“Comedy is a genre I would love to explore” – Gopal K Singh

As an actor, Gopal K Singh has left an indelible impact with every character he has portrayed on the screen in the last several years. Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Company’ (2002) gave a jumpstart to the career of this actor who spent several years honing his craft in Delhi’s theatre circuit. Recently, Gopal was seen playing a crucial role in ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’. For more than two decades, one has seen Gopal bringing a plethora of characters to life on screen. Apart from films, the actor has dabbled in television as well. Very soon, he will be seen in a MX Player series playing one of the leads. The audience will also get to see him in ‘Maa’, a horror thriller featuring Kajol in the lead role.

In this interview, the actor talks about his journey in the entertainment industry, how theatre helped him polish his skills, working with Sriram Raghavan, sharing the screen with Kajol in ‘Maa’, stepping into the streaming space, upcoming projects and more.

You started your journey as an actor with the Act 1 Theatre Group in Delhi. You were also a part of the Sahitya Kala Parishad repertory. Before arriving in Mumbai, you did 23 plays in Delhi. Out of those 23 plays, you played the lead role in 19. Before doing theatre, did you undergo any formal training in acting?

No, I never went to any institution to learn acting. Theatre, however, proved to be a solid training ground for me. I had gone to Delhi to study engineering. When I was in the first year of my engineering course, somebody told me that plays are organized in Mandi House. When I went there, I saw different groups rehearsing for different plays. I grew up in a small town in Chattisgarh called Chirimiri. Though I was always interested in acting, I had no idea how to get into this field.

Once I came to Delhi, I got some exposure. Once I saw a play for the first time, I got hooked to the medium. After that, I started coming to Mandi House every evening to see these groups perform every day. I did that for a month. Soon enough, I realized that there was this strong desire inside me to be a part of it. Parag Chhapekar, who is a highly renowned journalist today, was a friend of mine. Parag bhai used to compose the music for the plays organized by Act 1. Before he came in, Piyush (Mishra) bhai used to score the music for the plays. By then, Piyush bhai had left the group. Since Parag was my friend, he introduced me to Act 1.

There is a rule in Act 1. If you want to be a part of it, you will have to do backstage work for a few months. From looking after the arrangements to serving tea to everyone, you have to do a variety of things. I was very fortunate to get a role 15-20 days after doing backstage work. At that time, N K Sharma ji was putting together a play called ‘Jinhein Jaldi Thi Woh Chale Gaye’. Piyush bhai had some creative differences with the group and he decided to leave. Initially, I got a small role to do in the play. By the time the play was stage in Kolkata, I had got one of the primary roles in it. Then, I was cast in ‘King Lear’. After a while, I interviewed for Sahitya Kala Parishad repertory. I was selected in the A Grade category. In some time, I became the repertory chief. I got to work with all the big theatre directors of that time. We used to have shows all over India. During those days, I would be asked to audition for some of the films and shows that were shot in Delhi. However, my focus was completely on theatre. I was surrounded by people who were thinking about art all the time. Those were some of the most memorable days of my life.

Did you complete your engineering course?

No, I dropped out after the first year. By then, I had decided to devote all my energies towards learning acting and making a career out of it.

In the year 2001, you got your first film ‘Company’.

I got ‘Company’ 6 or 7 days after I had arrived in Mumbai. At that time, there was no culture of auditions. We would go to production houses and drop our pictures. When I went to drop my pictures at Ram Gopal Verma’s office, the watchman asked me to give the pictures to him. As somebody who had done theatre for quite a while, I felt a little offended. I felt I should have got the opportunity to meet somebody from Ramu ji’s team. Thankfully, Ramesh Kakkar, who used to assist Ramu ji then, saw me. I spoke to him and gave the pictures to him. After 6 or 7 days, I got a call from his office to inform me that I have been finalized for the film.  

A year or two after doing ‘Company’, you did ‘Ek Haseena Thi’. The film was produced by Ram Gopal Verma. You went on to work with Sriram Raghavan on ‘Badlapur’ and Andhadhun’.  

After arriving in Mumbai, I had prepared a monologue of 20 minutes. In that monologue, I portrayed 9 different characters. There was no concept of making an audition tape then. I thought whenever I would meet a director, I would perform that monologue in front of him. Of course, not every director had the time to see a struggling actor perform. The one person whom I performed that monologue to was Sriram Raghavan sir. After doing ‘Company’, I was constantly in touch with him. One day, he asked me to meet me at his house. When I performed the monologue in front of him, he appreciated it. During the success bash of ‘Andhadun’, he told me, “you remember how we met? You did that monologue in front of me.” Whenever he makes a film, he calls me. He had asked me to play a character in ‘Merry Christmas’ but I could not do it for some reason.

How would you describe the working process of Sriram Raghavan?

He must be having a different working process with different actors. I can talk about my experience of working with him. Whenever I work with him, he does not share the entire script with me. He only tells me about the scenes I am a part of. He feels if I read the entire script, I would be too aware of the world the film is set in and will not be able to do justice to my character. Since he makes thrillers, he wants the actors to remain in dark about the narrative. If you know how the story will unfold, you might act differently. In ‘Ek Haseena Thi’, Urmila Matondkar’s character gets in trouble because of me. However, when I was doing those scenes, I did not know the graph of her character.

You have also had a long-standing working relationship with Madhur Bhandarkar.

Once ‘Ek Haseena Thi’ came out, I got a lot of offers. However, I was mostly offered a scene or two in films. I was quite upset about that. I was waiting for something substantial to come my way. Madhur Bhandarkar asked me to do two scenes in ‘Page 3’. I politely refused the role as I thought it was not significant enough. At that time, he promised me that he will offer me a bigger role in a film he was planning to make next. A few years later, I was shooting for a film in Varanasi. During the shoot, my phone fell in the river. I had to change my number then. A lot of people in the industry did not have my number. Madhur asked his assistant to look for me. He managed to get in touch with me and offered me ‘Traffic Signal’. The film changed a lot of things for me. A lot of good work came my way post the release of ‘Traffic Signal’.

You have played several negative characters in your career. Do you feel the industry stereotyped you as an actor?

I did go through that phase but now, things are changing. ‘When Sudipto sir called me for ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’, I thought he would offer me the role of a Naxalite. In Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘Buddha In a Traffic Jam’, I had played the role of a Naxal chief. To my surprise, I was offered a very positive role in ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’. I played the role of Adah Sharma’s PO. Srivastav, the character played by me, was a very simple, positive and righteous person. Vipul ji was not sure if I was the right person to play this part but Sudipto sir was convinced. When Vipul ji saw the rushes, he was very happy with my performance. An actor is an actor. Filmmakers should not typecast actors. The director should have the vision to see an actor in different kinds of roles. Now, I am getting to play different kinds of roles and I feel very happy about it.

You have also done some work in television. You had a cameo in ‘Yeh Hai Mohabbatein’. You also played ‘Birbal’ in the popular show ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.

Birbal had comic elements. I am happy that Ekta Kapoor thought I would suit the part. I worked on it for a year and a half. I worked on ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ for a year and a half. Playing Birbal in the show gave me tremendous creative satisfaction. On the sets of ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’, I used to do a lot of comedy. Adah Sharma told Sudipto sir that he should cast me in a comic role in his next film (laughs). Comedy is a genre I would love to explore. Back in Delhi, I had done a comic play called ‘Vyaktigat’. It was directed by my friend Chittaranjan Tripathi, who now serves as the director of the National School of Drama. It was a two and a half hour long play about the dynamics of a husband and wife.

After ‘Buddha In a Traffic Jam’, you worked with Vivek Agnihotri again on ‘The Vaccine War’.

Vivek Agnihotri ji is a very good director and I hope we work again soon. In ‘The Vaccine War’, unfortunately, almost my entire role was edited out. I was seen in only one shot in the film. Some of my friends and colleagues, who saw the film, asked me why I agreed to play such a small part. In the past, I said no to a lot of filmmakers who offered me smaller parts. When they see me in just one shot in a film, they would be upset with me and wonder why I said a no to them. I am not upset with Vivek ji. It was a good role. However, if they decide to let go of it, they should not have retained that one shot.

You have acted in theatre productions, films, TV shows and are now, doing web series as well. Is there a medium you are most attached to?

No, I love all the mediums equally. Whatever work I do, I try to give it my best shot. I have just stepped into the digital space and enjoying the process of exploring it. I have done a series for MX Player called ‘Chidiya Udd’. Out of the five lead roles in the show, one has been played by me.

You got married at the age of 23. Did you get the support of your family while pursuing your dreams?

If I did not have the support of my family, I would had to do any role that came my way. I would have been mentally disturbed and my career would have gone in some other direction. Thankfully, I had the support of my family throughout my entire journey. Even when I faced a financial issue, my family supported me. When I dropped out of my engineering course, I wrote a letter to my father and told him that I want to pursue a career in acting. At that time, my parents did not say anything. Instead, they came to Delhi. They saw me perform in a play and asked me what is the kind of scope this profession has. I told them honestly that I might not be able to earn anything initially and they would have to send me money for a while. I told them it would be similar to the kind of situation I was in when I was in the hostel and they would send me money every month. Both my parents were extremely supportive. My father, who is no longer in this world, was a pillar of strength for me. When ‘Company’ released, people in my hometown got to know that I have acted in the film. The general manager of a coal mine visited our family’s house in Chattisgarh and congratulated my father. He told him that my decision was right and I would bring a lot of glory to my state.

As an actor, what kind of roles you want to play next?

I would not want to compare myself with any actor. However, I am aware of my abilities. In the last few years, actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazudding Siddiqui and Abhimanyu Singh have got the opportunity to play several author-backed roles. If I get such roles, I can also do justice to them.

What are you doing next?

I just wrapped the shoot of ‘Maa’. It is a horror thriller featuring Kajol, Ronit Roy and several other incredible actors. I have a very important role in the film. I had a wonderful experience working with Kajol and the rest of the team. Vishal Furia has directed it. It has been shot in Kolkata and should release in the theatres soon.