Kumud Mishra is a popular theatre and cinema personality. He is known for his roles in films like Rockstar, Jolly LLB 2, Raanjhanaa, Article 15, The Great Indian Family, Thappad among others. He has also been part of popular web-series TVF’s Tripling among others. Kumud Mishra was part of the opening play of the GPlus Guwahati Theatre Festival 2024, ‘Puraane Chawal’, which was performed on September 27.
Sidharth Bedi Varma of GPlus caught up with him for a freewheeling chat.
Excerpts:
Sidharth: Is this your first visit to Guwahati?
Kumud: I had passed through here on my way to Shillong for a film festival. I had a screening of my well-known film, "Ram Singh Charlie." My director, Nitin Kakkar, and I traveled there through Guwahati. I think that was our first trip to Guwahati. Many festivals have been happening here for years, but we've never been invited. I always wondered when we would be able to change that and start getting invitations. Finally, we've made it.
Sidharth: How was your first evening?
Kumud: We ventured out to try different places to eat. After dining at one place, we moved on to another, and then in the third place we had paan. That’s how our evening came to a close. In the midst of it all, I felt a bit guilty for not rehearsing my lines.
Sidharth: Would you like to explore some more food till you're here?
Kumud: Of course, we'll do it. That's our plan. We'll be on the road, riding our bikes. I prefer small and cozy places where there’s local food nearby. If you ask me what I've tried, I can't remember anything. Everything I eat just disappears into my stomach. The only thing that sticks in my memory is the taste. I'm really passionate about food. I love it, and I enjoy trying different foods and cuisines from around the world.
Sidharth: How did you start your acting journey?
Kumud: I have repeated this so many times that it now feels like a lie. I wonder if I have been lying for years. I attended a military school and was born in MP (Madhya Pradesh). I believe I inherited this from my father, who used to perform in ramleelas before joining the army and then enrolling me in a military school. The environment in the military school was unique, combining sports, co-curricular activities, and academics. The teachers there introduced us to drama, debate, and poetry, for which I am forever grateful. Thinking back, I get emotional because that time shaped not only me but also my classmates, many of whom pursued careers in various fields, including the army and banking. Boarding school was a special time for every child, and for us, it was where we were shaped. Although it wasn't all perfect, it made us who we are. My journey into acting and theatre began there, influenced by the teachers we had.
Sidharth: How do you envision your acting career? How far do you see it?
Kumud: I don't know, it hasn't even started. I know it sounds like a cliche sentence, but truly, it hasn't started yet. Now it's as if it has a little grammar and also not. In that way, you can never decide where you have reached. In any classical art, whether it's singing or dancing, it starts with rehearsal and practice, where you try to reach somewhere. But in any art form, I don't think people are trying to reach somewhere. Where will you reach, where will you get? Nothing's concrete. The moment you're living, experiencing is your destination. And in whatever I am doing and when I cannot reach my goal, and whatever's missed out, I try to achieve it in my next performance. Similarly, in my next performance, something else gets missed out. Every time, however much you get, that much gets missed out from your hand. And that is all magic.
Sidharth: Have you ever taken the time to appreciate yourself for what you have accomplished?
Kumud: No, I haven't made it yet, and I'm not going to that zone. Of course, I feel good whenever someone compliments my work. I enjoy hearing compliments, but I also appreciate criticism. When I don't do well, I realise it first and feel muddled up. I anticipate people coming to me and saying it to my face if it wasn't good, if I messed up, or if it wasn't funny. This is essential for any actor. A misconception I've been prey to since choosing this profession is that I'm always in the spotlight, that people stare at me when I go out. In reality, none of this matters. When you take this profession seriously, everything else seems less important. Wealth and a good lifestyle have value, and receiving compliments and having people take photos is enjoyable, but these are by-products of my work. If you work well, these things will come along. If your work isn't good, they won't. I try to focus on my work, though it may sound fake when I say this. Whether I've said this to impress you all or if it's genuinely my belief will never be known. I find it really burdensome to give this interview. I have to prepare myself as if I'm a performer going on stage. If I had the choice, I wouldn't have chosen to give this interview because I don't really have anything to say. It's so weird that the more I talk, the more I feel like I'm just babbling. What am I even saying? And people are listening to me - what are they hearing? Who am I? I don't even have much knowledge. I just appear on the big screen, and people want to watch me, so they do. And for that, I am thankful.
Sidharth: What's in your world?
Kumud: In my world, there are my books. My world consists of my son, my wife, and my very large extended family. My world also includes my friends, some of whom I go biking with, and others from my drama school whom I don't see often but are very dear to me. Primarily, my world revolves around theatre and the people involved in that world. Cinema is also part of my world, but only when I'm actively engaged in it. When I'm not, I transition into another world.
Sidharth: Do you think, theatre is a dying appreciated art form in any way?
Kumud: I have been hearing this since i have started doing theatre, that is almost 35-40 years ago. I have been hearing this since then but it's not dead yet.
Sidharth: What matters more, quantity or the quality of work?
Kumud: I will prioritise quality and quantity when given the choice. A child has taken an extreme step due to work pressure. Did she have any other options? They are overloading her with so much work that she's unable to take it. How can you expect quality work from her in such circumstances? Society should decide what kind of life they want to provide for the youth. Do they want to burden them with excessive work pressure, academic pressure, or just the pressure to survive? Work is important, and we also work long hours when necessary, but we don't feel overly burdened, perhaps because we have chosen this path and find happiness in it. However, not all work leads to contentment; sometimes, it's purely for survival. The society as a whole needs to strike a balance. There's immense pressure on young people and children to excel academically and perform, to the extent that they are unable to think about their own aspirations and desires. We need to make time for children to play together. With the advent of mobile phones, it has become difficult for them and for us as well. After we leave this interview, I will have a mobile phone in my hand, and I will find nothing there. I might scroll through social media and find nothing of there again. Then, I will sit in emptiness, thinking about the life that was and what to do next.