From sharing screen space with top star Ajay Devgn to winning the state film award as Best Actor, the torch-bearer of new-age Odia cinema Partha Sarathi Ray has come a long way. Known for his unconventional choices of movies, Partha is placed among those who look beyond the ‘copy-paste’ phase of Odia film industry and believe the industry can shine again in all its glory. Be it Dalcheeni where he had to lose seven kilos or Boffin in which he didn’t brush or bath for five days in a row to become the character, all the movies he has been a part of are quite different in terms of storytelling, cinematography and presentation. Needless to say, Partha, with his no-nonsense approach to acting, is on his way to become a trendsetter in Odia film industry. Taking some time off from his busy schedule, the thinking actor opened up with Sunday POST about his childhood, struggling days in Mumbai and much more.
Excerpts:
After appearing in a couple of mainstream Hindi movies and sharing screen space with a top star like Ajay Devgn, what made you return to Odisha?
Yes, I was part of some good Hindi movies as well as TV commercials. I did lots of voiceover work also. But they were not lead roles, so, not up to my expectations. Then, being the only son of my parents, there was pressure on me to return to Odisha. I had no choice but to come back and try to create an identity in the Odia film industry.
Tell us about your struggling days in Mumbai?
They were really tough. However, those rejections, making the rounds of studios, observing people and situations have made the actor that I am today. The struggle in Mumbai makes me understand different characters and has made me a better performer. There were days when I had to manage a day with just Rs50.
How was your childhood? When did you get bitten by the acting bug?
I had a normal childhood. I was asked to concentrate on studies like what happens in average middle class families. But I had a lot of interest in sports and I used to watch good movies. In fact, I was a big fan of Shammi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra and I loved to watch movies on Doordarshan at the weekends. My dad would insist me to see the national award winning movies on Sundays. Perhaps, I was attracted towards movies because of watching such movies when I was in my teens. I had developed reading habit also. But I never thought of becoming an actor. The acting bug bit me when I was in Delhi. I joined the acting classes of Barry John who also trained people like Shah Rukh Khan, Manoj Bajpayee and Sushant Singh Rajput. I was topper of the batch and secured ‘A’ grade and selected for Barry sir’s professional theatre group. I also worked with Dilip Shankar and thought of becoming a professional actor.
How did you get a break in Odia film?
I came back to Odisha in 2011 and started assisting my brother-in-law in his medicine business. At the same time I was trying to meet people from the Odia film industry. It was then that I came to know from one of my relatives that a producer was looking for new faces for his upcoming film. She told him about my previous work. So, a meeting was fixed. When the producer saw me for the first time he almost shouted ‘you are my doctor Abhinash’. And I landed the lead role in Nai Separi Kanaka Gori.
How has been the journey so far?
It has been really tough. There is stiff competition. But I believe there is space for everyone in the Hindi film industry if one works sincerely. If you are good at your craft, patient and focused, none can stop you from achieving your goal. But the scene is different here in the Odia film industry. Even after my movie Hello Arsi bagged a national award and me the best actor trophy at the state film festival, I had to approach people to get work. I am here because of my passion for acting. I never take my audience for granted and never underestimate them.
From Nai Separi Kanaka Gori to web series Four, you have played many characters, all layered. Which one of them is close to your heart and the reason thereof?
The one I played in Hello Arsi because it gave a fresh lease of life to my acting career. At that time I was not getting good work and I started doubting my ability. Those days were really painful. Following the success of Hello Arsi, my career took off again. Besides, my role in Boffin is very close to me. It was about a person who has read a lot of books and wanted a life free of all bondages. To portray that character, I had to do a lot of homework. I stayed in the same costume for more than two days and didn’t take a bath for five days at a row during summer to make it look convincing. Besides, I also like my character in the web-series Anthony.
Have you suffered due to favouritism in the industry?
Favoritism is everywhere, Odia film industry is not an exception. Nothing is organised here. Here merit is not honoured and that’s the most painful part. I faced it and I have been very vocal about my feelings about Odia cinema for which I have lost quite a few projects.
Tell us something about the prospect of homegrown Odia streaming platforms?
It is in a nascent stage in Odisha. However, I am not too optimistic about their future. The reason is quality and budget. We don’t have enough budgets to match the quality and standard of national-level web-series. So we have to choose our content very wisely. In theatrical releases, the biggest advantage is even if there are 20 people in the theatre they watch 90 per cent of the movie no matter how bad it is. But that is not the case in OTT where one gets a plethora of choices. If you are not engaged for the first five-six minutes, you switch over to other platforms. I think we have to keep making quality content on a consistent basis and they have to be marketed well. There has to be a demand for Odia contents outside Odisha then only OTT platforms can thrive.
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP