“If I wanted to be an actor I had to be a besharam” – Mohit Marwah

By Subhash K. Jha -

June 10, 2014 - 10:36 AM IST

Mohit Marwah who makes his debut on Fugly, has the pedigree. His uncle is Anil Kapoor and his cousins are Arjun and Sonam Kapoor. Here Mohit chats with Subhash K Jha about Bollywood's invasion by the Kapoor clan.

What is it like to be waiting for your first film?

There's actually no time to think of it. All four of us who are part of the Fugly cast have been running around like headless chickens from city to city promoting the film. Sometimes when I wake up I don't know which city I am in.

“If I wanted to be an actor I had to be a besharam” – Mohit Marwah

Was acting a pre-given career considering the family you come from?

Not really. Having spent most of my childhood in Delhi I was pretty much away from Mumbai's film culture except through Boney Maama and Anil Maama's family. Only when I was in Class 12 did I start looking at cinema as a career. After completing my 12th class I joined film school in the US and then assisted a couple of directors. Now here I am.

Did Boney and Anil help you with get your first break?

Not at all. That's not the way the family thinks. That's not the way I wanted it. After I went to film school I shifted to Mumbai and began auditioning like any newcomer for two years. That's the only way to do it. I had a dream and I chased it.

But it's a very long and painful process?

Yes. But the sense of satisfaction that I felt when I finally got Fugly... it's hard to describe the feeling of being self-made. I am lucky to come into the film industry at a time when new talent is being welcomed. So many new actors are coming in. I couldn't have chosen better a time.

Why did you choose to be part of an ensemble cast for your debut?

All my favourite films recently had had an ensemble cast, be it 3 Idiots, Kai Po Che! or earlier, Dil Chahta Hai. When I did the auditions I never thought, 'Solo hero wala aayega tab dunga.' To me the character had to be interesting.

What was it like working with the director Kabir Sadanand and the other newcomers in Fugly?

He did something very clever at the very start. Kabir just left the four of us-Vijender, Alif, Kiara and me-together. For two weeks we were doing random sh.t. That helped us to bond before we did workshops and then we left for our first schedule in Ladakh together. All of us are bonded for life now.

What made the character in Fugly so interesting for you?

When I read the script I felt this was going to be exciting. I wanted to play a character that goes through a journey, who grows in the course of the film. The guy I play is not like me at all. He is an introvert. That's how I used to be in school. I used be very shy.

How did you overcome your shyness?

Then I told myself that if I wanted to be an actor I had to be a besharam. I chose to study cinema in New York because it helped me open up my personality. I came back and acted in short films, one of them for Karan Johar's Dharma Productions which Shakun Batra directed.

Were you on your own in New York?

For a year I was living with two other students from India. Then during my second year, my cousin Rhea (Sonam's sister) joined me. The two of us rented an apartment together. That was a fun phase. That was a home away from home.

Which of your cousins are you closest to?

We're all very close. We've been hanging out together since we were children. My mother would visit her brothers (Boney, Anil and Sanjay Kapoor) in Mumbai twice or thrice a year. So I'd visit my cousins very frequently. We grew up as one close family. When I shifted to Mumbai to pursue my film career I had a choice of a wide variety of homes to stay in. So I actually rationed out my time with each family. Now I am on my own in Mumbai, slogging it out like any newcomer. But all of us stay within a radius of 1 km in Juhu. We're always over at one another's place.

You could choose to lead a pampered life?

I feel it's better to face the hardships in the beginning. Nahin toh baad mein bahot mushqil hoti hai. It is important for me to undertake that journey of my career on my own. But let me tell you, my struggle became far easier because I have so much family around.

Do you look up to your uncle Anil Kapoor as an actor?

Without a doubt. I've seen how much of himself he puts in every role. His passion is unmatched. From the time I was a kid I knew what we see is not just acting. There is a lot of hard work involved. He's punctual, hard-working and fully focused. I believe I've inherited his passionate energy. On the sets Kabir Sir often had to calm me down. I had to be reminded I was playing a character Dev. Now I can't wait for Anil and the rest of my family to see the film.

Do you see yourself competing with Anil Kapoor's son Harshvardhan when he makes his debut next year?

Not at all. All of us Sonam, Arjun, Harshvardhan and I have distinct personalities. The roles that Arjun is doing right now can't be done by anyone else. In any case I'm closer to Arjun's age than Harshvardhan's. But I'm so happy there are so many of us.