GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
As an actor, Gautam Vij has come far in his career. From being somewhat unfit to one of the fittest actors on television, Gautam has worked hard and learned all that has on the job. As an actor, Gautam credits all that he has learned to his stint on television. With a 5-year-long career as an actor behind him, Gautam has worked in ad films, television shows as we as web series. All set to play the role of Piyush in COLORS’ upcoming show Pinjara Khoobsurati Ka, Gautam is very excited about this new journey. The concept of the show has him excited and he says he has a feeling that the audience will really appreciate all the hard work that he has put into playing his character. Excerpts from a chat with him…
Tell us something about how you became an actor?
I did my bachelor’s in Hospitality and then I did my Master’s degree from Toronto, Canada. I am from Delhi but I studied and worked in Canada for 9 years. I was working as an HR in a bank in Canada. I always wanted to become an actor but my family never supported me to take up acting as a career. Later, I realized that it was time to go to Mumbai and see how things will turn out. I wanted to give a career in acting a shot. So I came to Mumbai 5 years back and I started doing advertisements and commercials. In my first week itself, I landed a few assignments. Today, I have done more than 100 television commercials with all the top brands. After that, I started giving auditions for TV shows as well and I was cast as a physiotherapist in my first show! I shot for 20 days and then the show got shut. Still, I kept on auditioning, and finally got a call from Gurdev Bhalla Productions. It was a very big show and I wasn’t sure if they wanted to work with a newcomer. But things worked out and I did that part for one year.
What was that one role that got about a change in your career?
I am a very passionate person. Whatever opportunities I get, I grab them. When I played slightly grey characters in the first 2 shows, I was a bit conscious as people told me that I would be typecast as a negative actor. However, at the time Padmaavat was releasing, and I thought to myself if Ranveer Singh can do such a strong negative role in it, why can’t I ? It is more about acting, and as an actor, you cannot say that I will only do positive roles. When I did a negative role in my next show, I was surprised at the things I got to learn. The best part is that the people who I have worked with bet it the actors, directors, or other cast members, they have been extremely supportive. I also did a web series for Voot and another digital platform as well. It has been four to five years in Mumbai for me, and I have a decent amount of work under my belt. I have not done theatre, and I have not gotten any training as such in acting. Everything I learnt, I had to learn on my own. I also had a look issue, because I have coloured eyes and long fashionable locks, for which people did not want to cast me initially. So, I had to play along with my looks all the time based on my character.
What made you say yes to Pinjara Khoobsurti Ka?
I heard the character brief of Piyush who is a positive guy. He is a stepchild. As a kid, Piyush works in Omkar’s factory who takes a liking to him says from now you will live with me as a brother. So, Omkar is like a God for Piyush. However, as a stepson, their mother hates Piyush. Still, he has a very positive personality and he respects his mother. He also passionate about beauty and is also a very creative person. Omkar is very close to Piyush. You can compare our bond with Shahrukh Khan and Apurva Agnihotri’s bond in the film Pardes. I also relate with the character because I am a positive person in real life as well. The character graph and the overall concept of the show are what drew me to the show.
What are your expectations from the show?
It has been a year since I have worked on television shows as I was shooting a web series and I ad films. But I have always enjoyed shooting for television shows. For me, acting in TV shows is not a job. For me, it is about growth. I have always done different variations in my characters. So now, I am very excited about Pinjara Khoobsurti Ka as it is a new show and a new journey for me. I read the script and the things are looking good. The vibe of the show, too, is quite nice.
Have you started shooting for the show?
My entry is in the 6th episode of the show and my entry will be extremely unique.
What do you do during your downtime on the set?
I read my scripts as I like to be really prepared for a scene. If I know the scene properly, it helps me give a nice shot. If I have gone through the scene properly, then I try and watch something online related to my character. So, I like to watch Hindi films or foreign films as I love watching cinema. I do not talk much on set with people because everyone is working on their characters. Also, I am the kind of guy what if I start talking, I go on and on! I get distracted very easily, so I try to focus on my work. Because, initially in a show, you really need to work so that your character can establish a connection with the audience. I always make it a point that when I play a role, it shouldn’t look like Gautam is playing it. I like to immerse myself in my role and that helps me build my character’s image.
