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Hastinapur Ke Veer EXCLUSIVE! Chandan Anand On Playing Shakuni: I Portray Every Villain As The Hero Of His...
Hastinapur Ke Veer: We all have been fascinated with the character of Shakuni, haven't we? The Gandhar prince was known as one of the most intelligent and controversial figures from the Mahabharata, labelled the mastermind behind the deceit and betrayal. As Sony SAB launched its new show Hastinapur Ke Veer, Filmibeat caught up with Chandan Anand, who is stepping into the iconic role, promising to bring his own interpretation to the legendary strategist.
In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat Assistant Editor Abhishek Ranjit, Chandan Anand opened up about taking on the challenge of playing Shakuni, developing the character's unique mannerisms, and why he believes every villain sees himself as the hero of his own story.
Here are excerpts from the interview-
1. Shakuni is one of the most talked-about and misunderstood characters from the Mahabharata. What was your first reaction when you were offered the role?
My first reaction was, "Interesting, I am on for this!" All the actors who have portrayed Shakuni before have taken the character to an extraordinary level through their performances. So, it felt exciting to take it up as a challenge and bring new shades to the role.
Whenever I play a villain, I create a brief for myself where my character is the hero and everyone else is the villain. I don't know whether Shakuni is misunderstood, but the truth is that he was deeply hurt and wanted revenge. He was a master of words, a manipulator, and did whatever he felt was necessary to achieve his revenge.
2. Every generation has seen a different interpretation of Shakuni. What is unique about your portrayal in Hastinapur Ke Veer?
I have tried to portray Shakuni as young, sharp, intelligent, playful and lovable for both the children in the story and the audience watching the show.
3. How did you come up with your unique clap and walk?
The clap is definitely unique. Anybody holding dice would naturally be playing and fiddling with them in their hands. So, a thought came to me - why not create a unique gesture with the hands?
When I was a child, my grandfather used to recite poems while clapping in a particular way. I borrowed that gesture for Shakuni. I would like to thank my Dadaji for it, and I am glad that all the children on set have also started clapping like Shakuni.
4. You have played multiple negative characters in the past. What is your take on portraying such characters?
Yes, I have played multiple villains in the past. All my villains were heroic in their own thoughts and considered the protagonists of the story to be the villains. That is always my first approach while preparing for such characters, and I perform with complete conviction and determination to win every scene.
5. Shakuni is often seen as the master strategist of Hastinapur. Do you view him as a villain, a victim of circumstances, or something more complex?
In life, and through the teachings of the Gita, we learn that vengeance, anger, hurt and greed are all lower energies. Life is precious, and we should learn to forgive, forget and move towards higher energies such as bliss, joy, love and laughter.
In that sense, Shakuni comes across as a villain because he lives in these darker emotions. He also encourages his nephews to think the same way and to believe that power is the ultimate goal, even when it comes from darkness.
6. How did you work on your dialogue delivery and voice modulation for the character?
That comes from years of training and practice. I do vocal exercises every morning to keep my voice clear, controlled and well-modulated.
7. What's been the most enjoyable part of portraying such an iconic and layered character?
In Hindi, we say "chatpat." Characters like Shakuni are chatpat - full of drama and masala. If played well, such characters offer tremendous opportunities for learning and growth as an actor.
I always try my best to entertain the audience and make them believe in the character I am portraying.
8. Many actors have portrayed Shakuni over the years. Was there a conscious effort to avoid comparisons and create your own version of the character?
No, there was no conscious effort because I believe every actor brings their own life experiences, gestures, and personality to a character.
It is for the audience to draw comparisons later. My focus is simply on doing justice to the role. I hope and believe that, with blessings, I will be able to do justice to Shakuni.
Hastinapur Ke Veer airs from Monday to Saturday at 9pm on Sony SAB.
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