Sumeet Vyas likes to experiment and with his new film, High Jack, he has tried to bring a new genre of comedy. By Ramya Palisetty
Sumeet Vyas feels the repetition of a character’s portrayal gets boring after a while. If one keeps essaying the same parts or playing similar versions of themselves, there is no point in being an actor. “Being type-cast in every project tends to happen as it is a convenient path for a filmmaker or a casting director. If I have a particular character in mind and I know a person who has played a similar role, I would cast that person. That is the reason, it is imperative to try and refrain from it and essay characters that are out of one’s comfort zone.”
Vyas tries to stick to films where the situations have been extraordinary and he has been able to explore the art form better. “The whole process becomes a fun ride as I embrace the unknown. When you take up a role or venture into out-of-the-box projects like High Jack, you need to feel jitters in your stomach. Every artist should try and charter the path less-travelled rather than playing it safe. I come from a place where I have nothing to lose so I must experiment. In the times we are living in today, you can’t be sure about box-office collections if you do a particular role or project. Trying new things makes you feel relieved that at least you did your own thing and ventured into a new arena. If it doesn’t work, you can always try something else.”
In his latest film High Jack, he will be portraying the character of Rakesh, an aspiring DJ who calls himself DJ Rockesh as he believes he is cool and would rock the floor one day. He hasn’t been able to get a good gig so far as he is struggling due to financial problems. “Essentially, the character is trying to battle all of it and in that effort, he does something stupid and lands up on a flight with some illegal stuff which gets hijacked by individuals who are not very smart. It ends up somehow becoming a psychedelic mess.”
The genre of the film is stoner’s comedy as the hijackers are slow individuals. “Most of the people on the flight are really slow and because of a substance-related accident, they become even slower and their imaginations run wild.”
The actor shares a great camaraderie with Akarsh Khurana, the director of the film. He has known Akarsh, who is making his debut with this film, for almost a decade. “This is the first time we are doing a film together. It was a dream opportunity to work with my best friend. We have done theatre together, co-written stuff and have bonded for quite a long time. I hope people have as much fun watching the film as we had creating it.” The ensemble cast comprises theatre actors who have come together.
After doing web series like Permanent Roommates and Tripling and films like English Vinglish and Ribbon, the actor has developed a knack for recognising good stories. He has also penned down the dialogues for love Per Square Foot and Bang Baaja Baarat. With clear demarcation between the content that comprises web series and mainstream films, the difference in dialogues is also evident. “In cinema, one needs to sanitise the script as it is accessible to audience of all kinds and age groups. Web series can even have abuses because for certain characters, it is an organic way of speaking and expressing themselves. Internet, I believe is slightly more inclined towards the youth and it gives individuals the liberty to choose topics that are very different from mainstream cinema.”
Renowned actors are foraying into web series today and Vyas is happy with the change. “I am glad people have stopped looking down on this art form and are recognising it. When I began my journey with Permanent Roommates, people refused to acknowledge the fact that this was a form which has tremendous access to the audience who are eager to watch it. Now, they have no choice but to accept it and everybody wants to be a part of it. I feel actors understand how liberating it is as it has the potential and the bandwidth to give one an opportunity to fully express themselves creatively.”
In terms of experimentation in films, one can explore only to a certain level as a lot of money is invested in it. With the stakes so high, it is difficult for filmmakers to take a risk. But in web series, one does not face these obstacles and is free to experiment.
The actor has spent 14 years in theatre and is pretty elated with his journey so far. He wouldn’t want to change anything except his attitude and his level of agility. “I never planned my career. I did things that appealed to me for the longest time. I spent quite a long time doing mainstream theatre without any second thoughts. I did odd jobs on TV and ad films to survive and make my way back to theatre. I wish I was a little brighter in my choices and focussed a bit of my energy on films.”
Even in extremely difficult circumstances, the one thing that kept the actor going was the sheer belief that one day, he would make it. “Even when I did not have a plan, I knew in my heart I would make it because I knew what I was doing. This belief is not born out of overconfidence but a basic awareness of my craft and my job.”
Theatre has been a great teacher and gave the actor crucial life lessons. As a class 12th student who refused to study, he joined a company where he worked for six years. “The people I was working with knew so much, I wanted to have conversations and stand around them with my head held high. It compelled me to educate myself in every way possible. Within a year, I enrolled in a college to complete my education and fell in love with literature.”