How Rajat Barmecha, teenage star of ‘Udaan’, came of age
Ten years back, Rajat Barmecha made a splash with an affecting performance in his debut film, Udaan (2010), also the first directorial venture of Vikramaditya Motwane. The father-son drama earned critical acclaim but Barmecha struggled to find parts that matched his big breakthrough. “I was expecting a lot,” said Barmecha, “as my plans were to do good work and be famous.” Instead, the actor refused parts which didn’t add value to the project. “I don’t just want to be just in the picture,” he says. “I want to grow.”
It may not have panned out as he’d dreamed but there’s no regret. Since the last five years, says Barmecha, there’s been a change in outlook. “It is a good thing that I didn’t get instant success,” he added. “Maybe I was not ready to handle it, maybe I’d lose myself individually.” Travel and his growing interest in spirituality have enriched him. “It really helped me to get over the jealousy, hatred and negativity,” he explained.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide has triggered a maelstrom of debate on the struggle of outsiders and the hegemony of the insiders. Barmecha sees it from the perspective of both parties. “It’s natural to want to push your kids into a career where you have achieved for yourself,” he said. “You can do that by not putting another person down. On a basic human level that’s wrong.” So will there be a shift in the workings of the industry? “It’s not like in Hindi films where one incident opens everybody’s eyes,” he said. “Change won’t happen overnight. If any two people understand it, then it’s a start.”
While films took a backseat Barmecha’s career has received a boost with the rise of web series. “A lot of writers and directors were willing to take chances on actors like me who are not considered commercially viable,” he said. Barmecha started off with a cameo in Bindass’ show Girl in the City (2016) until he became a regular feature. Leading role in MX Player’s Hey Prabhu (2019 ) would add to his popularity. He will begin shooting season two next.
(Courtesy of Mail Today)
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