Mumbai, Feb 23 (PTI) Mithun Chakraborty danced his way to the audiences hearts in the 80s, but at the peak of his career, the actor says he found himself grappling with the reality that fame not only brought legions of fans but also crushing loneliness.
Chakraborty started his acting journey with filmmaker Mrinal Senβs National Award winning 1976 drama βMrigayaaβ. It was the 1979 spy thriller βSurakshaaβ that laid the grounds for his stardom in the 80s with blockbusters like βDisco Dancerβ, βDance Danceβ, βPyar Jhukta Nahinβ, βKasam Paida Karne Wale Kiβ and βCommandoβ among others.
These were the busy years for the actor who headlined more than 100 films in the decade, often juggling four movie shoots a day. Fans gave him the moniker of βDancing Starβ and βDisco Dancerβ.
βI had never imagined that I would become a superstar. But, when I did become the number one star of the country, I found that it wasβ¦ Oh my God, an extremely lonely place. It is really, very, very lonely. You are all alone there. It was lonely because everybody thought I was beyond their reach, I was unattainable,β the actor told PTI.
As Chakraborty grew in stature, so did the myth of his stardom, which started invading his personal space.
The actor said he lived with the puzzling reality of showbiz: he was the most wanted star but everyone was too apprehensive to even talk to him.
βThey would say βStay away from dada, he has become too bigβ. My friends would also be scared of me. It was a very weird atmosphere. I would wake up, go to shoot, come back and be lonely, while being the biggest star, the hottest selling star of the country. Main ek bohot akela aadmi ho gaya tha (I had become a very lonely man). But this is part of life too,β he added.
In the 90s, when Bollywood turned to urban, larger than life romances, slowly letting go off the 80s masala films-led popular by him and Jeetendra with ample support by late music composer Bappi Lahiriβs chartbuster tunes-Chakraborty still had nearly 100 releases.
According to the actor, the key to sustaining stardom is to not only be a good actor but also a wonderful human being.
If an actor is not a good person, Chakraborty said the fame will βvanish in a heartbeatβ.
βThere is no survival without talent. Only your talent can take you ahead, if you have it, you will make it. No one in the world can stop you. A good actor, who is a bad human being, will have a short life. A bad actor, who is a bad human being, will have no life. A good actor, who is a good human being, will have a long life.
βThe only magic to hold on to stardom for so long is that a good actor, who is also a good man, will live for long. Your superstardom will vanish in a heartbeat if you are not a good person. Karma will just wait for the right time, no one can escape that,β he added.
The multiple National Award winning actor juggled both Bollywood and Bengali films and eventually made his debut on the small screen towards the end of the 2000s.
He has now made his digital debut with Prime Videoβs psychological thriller series βBestsellerβ.
The show, inspired by Ravi Subramanianβs novel βThe Bestseller She Wroteβ, features him as assistant commissioner of police Lokesh Pramanik.
Chakraborty said today, he accepts only those projects that leave him thinking long after he has finished reading the script.
βIt has to pinch or tickle me. Once I have read the script and if it hits me, I think I am on the right part. βBestsellerβ was one of those. My character in it is funny, unpredictable and sometimes even ruthless,β he added.
The actor said his shift to OTT was fueled by the need to keep up with the times. If even today he expects to play a disco dancer, he would be βfoolishβ, Chakraborty said.
βI want to go with the time, not swim against the tide. If I think Iβm still a Disco Dancer, Iβll be foolish. So I have to think what kind of roles will suit me now, and the one I can do effortlessly. If OTT is the current time, then Iβll have to mould myself like thatβ.
Backed by filmmaker Siddharth Malhotraβs Alchemy Production LLP and directed by Mukul Abhyankar, βBestsellerβ also stars Shruti Haasan, Arjan Bajwa, Gauahar Khan, Satyajeet Dubey and Sonalee Kulkarni. PTI JUR BK BK
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Source: The Print