Theatre is fundamental thing if you aspire to be good actor : Mir Sarwar, Bollywood Actor
Mohammad Sarwar Mir popularly known as Mir Sarwar is a prominent Bollywood actor from Kashmir who has shined both in local industry and Bollywood .
He has appeared in several Bollywood films like Kesari (2019 film), Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Jolly LLB 2, Phantom etc .Mir Sarwar has played important roles in movies Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Jolly LLB 2 Kesari (2019 film). He has also played protagonist in film’s like Half Widow, Kashmir Daily, Lihaaf and Negative lead in Dharma Productions Kesari (2019 film).He started his exciting career in 1999 as a model and then switched to the theatre in Delhi and later on worked with several renowned directors M K Raina and Bapi Bose in Delhi. He was part of three National School of Drama workshops as well. In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, Mir Sarwar talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.
Was your aptitude towards acting generated since childhood. Was there a spark that needed to be kindled?
This was not something I planned but some instincts did incline me towards acting. I had a fit body and many would tell me whether I was model and I wouldn’t know what modelling was, it was in mid nineties .Then I explored modelling in Delhi Circles and developed thrust for acting but had no Godfather who would teach me. So I took theatre route and learnt real realms of acting. I would like to tell you that I had SRO 349 that was national medal and eligibility that assured me a Government Job but it’s validity was till 2005 only. I took a decision to follow acting career while as my other three colleagues did job under this medal, and I had to hear many taunts and criticism for not opting for a Government job .I then had to witness a difficult phase as my family had stopped sending money for my expenses, so I had to do door to door marketing for survival in Delhi. In 2006 I decided to go to Mumbai but I had to thwart the plan due to train blasts (as my Kashmir identity and name Mohammed Sarwar Mir aborted same).It took me few years to regain myself as financial issues had cowed me down. After few years I came back quitting job in HCL where I was trainer. I began to contemplate that for acting I left everything and now I am not doing it ,so i took route to come back to Kashmir to restart acting for one Serial and went back after doing forty Serials to Mumbai to try my luck once again . I also developed interest for making film in local language . The first film I did was Dil Patang ,which was unfortunately not released and first releasead Bollywood formal film that I did was Phantom . I used to do several rehearsals for my scenes individually working very hard.Kabir Khan took my audition for Bollywood via Facebook and was impressed by my acting and stated he wanted same .How much role did Theatre played in your acting career ?
Theatre is the real game changer for me and changed my entire life style towards betterment. I used to earn five thousand via door to door marketing but used to spend rs 2500 on Theatre as it does not pay you well . Theatre joining also overshadowed my modelling as theatre teaches you real acting , and developed my real love towards local language it’s music and literature .When I did national school drama workshop in which my friend Sheezan was also one of the actors , I developed resolve towards everything of Kashmiri Language .Theatre makes you humble as you have to do ground zero work while during modelling I was like travelling in skies . Theatre makes you know how much you have to learn and give you life long lessons that learning is forever .I would say theatre is everything if you aspire to be good actor and human being .How much opposition you had to face from family ?Some of the relatives and near ones had told my family that you preach religion to others and your own boy has opted for acting as a career. I had done Punjabi album which had few intimate scenes. They were told that now he will marry from outside and is no longer Muslim ,but when they saw my real work and also work in local language cinema and ads ,interviews those who opposed me earlier now did appreciate my work. I had always double traits of curiosity and passion . When I learnt theatre under MK Raina I did everything passionately . I was never knowing politics but always proactive that trait made some hate me and take credit of my work . But my teachers always knew it was my work . Sheezan Zargar was my right hand . Manzoor Mir assistant director in theatre assisted me greatly .When you have right intentions God helps you.
How did you manage a tough role in Kesari ?I would say every role has been challenging . Be it my first movies Bajrangi Bhaijaan or phantom I had to undertake several challenges . I am non smoker had to smoke and that too while breaking filter as a result I swallowed tobacco on several instances.In Kesari it was challenging to change dialects , and wearing heavy outfits and keeping beard for one and half year .During acting I have to vent out because if you are acting you get opportunity to vent out whereas in real life I am soft spoken and do not ever use abuses but during negative roles in acting I get opportunity to vent out and use filthy language. In Laxami Bomb and web series avrodh I got emotional roles which I Iove . I love doing these roles as emotions are natural to me . I love to get in the skin of the role . As an actor it is challenging to get in to the skin of character and in this regard three things are important – one what I will do as Mir Sarwar in that situation , second challenzing all my learnings, techniques of years experience and third important factor is learning importance of spontaneity value, that it had to happen so happened .It is being rumoured that you have special bond with Bollywood icon Akshay Kumar, please inform us about it?I had opportunity to do three movies with Akshay Kumar .First was Jolly LLB 2, Kesari and Laxami Bomb . I had done movies prior to it but Akshay Kumar was my favourite. First shot I had to do was arresting him there was a fan moment, I had learnt that after action is clicked I am actors and they are actors and same learning made my scene great . Akshay Kumar is a great human and loves doing pranks on sets and is a jolly person . I interacted with Salman Khan in Bajrangi Bhaijaan I found him quite informative and Knowledgeable as we talked from topics ranging to Kashmir , deforestation.Akshay Kumar brings aura to set and is most punctual actor in industry .
The suicide of a talented actor like Sushant Singh Rajput has proven Bollywood is tough mountain to climb for outsiders? See it has some interesting stuff- be it industry ,any company , home or even mohalla favouritism or special bond exists everywhere which can be dubbed as favouritism and sometimes it goes to extreme things like nepotism when it goes ahead at cost of eschewing others rights . But we need to remind that special bonds exist everywhere .We have to remember big thing that talent and preparedness would get you real success and once Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister reference ensured one movie for one actor but couldn’t take him long. Talent will take you to long run .We need to know that millions are aspiring for a role in Bollywood and you have to create a niche in it and after realising same I found myself in negative role niches . I remember dailogue of our teacher MK Raina ” even if you cut grass,cut good quality ” and we need to do justice to our work. Only real talent and perseverance would get you long in Bollywood.
One who goes prepared shines . Be it Amir Bashir or Iqbal khan many are doing well . Nothing happens in jiffy . One needs to have passion and have to be passionate . For fourteen years I had no movie but kept growing from modelling to serials to movies . You need to have all important preservance.What are unfulfilled goals and ambition of yours in Bollywood?There is no end to goals. Above All, I want to do action movie which I have not done so far and also try hands on comedy which I am seriously trying .I also have ambition to strengthen the local film industry on parlance of Punjabi and Bhojpuri .The same thrust made me venture into film making . And we would not go long way by making excuse that we didn’t had cinemas so we did not go long in local film industry . In Africa and Iran they make great movies on handicams . My parents and my spouse ,daughter have played a great role in journey of my life . I would like to say shortcuts in acting world do not pay you in long run . The theatre institute like NSD refine you and make you know where you lag.
We often hear name of MK .Raina when it comes to theatre world especially from Kashmiri and other celebrities?In Kashmir MK .Raina did five theatre workshops and those who participated in these are among the participants in world of film making . He is s great teacher and fatherly figure , he has contributed a lot and taught us .We will teach others .Your message to youngesters especially from kashmir?I would like to say go prepared whether you go to Delhi ,Mumbai or other place . If you go unprepared it would make you depressed and make you lose key financial resources and make you also lose time , demotivate you . In today’s world people via online modes can cast you from any part of the world and you need not to travel to that place . In Kashmir look is not problem we are good looking but we need to work on our communication skills . Our problem is we have fast speed of speaking and influence of mother tongue which can be managed by working on it . Youngesters need to be prepared and keep themselves visible on social media platforms.
