Singing, lyric writing, acting and script writing, Amitosh Nagpal has done it all. In his chat with Dev Goswami he tells us about his wide-ranging interests, his forthcoming movie Besharam and what he thinks of Mumbai’s theatre scene
Tell us about your character in the movie Besharam.
Besharam’s story is about two best friends Babli (Ranbir) and Titu (Amitosh). I play Titu, an enthu-cutlet. Babli and Titu are both orphans who have grown up together. They steal cars for survival. Whatever money they earn after selling cars, they give to the orphanage where they lived, Robin Hood style. Our characters are besharam (shameless) to the extent that we even had to shoot intimate scenes with each other.
Besharam has already garnered attention as it’s the first movie where the Kapoor family comes together on screen. How was it working with Rishi, Neetu and Ranbir Kapoor?
As a kid, I loved watching Neetu ma’am and Rishi sir on screen, so working with them was a dream come true. With their family on set, it didn't feel like coming for a movie shoot, but more like visiting their home. The set became so homely, that at times we forgot that we were working.
Tell us where your interest in different aspects of filmmaking stems from?
I feel that an actor should know all the facets of filmmaking; it makes him better equipped to give his best.
If you were to choose one role, which one would it be?
I love experimenting and playing new characters. I have played comic roles, serious characters and I am open to playing negative roles too.
You’ve also been associated with plays and have staged Piya Behrupia. What do you have to say about the theatre scene in Mumbai?
Piya Behrupiya is an Indian rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. You must catch it at Prithvi. The response has been great! Mumbai’s theatre scene is independent and interesting. Even though there are space constraints, we get what every theatre artist needs — freedom to perform how we want to and acceptance.
The Hindi film industry is often labelled as tough to get into. What has your experience been like so far?
I didn’t find it very tough but it wasn’t easy either. Once you get your first break, this industry welcomes you with an open heart. Good work is always recognised. People will recommend you if you are good. Entertaining people is not an easy job but it has definitely been a rewarding journey for me. From being a lyricist for the movie Oye Lucky Lucky Oye to lyric writing, singing and acting in Besharam! The industry recognises and appreciates talent.
What’s next for you?
I am almost done writing dialogues for two films. One of them is Gulabgang with Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla. I am acting in an independent Hollywood movie For Here Or To Go. I am also writing the story, screenplay and dialogues for Makbool and writing a script for Shomit Sen's next, film, Phirki.