He is on a roll. Anshumaan Pushkar gravitated towards acting after moving to Mumbai in 2010 to obtain an MBA degree. But after training with Nadira Babbar’s theatre group, Ekjute, he debuted on stage and then on television with the historical drama series Chandrashekhar (2018), which premiered on Star Bharat. In 2020, Anshumaan acted in the crime drama series Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega and his performance earned him popularity.
Maalik actor Anshumaan Pushkar on whether he is a method actor or from the school of spontaneity, “I could say I am a mix of both”
His next acting venture was the web series, Kathmandu Connection and its second season. Anshumaan then went on to play a pivotal role in Grahan, another significant web series, and then confirmed his scene-stealing ability as Gauri bhaiya in 12th Fail. And now, he has made a solid mark in the film, Maalik, as Rajkummar Rao’s loyal buddy, Badhauna.
Ask him for starters whether he believes in method acting or the school of spontaneity and Anshumaan replies, “I wouldn’t say I follow a certain fixed parameter or methodology. As a theatre actor, you go through all the processes already. In some cases, I understand that method acting is working and I go along with that. Mostly, in the current scenario, you understand the story and the emotion behind it. Yes, I could say I am a mix of both!”
As a big fan of Rajkummar Rao, what aspect of his acting did he particularly like? “Yaar, he is sincere and prepared and has complete command on his craft! I have been watching him since the beginning and every time he surprises me! You never see expressions like the ones he provides. Like in Ragini MMS, the way he has portrayed his role, I have never seen anyone doing such a thing in my life! He gets completely into character and has achieved so much, including his National award, and has a great understanding of everything.”
The actor adds that his impression of Rajkummar has only become bigger after meeting and watching him. “He was laughing a minute before the camera and slipped instantaneously into a serious scene. As a person, he has a lovable child-like innocence even now!”
Anshumaan also admires many other actors very highly. “Small nuances of actors impress me. I have been influenced by actors like Mithun Chakraborty, Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha, whose films were the rage in my home state of Bihar in my childhood. I believe that cinema changed in 1999 and I love actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan-sir and Prashant Narayanan. I cannot imagine Shah Rukh Khan in the way he projected himself so differently in Swades. So there are diverse performances that impress me. There are so many actors…!”
Why is his filmography so limited over eight years of work? Why is he so choosy? “This is a world of the Navras, and I like to choose what intrigues me. There is a beautiful line in the book, Ashadh Ka Ek Din, which says that capability is only one-fourth of the game, and three-fourths is in the way you work and that’s how the world sees you. You just called me ‘choosy’. I do choose the patterns in which I work, but only from whatever is offered to me. I will do that kind of work jisse main apne aap ko sthaapit (establish) kar sakoon!”
But doesn’t he feel that most of his work, especially in his web series, has a similar grey tenor? “That was not done deliberately. I loved certain aspects of each character I was offered. I like roles that have different shades, like how the sweet young boy of Grahan gets into trouble and becomes someone different!” he said.
Anshumaan admits that he has had a late start in his career. “My interest was there since childhood, as I hailed from a family that was mad about movies. But it was after my graduation that I turned to theatre and later auditioned for serials.”
Ask him about the differences in acting in the three mediums of theatre, television and cinema and he replies, “There is no difference, except that maybe in theater the projection is high. It’s a live art, so attention is needed and it is like a temple of education. You have to go on, for example, even if you have a painful back or a hurt arm!”
He goes on, “In web series, you get more time, so you have elaborated characters. In cinema, you do get time, but you have to say more in less time than in series. But the intensity, involvement and understanding are the same.”
Anshumaan is set to do one more film and one web series now. So which filmmakers are now on his wish-list? “Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap and Imtiaz Ali,” he replies. “But what matters more is whether I am in their wish-list!”
And what about theatre today? “I still watch plays. I do regret not doing them as theatre demands full-time attention, which I cannot give now. But I will do so whenever I have the time,” he signs off.
Also Read: Saloni Batra opens up on what drew her to Murderbaad; says, “I’ve always been drawn to thrillers”
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