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Age is just a mental note: Ashok Saraf
Veteran actor Ashok Saraf reveals the secret of his energy at the age of 70 and why he doesn’t believe in the concept of vanity vans
He has donned the role of a cop in three films so far — Pandu Hawaldar (1975), Paijecha Vida (1979) and the Ajay Devgn-starrer Singham (2011). In 2017, veteran actor Ashok Saraf will wear the khaki uniform once again for Sameer Patil’s Shentimental. “I will be playing a cop in a Marathi film after 37 years. The film highlights the plight of policemen and puts forward a humble request to treat them as humans. We forget that at the end of the day, they are as much human as you and I,” says Ashok, who is fondly known as ‘mama’ in the industry.
The energetic actor turned 70 last month and shows no signs of slowing down. “Age is just a mental note. If I keep reminding myself that I am old, then I will automatically start behaving and looking like a 70-year-old. Honestly, it is the thought that matters, and in my head I am young, hale and hearty.”
Saraf enjoys hanging out on the sets once his scenes are done. He says, “I don’t believe in locking myself in a vanity van. I prefer to stay back on the set and observe. It is magical to witness some of the tricks weaved by the magicians in the technical team. Doing so is beneficial for an actor in the long run.”
In recent films, the senior actor has worked with the younger lot, and he is happy about it. “An actor is an actor irrespective of age. I don’t think I am a big artiste but the new ones do get intimidated by my presence. However, I make them comfortable by cracking jokes and mingling with them. The comfort level we share automatically reflects on screen. It is necessary to create a rapport with your co-stars to make a good film.”
