“One by one I’m checking off directors from my wish list: Bejoy Nambiar, Anubhav Sinha, and now Nagesh Kukunoor”, says Ankur Rathee
Actor Ankur Rathee who is currently geared up for his next big release, ‘Taish’ excitedly recounts his experience shooting with Bejoy Nambiar. Rathee will be playing the role of a British Indian young man who discovers a secret about his fiancé amidst the chaos of their own wedding. Add to their precarious situation an emotionally tumultuous family and you get the revenge drama that is ‘Taish’.
Recalling how he bagged the role, Ankur said, “I got a call from Karan Mally and Nandini Shrikent, who recently cast me in ‘Thappad’. Bejoy liked my audition and asked to meet, but a few days prior I badly sprained my ankle playing basketball, ironically, with Jim Sarbh who had to carry me off the court! I remember limping my way into Bejoy’s office and awkwardly sitting with my crutches. He narrated the film and his enthusiasm was infectious. I felt transported.”
Ankur describes working with Bejoy Nambiar a dream come true. He said, “Bejoy gives a lot of creative liberty to his actors which is refreshing. It made us feel like it was just as much our story to tell as it was his. I remember there was one scene where Pulkit Samrat, Jim Sarbh, and I started improvising and building little moments that weren’t in the script. We just kept playing off of each other and Bejoy kept rolling. He would encourage that kind of experimentation, but also knew when to help us reel it back. His trust in us fed into our faith in him”.
Recently Ankur gave memorable performances in ‘Thappad’, ‘Four More Shots Please’, ‘Undekhi’, and ‘Made in Heaven’. The actor has worked with renowned directors like Bejoy Nambiar, Anubhav Sinha, and now Nagesh Kuknor on his next. Ankur said, “Whenever I’m mesmerized by a film I always tell myself ‘I want to work with this director’. You say that enough times and you end up with a wish list of filmmakers that have really pushed the boundaries of Indian cinema. I’m so grateful to God that as my career progresses, one by one I’m checking off directors from my wish list.”
The actor is currently busy shooting for Nagesh Kukunoor’s next and promoting ‘Taish’ which is due to release on 29 October. Also in the pipeline is Rishi Deshpande’s much-awaited Marathi film, ‘Nirmal En Route’ which stars Ankur Rathee as the male lead actor.
