Actor Anshuman Jha has carved his niche in Indian cinema with his choice of unconventional films over the years. The actor, best known for films such as Lord Curzon Ki Haveli and Lakadbaggha, is currently starring in Om Ka Hari, a heartwarming drama about the relationship between a father and his son. But he often turns them down. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, Anshuman talks about his philosophy of acting, Om Ka Hari, and more.
And while the actor has made a name for himself by appearing in small- and mid-budget films, he says he often gets offers for bigger films too.
Because aapne dosti hi nahi ki (you haven’t become friends), they don’t open up to them,. The Harish Vyas film is about a father and son clashing over their differing ideas about life and work. Raghubir Yadav plays the father, while Anshuman plays the son. If you become friends, you can express love. Daughters are more expressive and have a special bond with their fathers. With sons, it is different. Anshuman recently became a father to a girl. Om Ka Hari is his first release since embracing fatherhood. This (set) is my temple. My time with my co-stars is my temple. Agar main mandir jaa kar dukhi rahunga, to aap mujhe jitne bhi paise aur popularity de do, main dukhi hi rahunga. (If I am sad even in the temple, no matter how much money or fame you give me, I will stay sad). He explains, “If you are unhappy, it shows in your eyes and in your work. That camera is God’s eye. I always tell everyone: ‘Do what feels honest’. What you think, speak, and do have to be in sync. Then, if you become a star, good. Om Ka Hari, directed by Harish Vyas, also stars Soni Razdan in a pivotal role. The film is currently running in theatres.
Talking about how the film is relatable, he says, “In India, men don’t say ‘I love you’ to their fathers. “It’s so surreal that my first film (after becoming a father) is on a father-child relationship,” he adds. During the interview, his co-star Ayesha Kapur says she now chooses work based on who she wants to work with, and Anshuman agrees. “That is my motto,” he says, adding, “I have not done three projects in the last one year, big projects two of them, because I can’t go to set and be unhappy. The actor says that the sadness will show in your work, and that is not how one can become a ‘star’.
