Being born to moms and dads who are thought about stalwarts of acting, wasnt easy for Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathaks boy Vivaan Shah, especially to develop his own identity.
Rather of fighting the taboo of being a star kid, he welcomed it and took advantage of his opportunity.
He has actually been a part of films and series like 7 Khoon Maaf, Happy New Year, The Suitable Boy, Sutliyan and lots of others.
Now, the young lad is all set to bring Munshi Premchands timeless tales to life with Gulli Danda.
In todays Big Interview, ETimes sat down with Vivaan for a freewheeling chat where he addressed the topic of nepotism, discussed growing up with famous stars as parents, chasing after fame and more.
Excerpts ...
You will be bringing Munshi Premchands timeless tales to life.
How does it feel?It feels terrific to be able to bring Munshi Premchands stunning, tender, humane, moving, trenchant and poignant short story, Gulli Danda to life on Zee Theatres Koi Baat Chale.
Premchand is among my preferred authors of perpetuity.
He has the uncommon capability to fuse powerful dramaturgy (crucial subjects) with a levity, level of sensitivity, and humour, constantly furnished with an extremely incisive social commentary.
I look at him as our Tolstoy, a weaver of parables about the human condition.You have actually grown up listening to these stories and seeing your moms and dads stage it.
How special was Gulli Danda for you?I have actually performed Premchands Bade Bhai Saahab on phase before for Motley, which was such a reward.
What a stunning story that is! Gulli Danda, which is a part of Koi Baat Chale, is a little comparable in regards to mood, setting, and spirit.
They both are comparable works both thematically and also in terms of the texture and material of the culture they represent.
They are also some of the most expressive representations of childhood I have even come across.
Gulli Danda is a story about relationship, and the method which societal inequalities and hierarchies can insidiously creep their way into what was once a pure and genuine relationship and completely impact the dynamic.
It is also a very illuminating dissection of the caste and class system.
It is, in other words, about what constitutes an equal opportunity.
It is a story about merit, an extraordinarily significant style that society today is facing the world over.How was it working under the mentorship of Seema Pahwa?I have been a big fan of Seema ji ever since I was a kid, as a star, and now likewise as a director.
I was deeply affected by her film, and likewise by a play she directed in which my family acted, which was a collection of stories by Bhishm Sahni.
She is herself a really literary director.
She is a visionary, and has a distinctive, special, and distinctive style to her work, both as author and director.
She was actually able to brighten particular aspects of the story with individual anecdotes, balanced instructions with regard to matters of tone and dialect.
I learned a tremendous quantity from her, not simply as an artist, however also as a human being.You are going to include in a movie with your father Naseeruddin Shah.
How excited are you?I am extremely excited.
It is the most unique thing I have actually ever performed in front of the video camera.
It was a sacred experience; a dream-come-true minute.
It was the very first time our household was on a movie set together in a professional capacity.
Otherwise, we only visit each others sets.
This was the first time we worked together on the very same shoot.
Words can not describe how crucial this was both for our household and for Motley.We all know and love Naseeruddin Shah as a star.
How is he as a dad and a family man at home?He is an extremely thoughtful, kind, empathetic, humane, delicate and extraordinarily mindful person.
As a person that has an extremely strong worth system.
I have learnt principles and how to be a good actor, and a good human being from him.
He is my best friend, and the most stimulating company an individual can ask for.
We are kindred spirits, and share many of the exact same interests and tastes, in specific with regards to art.
We are constantly sharing concepts with each other, checking out poems and short stories to each other and presenting each other to movies the other may not be familiar with.
He also has a great sense of humour, and is an eager listener and observer.You have actually typically said freely that you understand your advantage.
Has the concern of nepotism ever become a roadblock in your career?A second-generation individual like myself must always remember that he is a 2nd generation individual.
He needs to never ever be protective when somebody advises him of it.
He should understand it, and be grateful and knowledgeable about the opportunity and advantages that he has actually enjoyed.
He must discover to put himself in the shoes of one who is not as fortunate, and discover to look at the world through those eyes.
The thinker Jean Paul-Sartre had a well-known adage-- You are what you are not! he said.
To put it simply, I am not an individual who has originated from a town, who has no contacts in this town and in this service, who has to take care of himself, who has to strive to acquire 3 healthy meals a day, who has to fight to discover a roof over his head, who needs to deal with the slings and arrows of a hostile world.
I must always remember that! If I do, then I am a moron and a brat, and an individual who lacks awareness.
Of course, the term nepotism has been politicized, made use of and manipulated by the right-wing lunatics and Bollywood bashers to satisfy their own sinister programs, however that does not indicate that it is not a substantial topic that must be addressed.How has it been to mature with 2 tremendously gifted and highly regarded stars in the entertainment industry? How have you dealt with the pressure?It is a favorable pressure, one which moves me to work harder, and improve my craft so as to make them proud.
It motivates me to do better, and push further.
It is an honour to be discussed in the very same breath as them.In among your earlier interviews, you have actually discussed how you regret not listening to your parents about not chasing fame and success.
Inform us something about it ...
When I started in 2010, business was a very various place.
The emphasis was on becoming a standard leading guy, and embracing a particular posture.
The yearning and greed for stardom was something that I had, but never worked towards in any considerable and concrete method.
I received some foolish suggestions from peers and individuals on the fringe of the business who would pontificate and elegant themselves as experts on Bollywood, however I cant blame them.
It is completely my fault that I fell prey to that type of thinking.
My parents always cautioned me of such insidious rewards.
They told me to be interested in the work, and to focus on the craft and to not be swayed by the bells and whistles.
They would inform me to be a star if I had an interest in acting, and genuinely liked it.
They likewise told me that if I wished to be a star, then I would need to work extremely tough to be able to do so.
I would have to put in a various type of effort, and establish a different kind of talent and skill which I stopped working to do.
I have no one to blame however myself.Apart from your moms and dads, who have you idolised growing up?I look up to people like Edgar Allan Poe, Jim Carrey, Kader Khan, James Cagney, John Huston, Saeed Mirza, Joseph Conrad, Edward G Robinson, Laurence Olivier and Clifford Odets.How do you look back at your journey so far?I appearance back at my journey as a continuous advancement, both as an artist and as a human being.
It has actually been a journey of self-improvement and a broadening of awareness.
I likewise feel fortunate to have seen both eras, both the pre-OTT era and the digital revolution.
I feel the digital transformation has actually made the circulation of work more democratic and we are moving closer to a level playing field.What does 2023 have in store for Vivaan Shah?I have Koi Baat Chale by Zee Theatre, a web-series about doctors, a short movie with my daddy, and a brand-new sci-fi book which releases next month.