mumbai. The urge to become a film actor or become a star was never there in me. I got introduced to theatre by my mother, and I started enjoying it because it opened aspects of me as an individual that I would otherwise not be able to express. At home we would have to talk properly, or behave a certain way. There are restrictions in society on how you function. But in a theatre space, it’s accepted and appreciated when you do something out of the ordinary, and you are forced to be imaginative. I fell in love with these concepts.”
In a recent interview, you mentioned you have met someone. What sort of a partner are you?
Lakshvir: “Well, this is a question that my partner would answer better than I would. I hope to be someone that holds space for their partner, doesn’t try to mold them or change them in any way. I feel that happens often in a relationship, where we want our partner to be a certain way, but we forget why we fell in love in the first place. I just hope to be the best version of me.”