Did you know much aboutGour Hari Dasbefore you were approached for the film?
Yes, I did actually. I remember reading a front page story when Mr. Das finally got the certificate he had strived to get for years.
What aspects of his life were you touched by?
I was really amazed at his grit and his diligence even before I met him personally. You do end up thinking what makes anyone a cut above the rest.
You met Gour Hari Das
in person. What aspect about him inspired you?
He has been, by far, the most enthralling and fascinating preparation for a character. He has a file which he calls a ‘freedom file’ and it's a treasure trove of information.
Everything that he had to share (and he shared a lot) was precious and endearing because he's quintessentially a simple and forthright man. He says it the way it is... and I love that about him.
How different is it to play a real-life character from a fictional one?
It was the first time for me, so I was anxious. I’m usually quite nervous before every role I play, but I was especially so for this one. Any amount of research is beneficial but I believe in letting the character approach you gradually. It's a task for sure, but an exciting and rewarding one.
Do you find such roles more enriching than others?
Yes. This one definitely is. For me, the story is more important than my role in it. I believe a well-written story would never have even a single weak character.
That's why I insist on scripts first over a narration. With this film, we had everything in place. The story, the character and the world of his struggle. We just needed an ably written script to execute that. C.P. Surendran has done just that with Anant Mahadevan, and weaved all the aspects together beautifully.
