Debutant actor Soham Shah has continued to remain elusive since his much talked about fiery performance in the film Baabarr. Having delivered one of the most impressive debutant performances of the year, Soham once again chose not to linger around in the limelight.
This time, we tracked him down to a small town six hours from Jaipur, where he is researching for his next film…
So what next after Baabarr?
I’m playing the lead in an international film. It’s a great script, and my character is the exact opposite of Baabarr. Still, I identify with it just as much. Of all the scripts I have read in the last few months, there is always some part of me that identifies with the character.
Your character in Baabarr was commendable, how did you prepare for the role?
Well, I went to a small town near Lucknow immediately after I was finalized for the title role. I stayed there for a month, spending considerable time with local gangsters and rookies, researching for my character as a local crime lord. I studied their lingo, adapted their dialect, observed their behavior patterns and even learnt to fire a katta, the crude homemade gun that backfires more often than it fires.
Tell us more about your new International film.
The story of the film is new and quite interesting and it’s something, which will be shown for the first time. The film is about what happens next when a donor donates his body parts and it is transplanted to another man’s body.
These days most of the newcomers in tinsel town flaunt themselves in various newspapers/magazines soon after their movie releases but you abstain from all press and public appearances, why so?
I want to work on myself as an actor, and let my work speak for itself.
We always hear that you want to stay away from the Media. Are you Media shy?
Not really, I’m not shy at all otherwise I wouldn’t have been talking to you here. It’s just that at this point in my career, my priority lies elsewhere.
What tips did you take from your veteran co-stars Om Puri and Mithun Chakraborty in Baabarr?
I learnt a lot, seeing them work their parts. It was sheer pleasure to see Omji improvise small nuances that added more and more depth to my character. Mithunda carries himself with a lot of dignity, and is still very friendly and down-to-earth.
Your first debut was on-the-run crime thriller, so what genre of movies you intend to do?
As an actor, I’ve no limitations. I’m open to all genres of cinema and would like to do anything starting from comedy to thriller.
