#NewsBytesExclusive: Just building six-pack body isn't acting, says Mukesh Tiwari
Mukesh Tiwari created a mark with his debut performance as Jageera in China Gate. He then gained further recognition as Baccha Yadav and Vasooli Bhai in Gangajal and Golmaal, respectively. As he gears up for Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, Tiwari spoke to NewsBytes about his craft, 25 years in the industry, his three iconic characters, and what it takes to be an actor.
You've completed 25 glorious years in Bollywood. Your thoughts
It feels as if it was just yesterday when I came to the industry. Every day there's a new challenge. When I look back at China Gate and Jageera's character, I ask myself, "Yeh maine hi kiya tha kya?" I've played a variety of roles including a villain, a comedian, a character role, and one with conflict. I'm thankful to everyone for the love.
What made Jageera an iconic villain?
I was doing theater when I was offered Jageera's role. If you play a character with a mindset to make it hit, then it'll never become iconic. You need to live a character and trust your director; the audience will eventually like it. Rajkumar Santoshi has a big role to play in Jageera's success, because of the way he wrote the character.
How would you play Jageera in today's time?
Jageera was a larger-than-life character 25 years ago. If I had to play the role today, I would have kept the performance a little undertoned. There's a huge difference between cinema then and cinema now. Today's audience won't accept Jageera. The new generation wouldn't know about decoits, and thus they wouldn't connect with him. There has to be a relatability with the character.
Baccha Yadav or Vasuli 'Bhai,' who's your favorite character?
It's very difficult to pick one because both characters belong to different zones. The audience that likes to watch serious cinema, loved Baccha Yadav. People started recognizing me after playing him. Before that, people couldn't find a resemblance between Jageera and my face. I would tell them that I played Jageera. But it was Vasooli Bhai's character that made me popular among the masses.
What kind of role do you like playing the best?
An actor should never have the right to pick a character he wants to play. It should always be the director's or the writer's choice. This is what makes acting interesting. If I start doing characters in my comfort zone, then there's no point. The challenge lies in playing a character so different that you bring in your nuances to make it interesting.
Advice for young actors who don't come from theater background
To look beautiful is not an actor or actress's job, but showing the character is. It doesn't matter if you went to an institute like NSD or FTII or not. You have to train yourselves; watch other's work, do theater, or at least watch/read plays. The biggest example of this is Kamal Haasan- he trained himself. Just building six-packs isn't acting.
What's your role in 'Scam 2003: The Telgi Story'?
I'm playing the role of Surya Pratap Gehlot, Karnataka STF chief. He's the one who investigates Telgi's scam. What's interesting about this character is that he isn't only an investigating officer. His character has been written realistically. He is not a judgemental person and has a human touch. He leads the investigation and probes the case on many levels, including social and psychological aspects.
