Shantanu Maheshwari on his film debut in Gangubai Kathiawadi

Actor Shantanu Maheshwari is as endearing on the phone as he is on the big screen. His words are punctuated with warm, gentle laughter, which reminds me of Afshan – the character that he plays in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film  _Gangubai Kathiawadi_  (2022). He turns 31 today, 7 March. We speak a day before his big celebration, made extra special by the adulation that he has got for his stunning performance. The conversation is relaxed, touching upon his janmabhoomi Kolkata and karmabhoomi Mumbai, the grand Bollywood debut with Bhansali, future plans, his love of dance, and how he is handling his new-found fame. Excerpts:

You have grown up in Kolkata. Do you miss home?

Yes. I have a very different connection with Kolkata. I was born and brought up there. I miss it at times but something or the other always takes me back. Either I’m filming there, or attending an event. Travel keeps me in touch with the city. My work is in Mumbai, so I have mentally prepared myself to be here. I like the balance I have in my life.

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Kolkata is known for some of India’s most outstanding filmmakers. Did you develop an interest in films during your childhood there?

No, actually that didn’t really play much of a role. I hail from a city that is very rich in art and culture but I never thought that I would act when I was living there. It was only when I shifted to Mumbai that I started dancing in festivals and it’s here that I got an opportunity for my first show. That’s how I got interested in acting and what the whole craft is about. I wanted to explore this new passion of mine – acting.

Do you speak Bengali?

 I do, but you would not want me to speak Bengali because I’m not fluent. I understand it.

Would you consider working in Bengali films if you have offers coming your way?

If they give me enough time to prepare, and if I am able to think in Bengali, why not? As an actor, I think that it is important for me to be comfortable with the language. I don’t like the idea of me speaking gibberish and someone else dubbing it. I would not feel satisfied with that kind of arrangement. If it was some language that I had no connection with, I would have felt differently, but Bengali is a language that I understand. I would want to give inputs that would enrich my performance because I have heard so many people speaking Bengali.

 How would you describe the difference between your life before and after the release of Gangubai Kathiawadi?

Getting this opportunity has been a life-changing experience. A totally new set of people have recognised my work and talent. The exposure has been huge. I knew from the start that I was part of a big project but I had not imagined how exactly it would play out. Until the time the trailer got launched, I was not really seen. When the first song was released, the whole change started happening. People began to say, “Oh, my God! You’re in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie. You are in one of his songs.”

And then the second song came out, and the movie was in the theatres. The praises, the appreciation, the recognition have kept coming. It has been a crazy experience. I never imagined having this kind of reach. I have been getting messages where people have said things like, “I can relate to this” and “I wish I had someone like Afshan in my life.” The film has been watched worldwide. I am overwhelmed.

Do you miss some of the simple things that you could do earlier, like having chaat on the streets of Mumbai, without having people surround you because they recognise you?

Sometimes, people recognise me even when I have my mask on. I don’t know how they do it, but they do. We all know that it’s part of being in this industry. If you become famous, there are a few things that you will have to lose out on. I try to find balance at times but I know that I have to say goodbye to some things. I have to deal with it. This is how it is.

What did you like about the character of ‘Afshan’ when you first heard about him? How did you prepare yourself to play a tailor who lives in Kamathipura?

The first thing that I found interesting was the fact that it is a love story between a younger guy and an older woman. By default, there is some kind of relatability there. As teenagers, we have all had crushes on someone older – mostly teachers. Afshan is not only young, but he’s also deep in terms of the emotions that he feels and the way he understands Gangubai. That was very fascinating for me. There’s a lot of respect from his side. Obviously, there’s respect from her side too. But she is the heroine of Kamathipura, and he is just this guy who has shifted from Kolkata and he gets to meet her. They just click and connect. It has been beautifully written and executed.

What I did in terms of the preparation was basically just get myself to think like the character. That is the first thing I try and achieve because it makes everything very easier. I had to think like Afshan, not forgetting the fact that there is a great difference between now and the period from 1940s to 1960s in terms of society norms, boundaries between children and parents, how much to speak, how much not to speak, those kinds of things. The major preparation was nothing but to just surrender myself to Bhansali. I knew that when you’re working with him, you just have to just listen to what he’s saying, understand what he’s trying to get out of that character, and just go with the flow. He is very spontaneous. If you are too prepared or mugging up your lines and coming on set, it is hard for you to execute what he’s trying to say.

Afshan doesn’t say much but he speaks a lot through his eyes, isn’t it?

Yes, there are so many layers, especially with the eyes and body language. Many of the nuances in the scenes were not written down. Bhansali added them or instructed me on the spot. To execute those kinds of things, you need to unlearn and surrender yourself to his guidance.

On being Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s hero…

 I am not able to pinpoint but it’s all about the romance. The way he approaches the interaction between the male and female characters is something very unique. The way their love story starts is amazing. Nobody would have imagined something happening between a tailor and Gangubai. There is so much happening, especially in the ‘Jab Saiyan’ song. They play a game of cards where she is on the balcony, and he is on the ground. It’s just crazy, the visual effect is massive.

In most films, it’s the man who initiates the romance. In this film, it’s the opposite.

 Yes, isn’t that beautiful? The way Bhansali thought of this character and portrayed it is amazing.

[caption id=“attachment_10437861” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A still from Gangubai Kathiawadi[/caption]

There is this innocence, this vulnerability about Afshan that makes Gangubai want to protect him though she can’t be with him. Do you understand this kind of love? Would Shantanu in real life be able to do what Afshan does in the movie, which is to accept the choice that is made for him trusting that it is the best course of action?

 We have to remember that the film is set in a different time period. If it was happening in the present scenario, obviously the first time when she comes with a marriage proposal for him, you would have had a full argument sequence where Afshan would be fighting with his parents and with Gangu. He would not want to marry the girl that Gangu wants him to marry.

In the milieu that the film is set in, children had a lot of respect for their parents. This meant that they were not supposed to argue. Decisions about marriage were made by parents. Children didn’t have a say. Today, the scenario is different. Shantanu would fight for his love, unlike Afshan, or maybe Shantanu would not get married at all in such a situation. That said, I do believe in the kind of love where sometimes you have to let go of the beloved so that the beloved can blossom. In the film, Gangu sacrificed her love for greater good so that she could help 4000 women from Kamathipura. I understand that love but I am not very sure if I would make such a hard choice.

How did you manage to shine amidst accomplished seniors in the film industry like Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgan, Seema Pahwa?

I didn’t do anything. It was Sir Bhansali’s conviction and belief that made me shine. I would give all the credit to him. Whichever movie of his you end up watching, you will always remember his characters. That’s the beauty of his storytelling. I had full faith and confidence in him. I never had put in any extra thought in terms of how I will be presented, and whether I will be seen, alongside all my seniors. I felt secure. I tried to do a good job with my performance.

Could you share some anecdotes related to working with them?

Alia is the only one that I had scenes with. She was a bit silent during the making of the film but very helpful. Throughout the filming, she made sure that I was comfortable so that I could deliver to the best of my ability. I don’t have any anecdotes to share. Chhoti chhoti cheezein hoti thi (there were little things), which she used to help with. It was amazing to work with her. She is hard-working but her performance looks effortless.

[caption id=“attachment_10437881” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Shantanu Maheshwari[/caption]

Your favourite scene from the film…

All the songs! They have such meaning, such depth in them. I also love my introduction scene. Afshan has this conversation with Gangubai, where they talk about different shades of white. I called it the ‘safed’ scene. He says that hans wala safed (the white of the swan) would look best on her. He sees her like no one else does. Apparently, the conversation between them is loosely based on a conversation between Bhansali and Sheetal, the film’s costume designer.

Which filmmakers are on your wish list?

I don’t want to restrict myself. I want to be part of good stories, and do challenging roles.

Since you have earned a lot of love as a dancer, would you like to do a dance film?

In Bollywood, there will be many opportunities to show my dancing skills and abilities. As far as a film on the theme of dance is concerned, I would be a bit picky. Very few people would be able to make a dance film that looks and feels authentic. Dance is very close to my heart.  I am not trying to be pompous here, but I have gone through that whole phase of representing India as a dancer. I do not want to repeat myself. I want to challenge myself.

What are the fun things that you do when you are not shooting for films?

I like to read, write, play sports, and dance.

What do you write?

I love writing short pieces that I share with my friends who are better at writing and then we come up with something. These are stories for the web space and films.

What kind of books do you read? 

The Bhagavad Gita, and a lot of fiction. Of late, I have been reading Sidney Sheldon novels.

Chintan Girish Modi is a writer, journalist, commentator and book reviewer.

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