Sharman Joshi, who tickled our funny bones as Bunty in Style and moved us to tears as Raju Rastogi in 3 Idiots, is a powerful actor. In this interview, Sharman shared anecdotes related to his career.
How Was Style Made?
At that time, very few youthful comedy films like this were being made. The biggest credit for this goes to director N. Chandra. He was at the peak of his career at that time and he put his heart and soul into this film. It was a great honor for us to get the opportunity to work with him, as he was known for serious films like Ankush and Pratighaat. Shifting from there to a college comedy was a big change for him. He gave us proper training for a month. We used to go to his office every day and rehearse like we were preparing for a theater play.
The Magic Of 3 Idiots Is Still Intact Today, How Do You See This?
What can I say! Even today, when people meet me, they say that they have seen this film 20 times. I am in Bhutan right now, and a very shy girl sitting in front of me told me that she has seen this film 20 times. When people meet me, they talk as if they saw the film just yesterday. The impact of this film on people is very deep, and the love I receive even today makes it hard to believe that 16 years have passed.
Did You Give Any Creative Input For The Character Of Raju?
Oh no, not at all! Rajkumar Hirani sir’s script was so incredibly clear that there was no scope for any kind of improvisation. He had thought of everything in such detail that we just had to perform it. Yes, there’s a little anecdote. When I became a bit more comfortable with Raju Sir, towards the end of the film, when Millimeter meets him years later, during rehearsals I said… “Sir, he’s become a centimeter now!”
Does Theater Help With Your Film Performances?
Absolutely! I believe that just as singers practice, theater is a kind of practice for actors. I’ve noticed that when I’m doing a play and then go to a film set, my timing and sense of rhythm are much better. Whether it’s a comedy scene or a drama, the alertness that comes from theater is useful everywhere. In films or on OTT platforms, you have the option of retakes. If a shot isn’t right, you can do it again, so you’re a little more relaxed. But in theater, there’s no room for error. You have to be alert all the time.
