Sushant Singh Rajput was one of those actors who not only made a big name in Bollywood with his stellar performances, but also was a gem of a person. With movies like Kai Po Che!, Chhichhore, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, and Dil Bechara, he made his mark in the industry.
Time after time, he proved, that he looked at the world differently. Here’s a look at some of his most insightful comments from his past interviews:
1. When he spoke about the lack of recognition in the industry of ‘outsiders’.
Sushant had consistently given strong performances in movies that did fairly well since his debut, but he didn’t get enough recognition due to him being a so-called outsider. He revealed that he was disappointed by the reception M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story got, and he overestimated the reactions. But later, he was more forthcoming and said:
When you’re successful as an outsider, you’re discussed but in a very hushed tone. That’s about it. But when you are an insider and you succeed, it’s multiplied by ten and if you lose, it’s divided by ten.
2. When he defined love.
The late actor believed in the power of love and the way the matters of heart and brain can coexist in this world. Because, according to him, love and logic should be balanced in a relationship for it to soar.
I will glide and fly in love. What’s not to believe in the idea of love? I think logic and love, they’re not mutually exclusive but they’re also not mutually inclusive. We have to find ways to be both most of the time.
3. When he talked about how to deal with naysayers, especially for women.
Sushant Singh Rajput was an ardent worshipper of big names in science such as Einstein, and in one such interview, he quoted the latter to make his point about what one should do about rumours and people talking behind your back.
When Marie Curie got a Nobel Prize, people started writing things about her. Men couldn’t take it. Then Einstein wrote a letter to her. He said many great things and he ended the letter saying, ‘in case you indulge yourself with these frivolous stories, measure the length of them.’ So next time when I read something like that, I’ll get myself a ruler.
4. When he spoke about the importance of always discovering, exploring and living each day anew.
Sushant was a person who wanted to do something new each day, and didn’t believe in the concept of living a monotonous life. He used to say that as learning generates excitement, the whole process of exploration is synonymous with happiness.
The closest synonym of happiness is excitement, and you can generate it by doing something that you can’t completely comprehend. This understanding makes the process rich and exciting. So, you stumble over something new, and then work on it and make it your own.
5. When he emphasized on the fact that it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters.
In one of his interviews, Sushant Singh Rajput talked about how we should enjoy the process of achieving a goal and not wait for the final moment, to find happiness. In his words, it is the process of realizing a dream that matters.
I really wanted to buy a Range Rover. It was a big dream, and the day I bought it, I was very happy, but by evening, I was immune to it. That’s when I realized that excitement if it’s happiness, is not in reaching the goal but in the process. Thus process trumps over realization.
6. When he said that judging others is never the right thing as we don’t even know our own selves, completely.
Sushant’s words always hit you hard as they offer a reality check. He once said that while we all keep judging others and want them to prescribe to a certain way, we tend to lose out on the discovery of ourself.
Everybody is in a hurry to decode you in a certain way, and then they expect you to adhere to their definition. How can they possibly do that when you yourself are finding it hard to discover yourself?
7. When he talked about the inevitability of everything and living life in the moment.
The late actor knew life, as he emphasized on how we all will lose everything eventually and thus shouldn’t keep running after a perfect moment to live, when we can live to the fullest each day.
We should never forget the inevitable, as we will lose everything, eventually. So, why fret over any kind of security? The idea is to just fly and experience it all while it lasts.
8. When he said that failure is as important to help you succeed.
Sushant Singh Rajput believed that just like hard work, failure helps an individual to succeed. He said that as hard you fall, the higher you bounce back.
I want to fail, but it should not be a mediocre failure. It should be massive. Ek ehsaas karne ke liye, it is important to fail badly and destroy me as an individual. At the same time, I don’t want mediocre success either.
9. When he said that more than fame and power, your will to live should be strong.
The late actor believed in a fulfilling life because of your work you love and the warmth of your near and dear ones. Achievements matter only when you have that energy and zeal alive in you.
No matter what you achieve, what you want to aspire to be, or how famous and powerful you become, the most important thing is whether you are excited about each and every moment of your life because of your work and the people around you.
10. When he said that one should only work for things they feel satisfied about.
Sushant said that we should not think about expectations of others, and work for the sake of money, and similar other factors. We should do things that convince us, just like he did.
If I think about people’s expectations, I shouldn’t be signing these films. I should be signing commercially viable films, whatever my definition of commercially viable films is. I am being selfish here and I am signing films for myself. This is something that I learnt in theatre. I have nobody to convince as an actor. I just have to convince myself.
We will always remember Sushant for his performances and words of wisdom that will forever stay with us.
