The (Rising) Legend of Kumud Mishra

In case you are worried there’s going to be a sequel to the recently released The Legend of Michael Mishra starring Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani, no my blog isn’t about that. (Do I hear a collective sigh of relief?) Anyway, today’s post puts under the scanner someone who contributed to the success of films like Rockstar, Filmistan, Badlapur, Airlift, Sultan and Rustom. I’m talking about an actor who has managed to hold his own among the heavily star-led plots of today, to gain a steady spot in many a film as well as win critical acclaim. So say hello to the very ubiquitous character actor Kumud Mishra, who is very well becoming the quintessential supporting cast member in every film of worth these days. A good film is impossible without a cast that manages to convince you of the twists and turns that a story takes you through. What this man is effortlessly able to do is stand out for his performances, each more different than the other. What this essentially does for him is keep him malleable to any form of character- without getting typecast and add to what most actors only aspire to achieve but most often cannot in their lifetime- versatility.

Having your roots in theatre always helps an actor discover aspects and shades to a role he might not have ever dreamt of otherwise. Films are the glamorous outcomes of your creativity. Meanwhile, theatre is what hones its making through learning the grammar of how to assimilate technique and spontaneity to form a novel mix of self-expression. I have met Mr. Mishra much before he hit bull’s eye in Bollywood and remember him as a portly gentleman with a glint in his eye, all excited and a tad impatient to start his workshop with kids during the first edition of the NCPA Summer Fiesta in Mumbai. He was accompanied by another fine actor Gopal Dutt. Little did I know then that this man was going to become such an indelible part of mainstream films that would resound with the impact he left on them, however small or big his role.

So just to start off, Rockstar which propelled Mishra in to the big league of films was a fine example of how he can add an earnest and endearing edge to his characters. In the role as Khatana, a college canteen owner who goes on to offer support as the faithful and well-intentioned agent to an unruly star Ranbir Kapoor, he lends a quiet, all-observing, resilient air to his character throughout the film. You know Ranbir may not achieve redemption in his life but you also know that there is someone who will stand by him, no matter how hard his fall.

In Filmistaan, Mishra dons the forever agitated, fanatic garb of a menacing terrorist pathan, out to kill his Indian hostage at the slightest discrepancy of behaviour. The film for the most part rests on the shoulders of Sharib Hashmi, the kidnapped victim of circumstances, Inaamulhaaq the solicitous caretaker and Mishra who keeps the stoicism of the oppressor intact till the end.

One of my favourite picks among his recent successful outings are however, him as Inspector Govind Mishra in Badlapur. Working on a case without much promise of justice to the wronged, he convincingly magnifies the languorous, ineffectual and ultimately corrupt workings of a decrepit Indian legal system, which has often generated severe criticism, cause for concern, and the need for reform.

The second is his depiction of Joint Secretary Sanjeev Kohli in the Akshay Kumar starrer Airlift, who goes out of his way to play an integral role in the rescue of 1,70,000 Indians in the country’s biggest evacuation operation. We don’t know whether his role has a real counterpart in the incident that unfolded close to three decades ago in Kuwait but his character manages to make you hope that such a man existed, and such men do exist in an otherwise negligent bureaucracy.

Mishra has not stopped to enjoy the laurels of his efforts and has continued to ignite the screen with his passion, albeit in less significant roles in films like Sultan as the hard-to-please wrestling coach Barkat and the incorrigible tabloid editor Erach Billimoria in Rustom.

He is soon to be seen in M.S Dhoni- The Untold Story coaching Sushant Singh Rajput on the cricket field based on Indian captain M S Dhoni’s journey so far. While I hope Mishra continues to get multi-faceted roles which he can bite in to with the same fervour and spark he has shown so far, I am also hoping he can make time to be a part of children’s workshops to hone their artistic skills again!

Imperfect Accent? Yenna Rascala, Mind it!

Critics may have panned it and the producers may have come back with an announcement of raking in INR 100 crore at the box office in the first week but the truth is, Rustom is still a film that has earned mixed reviews from the audience. Among the various factors that have disappointed the public is the claim that the dapper Punjabi Akshay Kumar does not get the Parsi lingo and mannerisms right to the point that he ends up doing a superficial impersonation of Rustom Pavri in this period drama. Whether Akshay has taken this criticism with a pinch of salt we know not, but the argument is that he is hardly the first superstar to be guilty as charged. There are superstars aplenty in tinsel town who may enjoy the clout to pull the audiences to the theatres but have managed to leave a lot of expectations unfulfilled when it comes to pouring themselves in to a certain mould- whether that is catching a whiff of an accent here or mouthing an odd line or two in the regional language of the community they pretend to belong to for their respective roles. 

Think Shahrukh Khan as Devdas playing the quintessential Bengali son of a well-placed zamindar in 20^th century Calcutta. Everytime he uttered a word of Bengali, every Indian who knows a bit of the language cringed. I mean, how much effort does it take to get a few words right when you are basing the character in a certain region? And while you may nod your head in defiance and say how much does that really affect the performance, I have examples to cite that will hold a light to this thought. Remember Leonardo Di Caprio in Blood Diamond and his Rhodesian street-smart, uncouth accent that he got right and stuck to throughout the film? Well, I believe how well you enact a role includes not only your dialogue delivery and emotional range but how you manage to convincingly depict the character in his/her cultural milieu as well. Still not convinced, let these brilliant actors come to your aid.

Mahmood in Padosan: As a Madrasi complete with a pigtail and bhasm on his forehead, in this film Mahmood plays a music teacher Master Pillai who is besotted with his pupil Saira Banu aka Bindu. He sings songs to serenade her, vows to get rid of the pesky neighbour in her saamne waali khidki and can make any one who challenges him to a contest of better vocal talent eat dust. Mahmood who looked like he was born to play this character charmed the audiences as hero Sunil Dutt’s adversary. He won himself more fans than the lead stars of this film by getting nuances of playing a Tamilian Pandit right, down to singing a rendition of his love-lorn condition to prove his superiority against the protagonist in ‘Ek Chatur naar badi hoshiyaar.’ Not to forget, he was in reel and real life, matching notes with the legendary stalwart Kishore Kumar himself!

Naseeruddin Shah in Pestonjee: From sporting a permanent slouch to give emphasis to the underdog character he plays, to blinking his eyes occasionally to convey anxiety and belting out dialogues in an accent that completes his mien as the eponymous character in Pestonjee, Naseer’s acting is a textbook for freshers in how to dissolve yourself in to the character you play.

Paresh Rawal in the Hera Pheri series: From his intonation of ‘Ae Raju’ to ‘Arre Deva re Deva’ to convey exasperation, it looks like Paresh Rawal ate thaleepeeth for dinner everyday to get in to the character of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte. The films may be 16 and 10 years old respectively, but this is a much-loved weekend watch everytime it comes on television for my entire family.

Quote Unquote: Kutriya saala, dekh ke number dial kar!

Aamir Khan in PK: No matter what film he takes on, this man makes sure he undergoes a complete transformation to essay the character. For Rajkumar Hirani’s film on an alien who comes to earth and unravels the mysteries behind religious beliefs held by human beings, he made sure he got the lilt and flow of the Bhojpuri accent right as well as synced it with his comic timing to perfection.

Quote Unquote: Aise tukur tukur ka dekhat pehchane nahi ka hum ka, hum pk hoon pk.

Kangana Ranaut in Tanu Weds Manu Returns as Kusum: And just in case this list begins to look too male-centric, here’s another one. She might be sentimental but don’t mistake this petite, pale-skinned girl for a vulnerable girl next door. Kangana as Kusum or Datto in the second installment of this hit franchise managed to lift the film to new heights by her sheer screen presence and electric performance. Playing a Haryanvi athlete who falls for a very much married but confused doctor, she managed to win hearts carrying the film right on her shoulders to the very last scene. What stood out, was her completely different avatar with cropped hair and buck teeth and yes, the perfect hold on the dialect.

Quote Unquote: Mhara naam Kusum Sanghvani, Yo Mhari saheli Pinky, Main Ramjas college Delhi University me padhu su, sports quote te admission leya, National level ki athlete su, jila Jhajjar, aur phone number main daunko naa!

So next time our highly venerated and larger-than-life superstars of Bollywood take on a role with an unfamiliar accent, they know whom to take inspiration from!

The Pihu Diary: Turning two= twice the trouble!

Parents are the most vulnerable set of adults you will ever find this side of the century, especially when they happen to have a nuclear family set-up. Being bread- winners and caretakers may seem part of the basic plot, but that’s hardly skimming the surface. Bending over backwards in order to keep their kids in place while managing to ignore every other concern on the planet including personal well-being comes as a guaranteed twist to their plan of action. And believe it or not, this realisation hits you pretty early, in fact as soon as your kid hits the dreaded age of two.

When a lot of parents warned me about kids in their terrible twos and having seen some of them myself, I lent a sympathetic ear and nodded my head rather sagely but little did I know it encompassed every little kid in its ambit- no matter how docile or well-behaved he or she might seem early on. So when Pihu approached the wild and whacky phase of toddlerhood, I least imagined keeping my fingers crossed every time she took a nap hoping I would get some ‘me time’ or at least attend to an odd chore here or an urgent errand there. And before you know it, my very socially amiable and quick on the uptake tiny tot was all over the house, scurrying across to every prohibited nook and corner, raiding my boudoir and seizing everything ‘adult’ within her puny hand’s reach, from her granny’s specs to her dad’s laptop. No matter what she lay eyes on, if it was within touching distance, it must be held, hot or cold, sharp or blunt, greasy or dry, liquid or solid,…I think you get the picture.

As a new parent determined to prove my mettle when it came to being attentive and meticulous while safeguarding my child from any potential danger, I started developing a sixth sense. Gaining insights in to future risks by studying behavioural patterns and mood swings helped me get premonitions about what could possibly be her next move. This was essential to nip the adventurous spirit of my child in the bud before her next fall or injury. As a compensatory token of appreciation, I must pat my back for securing this precarious sense of victory no matter how short-lived by catching her before she slipped on a wet floor, toppled the contents of a bottle of lotion, broke a glass container or misplaced a set of keys. Unfortunately, I also couldn’t stop her from doing much more as it sunk in that no matter how smart you think you may be, there is someone two steps ahead even at a teensie-weensie fraction of your age. That however, does not mean you can admit defeat and wave the white flag just yet because no matter how cumbersome it may be, seeing her in some sort of trouble is too nerve-wracking a thought to ignore her antics. In other words, you can’t run, and you can’t hide.

On the bright side, Pihu’s constant need for activity means she has begun to exercise her exploratory bent of mind, learn through observation and imitation and exhibit large and fine motor skills. She can swap and change sizes of pictures on a mobile screen besides typing out digits, she can identify every person by relation and picks up new words everyday enough to form sentences that are coherent and clear in thought and speech. She gets excited by the name of ‘school’ enough to wake up and brush her teeth herself everyday, likes to pick her clothes when going out and prefers to dine at the table with adults with her own set of cutlery all by herself. So much growth at such speed sometimes does make you wonder about God’s way of creating and making us adapt to our environments so naturally. With so much energy and intellectual capacity, what exactly is going on in the mind of a two year old? Does a child this young have the ability to understand what she is up against and the worldly expectations that are fast piling up on her? Or is she content knowing that she simply exists, can run about and scream and shout without a care? I may be wrong but it’s hard to miss the look of sheer satisfaction when she is lying beside her mom and dad on both sides, with one arm around one’s neck and her other hand fondling the other’s ear. It’s a look that says here I am and this is what makes me happy. I am the link between both of you and this is where I belong. It’s a fact that is irrefutable and full of promise and a thought that is as comforting as it is exciting at the same time.