Supermodel-turned-actor SAHIL SALATHIA, who debuted with Ashutosh Gowariker’s TV show Everest, will next be seen in Bhushan Gaur’s There Will Be Tomorrow, a feature film on AIDS. In an interview with Shreyansh Rawat, he says he will return to TV only with a progressive show
The trailer of There Will Be Tomorrow is drawing tremendous response. How was the experience of doing the movie?
Playing a character which has HIV positive could be really tough. For me, it was emotionally draining because I could feel what my character was going through. In the end, I’m an artiste and I found it creatively satisfying.
How does the movie break stigmas?
It breaks many stereotypes. In India, HIV is considered a taboo. It is shocking that people are still uneducated about the disease. There could be multiple reasons for this syndrome. With support and strength, one can actually defeat it successfully. People do not know that if one partner in a couple or even both of them are affected by the disease, they can still have a normal healthy baby.
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Where did you draw your references from to play a character with AIDS?
I met a lot of HIV specialists and doctors. Director Bhushan Gaur did tremendous homework before the film hit the floor. We all were clear of what we were going for. So most of the scenes were okayed in one take. I learnt about real life incidents and did my extensive research to prepare for the character. I hope I have done justice to the film.
You started off with Ashutosh Gowariker’s Everest. We thought you would be on a signing spree!
I am super choosy (chuckles). I think I have set the bar for myself. When you work with icons like Ashutosh Gowariker, you are expected to do quality work only. I am determined to take my career graph notches high. Twenty years down the line, when you speak to me again, I want you to know me as an actor who has done phenomenally good work. I don’t believe in quantity. I want to be respected for my work.
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But how did the industry respond post Everest?
I’ve been offered a lot of shows. If I find something impressive, I will take it up. I have done There Will Be Tomorrow because I was really touched by the topic. I am also doing a Hindi movie which we are going to talk about soon.
Would you do TV again? What kind of roles would you prefer?
I would love to do progressive roles, something that adds to the society. For me, creative satisfaction is as important as money and fame. I’m the kind of guy who tries to find balance between all these things.
With religions, superstitions, black magic ruling the television, where do you see the idiot box going?
I don’t see myself doing black magic so I wouldn’t want to comment. I think every show has a certain audience. These shows are being made because people are watching them. They have got maximum TRPs. Maybe they have the audience in small towns and villages and it’s great that certain actors are catering to that audience as well.
Who are the actors you look up to?
I admire Aamir Khan for his knack of choosing unique characters. Take PK, Rang De Basanti or any of his films, his characters are so well chalked out in terms of look, language and body. I also like Farhan Akhtar for his devotion to his roles. For me, he was ‘the Milkha Singh’ in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. I love artistes who make me forget about their real personality.
Why did an engineer have to turn into an actor?
I was a decent student but it was destiny to become an actor. Maybe, God’s plan. I found my calling in modelling which led to acting. Nalini Rathnam, who was the casting director for Everest, spotted me in a TV commercial and fixed my meeting with Ashutosh Sir. I was selected for the role and even got Best Debut Award at Lion Gold Awards. If you do your job sincerely, it will give you good returns.
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
There will be Tomorrow addresses hopes and failures of the couples affected by HIV. While there have been many films on HIV awareness, There will be Tomorrow specifically focusses on HIV victims having their own uninfected babies. Recently, director Bhushan Gaur and his team screened the movie at the HIV Congress held in Goa and were felicitated by the governor of Goa and HIV congress for their contribution in raising awareness about the disease.
Commenting on the same, Bhushan Gaur says, “Urge for progeny is basic for any human being. Millions of HIV patients world over lose hope in life. They believe their end is near and there is nothing much that they can do to their lives or to the world. I read an interesting story somewhere about an HIV infected man having his own uninfected baby and it lead me into a prolonged research. What resulted was a beautiful and very relatable story for just anyone.”
