Rohit Roy: I used to be destined to play BR Ambedkar
Actor Rohit Roy, who’s all set to essay the position of BR Ambedkar in a grand musical, believes he was destined to play this “larger-than-life personality” on stage.
The extraordinary life and legacy of Ambedkar is all set to return alive in a Broadway-style spectacular musical, to be hosted from February 25 to March 12 on the JLN Stadium right here.
“I have done all genres and all mediums, from TV to theatre to films to OTT platforms. But, when I was preparing for this role, one thing that really helped me was the similarity that I feel between his life and my life, which is that we both had to struggle,” he mentioned.
“He (Ambedkar), despite his academic achievements and calibre, till the end of his life kept struggling to tell society that all humans must be equal. I also have struggled in my career, had no godfather in the industry and kept working to move ahead. So, I feel I was, in a way, destined to play his role,” Roy informed PTI in an interview.
The 53-year-old actor recommended that the grand musical, hosted by the Delhi authorities, ought to be made a “travelling show” in order that “Ambedkar’s life story in this spectacular avatar” will be taken to varied components of India and overseas.
The script of the play is embedded with social commentary on the plight of the Dalit neighborhood and their battle, even after 75 years of Independence, he mentioned.
Asked in regards to the present scenario of Dalits and vote-bank politics performed of their identify, he mentioned it was unhappy that social divisions nonetheless existed in society.
“He was against the unequal situation of our society, and he was right. And, how can you treat two citizens of the country differently? We see division on religious lines, societal lines, and then you have the social division of humans as per four or five different parameters which doesn’t make sense and it is not even logical.”
Rohit Roy alleged that right now, division in society appears to be extra on spiritual traces, however caste-based divisions exist. He mentioned there’s a line within the play which works, “Today, many people have also accepted inequality in our society, which is sad”.
The play on the architect of the Indian Constitution might be showcased on a 100-ft enviornment having a 40-ft revolving stage, which has been mounted with thematic design. Stagecraft additionally contains digital props and spectacular play of sunshine and shadow.
The music and songs, embody contributions from the Indian Ocean band, and singer Shubha Mudgal has lent her highly effective voice to the climax music, which Roy mentioned, “It gave me goosebumps”.
“The music and Indian Ocean songs, especially at the climax, add a totally different layer to the show. And, I am sure, at the end of the over two-hour-long performance, it will not be just entertainment for people, but the audience will certainly take home the message that we intend to drive home, which is the values that Babasaheb stood for and fought for,” he added.
About 30 supporting solid and crew members, drawn largely from an performing studio in Delhi, are a part of the manufacturing.
When requested about his preparation to essay the position, Roy mentioned, “I have tried to slip emotionally into his character – how Babasaheb would have spoken those lines and how he would have reacted to a particular situation. And, the script is wonderful, and non-preachy, and I keep doing my lines over and over again, to deliver them more effectively”.
The actor mentioned Ambedkar’s portrayal in cinema, theatres and documentaries has largely been “very academic and preachy in nature” however this musical is completely totally different from earlier renditions.
The script emphasises on the significance of training as a way of self-empowerment. “I feel one of the turning points in his life was his steadfast struggle for education, especially at Elphinstone College in Bombay,” mentioned the actor, additionally identified for movies like LOC: Kargil, Fashion and Kaabil.
