There is something new to do in ROKKK: Sachin Khedekar

Sachin Khedekar, who played the role of Home Minister Shivshanakar in the recently released film Shadow, is popular on small, as well as silver screen for the last 25 years. Rang Rasiya, Jaan Ki Baaji, Jor Laga ke Haiyya, Ek- Power of One, are some such films which show the creative side of Sachin.

Sachin started his career with Imtihaan serial and then graduated on to silver screen with Astitva, where he made his mark doing a negative role in his very first film. Though he is equally busy in theatre as well as films, Sachin loves doing theatres. Acting has become his second nature, as he has been acting since his childhood in Marathi and Hindi theatres and hardly any retakes are needed while he shoots for his films.

Born at VilleParle in Mumbai, Sachin joined the theatre group of famous actor-director VInay Apte. This evergreen actor is now busy shooting for ROKKK being produced under the banner of Ikon Films by Krishna Chaudhary, Sumit Sahgal, and,Vipin Jain. The film ROKKK is being shot at Future Studio of Mumbai. We had a small chat with him on the sets where he was shooting with much talked about actress Tanushri Dutta. Presented here are the excerpts from the interview:

Let us start with your role in the film ROKK.

I am doing the role of Ravi Malhotra, a simple straightforward youth. Anushka (Tanushri) is my wife and Nishi (Preeti Sharma) is my sister. Udita Goswami is playing the role of my sister-in-law (saali) and Shaad Randhawa is playing her boyfriend.

And something about today’s shoots?

It is my marriage anniversary celebrated in a Bungalow I am presenting to my wife on this anniversary. Party is due tonight and the preparation is going on.

What is special in this film?

I can’t give you the details. You will have to ask Rajesh Ransinghe. As this is a horror and suspense thriller nothing should be divulged ahead of the release. But coming to my role, my wife feels that something strange is happening with her since she came here. We have got many rituals performed by exorcists before we are shifting here. My wife is scared, and so am I. It appears that some magical power wants to disturb us. So we are moving around in the house scared inside.

Have you ever felt such incidents in your real life?

No, I don’ believe in these superstitions. But even today we had a strange experience here on the sets. Everything was arranged, Rangoli and all, for today’s shooting and director and producer left yesterday after everything was properly locked. But when we arrived today everything was dispersed. What to say about this? Some say that it is due to the scene shot yesterday to exorcize the ghost. Only God knows more.

Director Rajesh Ransinghe belongs to small screen. Were you in tune with him from there?

We are known to each other for years, but have-not got the chance to work together. This film has given that chance for us to work together. It is also my first opportunity to work with Krishna Chaudhary, Sumeet Sehgal, and Vipin Jain of Ikkon Films. Sumeet Sehgal is an established artist, so he knows the job; Krishna Chaudhary is also a known personality. He has made Bhoot Uncle and Right yaaa Wrong earlier.

What is your attitude towards acting?

I don’t think acting is by birth or by training. Acting improves with practice. Much you work, much you learn. I am a Marathi and I learnt Hindi the hard way, and I am still learning. I read Hindi newspapers loudly, so that I can deliver my dialogues effectively.

You are on both the screens, small as well as silver. Which one is more important?

I started with small screen and earned my recognition from there. Now, I am working more for the silver screen. The difference I felt is that one looks smaller on TV, while big on cinema screen. People forget you once the serial become old in memory, while they remember cinema personalities longer.

How do you bring variations in your roles?

I always want to do roles with a difference. When they become similar I move to theatre where a new Sachin grows with a new energy. For example, my upcoming film is Ek Thi Raani, which is based on the life of Vijaya Raje Scindhia and I am doing the role of Sardar Angre. Another film Ravan by Maniratnam has me in a govt. Officer role.

‘Shadow’ - blind hero Nasser proves many a point

Film: “Shadow”

Director: Rohit Nayyar; Cast: Nasser Khan, Sonali Kulkarni, Milind Soman, Hrishita Bhatt, Sachin Khedekar, Sameer Aftab, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Soniya Mehra

You know for sure it’s B-Grade cinema you are venturing into. Especially with as many as three item numbers, one Bond-esque title track sequence and a 90s style ‘rabba mere rabba’ love song waiting to unfold. Still, you want to see what exactly did actor Nasser Khan mean when he hissed in the promos — ‘Mission To Poora Hoga’?

In this context, the mission indeed got accomplished, at least for Nasser, since he proved to the world with this film that nothing is actually impossible. Despite being blind, he comes up with a full-fledged hero’s part where he kills, dances, indulges in comedy, gives instructions as ‘the boss’, performs stunts, gets sentimental about his ‘zameer’ and challenges cops.

Does he perform well? No. Does he deliver? Yes. And this is where the difference lies. He knows his limitations and hence doesn’t allow many expectations to be built around him. So whatever minimal he delivers for the camera, it only appears to be an added incentive.

So much so that he kills builders in Mumbai, gets good media coverage, charges as high as Rs.2 crore for a killing, works as a car mechanic in a cover-up job, wears countless disguises, operates through the outskirts of Bangkok and camouflages it as ‘aamchi Mumbai’. Not just that, he also makes the woman cop (Sonali Kulkarni) go weak in her knees as she announces in front of her entire department that she is in love with him.

Having said that, “Shadow” moves at a rapid pace. But there isn’t anything terrific about the plot or its treatment by director Rohit Nayyar. However, since “Shadow” doesn’t come with any expectations, even those routine moments seem good in the context of the film.

Things do slip in the last 30 minutes though. Ideally, the film should have wrapped up soon after Nasser is caught by the cops. However, an entirely new chapter opens soon after as the motive behind him turning contract killer and the flashback sequence is beamed all over TV channels and radio stations.

And there an item song picturised on Sonali Kulkarni that seems completely out of place.

From the performance standpoint though, Sonali tries to be as earnest as possible in the given set-up though she is visibly uncomfortable in her song and dance sequence. Milind Soman does carry a charm with him. Sachin Khedekar plays the quintessential corrupt politician well.

As for Nasser, his act and dialogue delivery would make amateurs confident enough to try their luck in Bollywood. And yet, there is something about him that makes you curious enough to check what “Shadow” is all about.