Eklavya Sood on becoming an actor: My most primary inspiration is my mother

Web-series Raisinghani vs Raisinghani actor Eklavya Sood.

Awestruck eyes beaming with pride as his mother performed on stage, actor Eklavya Sood who is part of the web-series Raisinghani vs Raisinghani, says it was his mother’s theatre days that inspired him to become an actor and eventually join showbiz. Eklavya, who is known for his projects such as Trek to Neverland, InCar and Setters, says that besides his mother, his understanding of the craft was derived from watching the icons of Hindi cinema as well as Hollywood actors perform on screen.

“The most beautiful thing about this craft is that you don't have to be big or very popular, you just need to be passionate and talented. Being an actor is more important than being a star, because if you become a good actor, stardom will definitely follow. When I moved to Mumbai initially, I realised I should not try to chase fame, but rather craft. That is a journey that should be pursued. And I feel that I have come a long way since and I still have a long way to go.” he says.

He adds, “My most primary inspiration is my mother. I saw her on stage for the first time when I was five or six years old. She was a fantastic theatre actor and even won the Smita Patil award. I started on this journey of becoming an actor at a very young age, but it was only a hobby for me back then. I was part of a lot of school plays, then I did theatre in college. But the real awakening happened when I was pursuing a bachelor's in Commerce from St. Xavier's College, Calcutta. I got an opportunity to work with Jayant Kripalani and it was then that I considered making my leap to showbiz. I was lucky enough to meet a couple of very senior theatre actors and directors, who guided me. I watched a lot of films and a lot of interviews given by senior actors like Marlon Brando, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Al Pacino, Daniel Day Lewis to understand what this field was all about. There was a transition in me, and soon acting transformed from being a hobby to my passion.”

As for watching other actors in the field, he says, “There are many actors who have inspired me, to be really honest. I mean, if you start from India, I think I would like to start from Guru Dutt, who was not only an actor, but such a legendary filmmaker, and a creative artist. Then there is Amitabh Bachchan sir, late actor Irrfan, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. I think Amir Khan sir is a brilliant actor as well. Also, I have been inspired a lot by the lives and performances of many Hollywood actors as well. These actors like Marlon Brando, Daniel Day Lewis, Tom Hanks. Robert De Niro have inspired me. I loved this film called Pianist, and I was so inspired by the work of Adrian Broody.”

In fact, he says he remembers the exact moment in his life that led him on to the journey of discovering facets of the film industry. “I remember, I was in Delhi for a play when I met director Ravi Kaushal. He encouraged me to enroll in the film appreciation course at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. And that broke down the entire concept of a film for me. I dove deep into the world of films and the different facets a film has. It's not just about the actors performing. After that course I saw cinema as an artist form and not just a medium for entertainment. I was aware that there was an entire learning arc that I had to master to be part of this field. But it was a lot of fun, yet there were times when it got very frustrating. There was a lot of trial and error at my part initially, and there is even now. But the thing that has remained constant is that whatever I do, I have to put my heart into it and give my 100 per cent. When you do that, you are bound to have fun.” he says.