The Lost Case of the Layabout!!!

When the great director Luis Bunuel was asked, did he consider acting???. He said, acting is for Layabouts, an idler, a lazy person.

While i was watching the interview a smile broke on my face.. i said , oh yaa..  But acting, maybe is a mind game... You figure out the character in your head and keep figuring out.. you have to become that person. well i am trying to these days and, hell it's tough.

When i had thought i was getting the hang of acting. comes a role where i am clueless.. It is not such a difficult role for any ordinary actor. But for me.. it looks every thing is difficult..

The role is of  a director who is a kind of master to his actor. MASTER in bold and block. So this is the role. I have been trying to figure out the directors who have been a little tyrannical. reading about them listening to the interviews and all. At first i had thought once the lines are done i will get into the character but when the lines are done i feel miserable that i am clueless about the character..

A lot of references  come to my mind. trying to figure it all. I have always felt i am a better actor for camera than for the stage. Not because i'm bad on stage. but because the amount of hours spent and the duration is much more than in for camera. for camera once you are done with the role you can drop it but for the stage you keep it with you for future shows that may happen any time. but since i am a true layabout and don't go for auditions.. i have to act as an actor on stage which i good for me as a performer but extremely challenging.

This play is in English.. which adds an element of difficulty as i don't feel very comfortable conversing in the language. So while i speak the lines it seems i am not feeling it but just saying it.. so for the period i am doing the first few shows.. i have given a command to myself that i will  think in English.. and whenever i catch myself thinking in hindi. i catch myself and go back to english. I feel this will be of help..

Many people wonder how can you be so comfortable in a month or so.. for that i have to say.. well i have not been living this guys life for more than a month too.. so if i can convince the audience about myself being some other guy.. the language will not be a problem..

So for a dictator they say, must be quiet.. only then people will take him seriously.. I don't know about that but what my friend the writer has written i will try to follow much of that and as a director i have taken permission to replace a few words to get comfortable.

Well, yes, i am directing too.. it is crazy and scary at some level. My teacher whom i keep calling me for advice said i should concentrate on one thing. either act or direct. and also added if you have the confidence to pull it off. do it. to be honest, I think i can. Not for moment have i felt that i can't but when you are stuck somewhere between discovering something no matter what it is..

when you start, you feel, well i have the time; i think i can .. After some time, during the middle period, you feel i don't think i can, let's quit and hand it over to someone else or something like it is not possible altogether and then you give up... which usually happens.. has happened to me too..

and if you continued, Comes the end part where if you have not quit. You actually do what didn't seem possible.

So, the trick to accomplish anything it seems, is to keep moving.

So for me, i shall keep trying to figure out the character and keep working on the language and it shall happen. Yes it shall.

acchi kahani

Ek acchi kahani likhna chahta hun... 

par woh acchi hai ya nahi yeh faisla kaun kare

yahi soch ke ruk jata hun.. 

padhi hai maine bahut sari acchi kahanaiyan 

par likhna alag baat hai 

bahut sare dost mere aksar kuch anab sanab likh kar kehte hai.. 

dekho, issi kehte hai kahani.. 

meri sabse pukhta aur majboot kahani hai.. 

are bhai tum kaise iss baat ka faisla kar sakte ho, ki yeh kahani badhiya hai.. 

yeh toh padhne wale, ya sunne wale hi tay karenge.. 

hai ki nahi .. aap hi bataye.. 

par mai yeh jokham nahi lena chahta 

mai aachi kahani likhna chahta hun.. 

joki sabko acchi hi lage 

koi kasar na rahe ki woh unnis bees bhi ho.. 

toh kya karu mai.. 

kaise likhun ek kahani jo nishchit hi acchi ho.. 

abhi tak toh koi upay nahi mila hai

issiliye mere samne yeh panna kora pada hai 

jab tak nahi mil jati koi acchi kahani ise kora hi rakhunga.. 

nahi lena chahta mai koi jokahm 

ki mujhe sunna pade logon se ki thik thak ya buri kahani likhta hai.. 

thahar sakta hun mai thodi der aur .. 

shyad saat pratishat ek acchi kahani mil jaye.. 

kyunki mai toh sirf, acchi kahani likhna chata hun.. 

chahe reh jaye sare panne khali, chahe poori ho jaye mere saason ki ginti 

main toh ek acchi kahani likhna chahta hun.. 

-SA