Vicky Kaushal: It is not possible for me or any other actor to take Irrfan's place

 Vicky Kaushal: It is not possible for me or any other actor to take Irrfan's place

    In a relatively short span of time, Vicky Kaushal has emerged as one of Bollywood's most promising acting talents. The actor, who showed off his acting prowess in films like Masaan, Raazi, and Uri: The Surgical Strike, plays the lead in Shoojit Sircar's upcoming film Sardar Udham, which opens on Amazon Prime Video on October 16. the courage of an Indian revolutionary, Sardar Udham Singh, who shot Michael O'Dwyer in London to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. In an interview with BT, Vicky reflects on her preparation for the film, internal conflict with the character, putting herself in Irrfan's shoes, and more.

Sardar Udham Singh fueled pain and anger for more than two decades. Did you identify with that or, as a person, do you believe in moving on? Was there a conflict between you and the character you play?

Thanks for asking this question because there was a conflict. I am a product of the age we live in. We are constantly overwhelmed by information. You are in a profession that expects you to do your best even if something causes you pain. My defense mechanism is always working. It doesn't allow you to mull over something for too long or act on it. The character I play has scars at its core. You constantly harbor a wound without diverting your attention elsewhere. That doesn't mean he didn't laugh or joke, but the heartbreak is always there. The pain and pain never subsided. Keeping that note at all times was difficult for me. I am none of that.

Shoojit and Irrfan were eager to collaborate on this film, a dream that could not take off. What was it like to put yourself in Irrfan's shoes and play Sardar Udham Singh?

    Ever since I entered the industry, I have been wanting to collaborate with Shoojit, sir. When I had this opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands. Irrfan sir was in a league of his own. It is not possible for me or any other actor to fill his shoes. He was one of the best actors in the world. Look at the quality of your work. I love him as an actor and I admire him deeply. We lost it too soon. I felt his spirit and his blessings surround us. For me, the intent was never to fill her shoes because I knew I could never do it. The goal was to do my best and fully surrender to Sardar Udham's version of Shoojit sir.

You came on board much later. How did you make sure you were on the same page as Shoojit, who had been planning this movie for 21 years?

    He did not depend solely on the history books to know who Udham Singh was. I belong to a Punjabi family. My ancestral home is only a two-hour drive from Jallianwala Bagh. I grew up telling stories about his courage and how he got revenge for the massacre by killing Michael O'Dwyer in London. Later they hanged him. Anecdotes of facts that he knew. The challenge was finding the honesty in every emotion that he was expected to portray. It was not about me imitating the way he spoke, walked, or behaved. I've tried to dig deeper and make Sardar Udham as relatable as possible ... someone you can have a conversation with.

Revisiting the barbaric Jallianwala Bagh massacre is sure to give one sleepless night. Was that triggering or emotionally draining for you as an actor?

It was very numbing for me not only as an actor but also as an individual. After reading the script, I knew what I was getting into. I knew we would recreate the Jallianwala Bagh episode. What I wasn't prepared for was how hard it would hit me, once I'm in character. After we finished filming and returned to our hotel rooms, the idea haunted me. We were just trying to recreate, but there were people who really went through this! There is this piece of land where at least 20,000 unarmed people had gathered to express their protest. They were on the receiving end of fire from British troops, who continued firing until the ammunition ran out. The victims had nowhere to go. When you are thrown into that space to recreate a situation as disturbing as the one on the ground, it is more than you can be prepared as an actor. This feeling was felt by every individual in our 200-member crew. It was a cathartic experience.

Does it bother you that people wonder if the stories of the Indian revolutionaries and their sacrifices are relevant today?

    I absolutely feel that these stories are relevant today and will continue to be so 200 years later. A person may be relevant or irrelevant, but the truth of an ideology will always be relevant. Emotions like pain and agony are universal. Some incidents you must witness to understand their severity. When you see an emotional story, of course, it is relevant. As a citizen of this country, I think it is important to remember our history. There is a quote that comes to mind: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

How did you navigate between playing a 20, 30, and 40 year old in the movie?

    It's not just about losing weight and looking younger or older. Exuding the innocence of a twentysomething in my thirties was the real challenge. To carry a feeling of pain for 21 years, you must be an innocent soul. Only someone truly pure can be so affected. He was conscious of representing that innocence uniformly without projecting consciousness of it.