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Ashutosh Rana Says He Yelled With Happiness When He Was Offered Dushman; Recalls His Promise To Mahesh Bhatt
When it comes to playing antagonist on screen, Ashutosh Rana never fails to send shivers down the spine. Amongst of his most chilling acts in reel is in Sanjay Dutt-Kajol's 1998 film Dushman in which he had essayed the role of a sadist killer, Gokul.
Recently in his tete-a-tete with Humans Of Bombay, Ashutosh walked down the memory lane and recalled how he had reacted when Mahesh Bhatt offered him the role of a villain in Dushman. The actor said that he asked the filmmaker if he could scream in excitement and even promised that he would win an award which he did later.
Before making this revelation, Ashutosh also recapped why he took acting and shared, "I was 4 when I first performed on a stage; I always enjoyed the spotlight! I'd even take part in local Ram-Leela plays-playing Ravan. My parents attended all my plays! Papa would say, 'Follow this passion, it'll lead to happiness.' His words became my mantra. And so after I graduated school, with my spiritual Guru's encouragement, I joined NSD; honing my skill as an actor fulfilled me. And when I felt ready, I came to Mumbai to live my dream."
Speaking about his struggles after landing in the city of dreams and how he bagged his first break, Rana said, The first few weeks were spent commuting from one corner to another, looking for work. And it was during one of these auditions that I met Mr. Mahesh Bhatt. He offered me a role in Swabhimaan, a television serial! That was my 1st break! I couldn't wait to see myself on screen! Papa told me, 'I know your talent, make the most of this opportunity!' I tried to live upto my potential & when I saw myself on screen... I still get shivers when I think of that feeling. After Swabhimaan, I got a lot of work! And although I wished to get longer screen time, maine chhote kaam bhi bade man se kiye. One practice I followed was never comparing my journey with other actor's."
Elaborating on Dushman came his way and his career took off post the success of that film, he said, "And so, after 4 years of persevering, one day Mahesh Sir called me to his office & offered me the lead role as a villain in Dushman! I was so overwhelmed that I asked him, 'Can I scream?' When he said yes, I yelled with happiness! Then I promised Sir, 'I'll win you a Filmfare award,' And I did! I recall giving my 'Thank you' speech; it felt surreal...And since Dushman's release, my career took off! Every role I've played is etched in my heart- be it Agrawal in Ghulam or Nityanand in Simmba. And my latest role as an ex-cop, who carries the baggage of an unsolved case from the past in Aranyak on Netflix is one of the most interesting parts I've ever played. My character's passion & charisma is mesmerizing!"
He added, "But I feel that way for all my roles. I love to act-mujhe chota bada kaisa bhi role dedo, I'll do it with the same zeal. We're entertainers. A person could be deeply upset, but if they see a great performance, for that moment, life is good again. Yeh superpower sirf actors ke paas hai!"
Ashutosh Rana was recently seen in the Netflix web series Aranyak which marked the digital debut of Raveena Tandon.
