Shashank Arora is the 29-year-old actor and musician who has made a name for himself with only 7 films under his belt, 2 of which have even made it to the coveted Cannes film festival.
Right after his first film, Titli, he was an actor to look out for. And with every ‘unconventional’ movie choice, be it Brahman Naman or Lipstick Under My Burkha, he has shown that he’s not chasing stardom, he’s just proving his acting talent.
In conversation with ScoopWhoop, he discussed his journey to his first film Titli, his first love – music, and why art should always create the kind of trouble all his movies have made.
1. On signing his first film, Titli.
2. On having supportive parents.
3. On not being considered a ‘bankable’ actor, despite Titli’s success
7. On stardom
8. On the excessive censorship
In fact, 4 of his 7 movies, Titli, Brahman Naman, Rock On 2, and Lipstick Under My Burkha faced censorship troubles, either due to the stories, or the dialogues or both.
9. On his passion for carpentry
10. On his first love, music
In fact, he has composed music for his upcoming Malayalam movie, Moothon, starring Nivin Pauly in the lead role. He plays the villain in the movie.
11. On nepotism
12. On working with Nawazuddin Siddiqui on Manto (his second film at Cannes)
13. On the Cannes Film Festival
14. On ‘underrated’ actors
15. On advice for industry newcomers
16. On negative Bollywood experiences
17. On facing rejection
He is currently working with an ensemble cast on Zoya Akhtar’s web series Made In Heaven, starring Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechin, Arjun Mathur among others. He is also planning to direct a series himself.
He is not an actor limited by genres or acting styles, and that is exactly why, in a brief time, he has managed such a wide range of work. Here’s to watching more of this talented ‘star’ on the silver screen.
Design Credits: Lucky Mehendiratta