‘I am not an ordinary newcomer’

Abhishek is set to make his debut with Amar, directed by Nagashekar and made under Sandesh Productions. The newcomer, who plays the role of a biker in the film, began shooting today. Cinema Express caught up with the actor just as he was heading to Coimbatore, where the first schedule is set to take place.

“I have gotten the right kind of a film as a debut film, especially since I am interested in automobiles. In fact, that’s exactly why I picked this subject. I have always been a car and speed freak. So it wasn’t very difficulty to pick up the skills required for my character,” says Abhishek, who is a keen fan and follower of motor sports. 

The young actor who believes that every newcomer requires a challenge had to learn bike racing. “Fortunately, I was able to pick it up very fast. Also, through the film I connected with professional bikers and rallyists. My interaction with them will help me get into the skin of the character,” he says.  

Abhishek says he couldn’t have asked for anything better for his debut. “Of course, there is pressure, but the good thing is that the team by itself is very relaxed and supportive. The initial days were quite fun.”

What are his friends saying about his entry into filmdom? “There were a few who weren’t able to imagine me on screen, and were quite surprised by my choice of career. But another lot has been waiting for me to take up acting, and are eagerly waiting for the film,” he says. 

Abhishek believes that he is not an ‘ordinary newcomer’ owing to his background. “My parents are stars and I come with a rich legacy. So the spotlight is on me and I have to take on a lot of responsibility. I’m not being arrogant, but the success of this project will largely depend on how I perform. A complete newcomer will have different sort of struggle. For them it’s about getting a chance, getting noticed, all of which maybe a little harder. It’s challenging in different ways for each one,” he says. 

As a child, he recalls tagging along with his parents to the sets of different films. But as a teenager, that came to a halt. “Now that I have taken up films as a career, I’m making an extra effort to spend time on the sets to get used to the lights, camera and the works,” he explains.

Before turning actor, Abhishek says that his film preferences were completely different from what they are now. “I’ve got a whole new perspective with regards to cinema viewing. Once you get into it, you learn to appreciate the subtleties. You start anaylising minute details--picturisation, dialogue delivery, feed length, cut, edit and re-recording. As an audience member, I loved watching entertainers, films that would make me laugh and leave a smile when I exited the theatre. I have never been a fan of any particular genre as such. I appreciate good cinema irrespective of language or genre,” he says, adding, “Today, there are many platforms to watch films, even on the go. However, the thrill of watching a film on the big screen is unmatched.”