Don’t look for validation, just focus on work: Namit Das – bollywood

After playing the boy-next-door kind of characters in many TV shows including Sumit Sambhal Lega, actor Namit Das has proved his talent in films like Sui Dhaaga and Pataakha (both 2018), and then upped his game with negative roles in web shows Abhay and the much recent, Aarya. 

He says, “It is always challenging to do roles that one hasn’t done before. I am glad that people loved and appreciated the performances as success does taste sweet.” Das believes that being at the right place at the right time works in a career like acting. “The waiting game too can affect actors as the time between projects is tough to pass. As it is there is a lot of negativity in the air these days and people are blaming each other. But one has to be positive and keep moving from one project to the other. I am lucky as I work on my music with my band, which has helped during the lockdown, as we have been putting up quarantine covers,” says the actor who will be seen in Mira Nair’s web show, A Suitable Boy next. 

With actor Sushant Singh’s death sparking outrage and conversations around nepotism and camps in Bollywood gaining momentum, Das reveals that though his dad is a musician, he entered the industry as an outsider. He says, “It takes time for someone who doesn’t have a Godfather. But one has to put in hard work, even if you are a star kid. With Sushant, people forget that he was an extremely successful actor, who had achieved a lot at such a young age, which was possible only due to his talent. It is unfortunate that he was going through some mental health issues and that needs to be in conversation. We need to learn about it. Let’s not blame anyone and instead of being judgmental, help someone who isn’t doing well in life. We have to become stronger and focus on talent. We need to think about how can we save ourselves from an emotional state where we want to end everything? The comparisons need to stop. “Don’t look for validation. Just focus on work.”

Das says his mantra to remain calm and focused is to thank people during the highs in his life and introspect in a low phase. “Today, I am happy that people are talking about my work but when I didn’t have these highs, even then, I wasn’t affected.”