Mumbai, Veteran actor Raghubir Yadav says playing the character of a godman accused of sexual abuse in the latest series “Hunkkaar: The Roar” was an emotionally and physically demanding experience that made him feel he was “fighting death every day”.
The “Panchayat” star plays Sunil “Baapji” Chakosi, a powerful and revered spiritual leader who is accused of sexual harassment by Meenu Rawat, a 17-year-old girl played by Aneet Padda of “Saiyaara” fame.
Asked if he found the role challenging, Yadav said the experience was painful as he had to step into the mind of someone very different from himself and internalise the suffering caused by the character’s actions.
“I am telling the truth I have fought death every single day because of the pain I have gone through with this character,” the 69-year-old told PTI in an interview.
“I am not this person but the pain of what that character had done to others was inside me. That is why my pain was four or five times more,” added Yadav, also known for his performances in acclaimed films such as “Salaam Bombay!”, “Bandit Queen”, “Lagaan”, “Peepli Live”, “Piku” and “Newton”.
Yadav said the character took a toll on his physical health as he had already undergone a stent procedure.
“I have this habit of getting completely immersed in a character, and in this process, my heartbeat would rise. But I was determined to do it and reach that character,” he said.
“So, anyway, I did it. And after doing it, I realised that this was also a matter of courage for me,” he added.
Yadav said he consciously wanted to move away from the character after completing the series.
“I wanted to get out . Then I did another film, which was completely different from this one, and I felt a little reassured. I felt that I was on the right path. Because if my mind started delving in that direction again , I might end up needing another stent in my heart,” he joked.
Yadav, who found fame with his portrayal of the much-loved Brij Bhushan Dubey, better known as Pradhan Ji, in the popular series “Panchayat”, said he is always looking for characters that are different from himself.
“I keep feeling restless to play different kinds of characters. Actually, acting is a very spiritual thing, going from one soul to another should be our nature, our work, our profession and our intention,” he said.
Yadav said exploring emotions that are far removed from one’s own experiences is what makes acting fulfilling.
“We have been taught to feel, but how can you feel something that is so different from you? When you have to put in a lot of effort to feel that character, and you take that effort seriously and dedicate yourself to it, the excitement that comes from it is what makes our profession enjoyable,” he added.
Yadav also said he does not view his long career in terms of struggle, describing it instead as a continuous process of learning and working hard.
“I have never felt that I am struggling. I was just working hard from the bottom of my heart because if I call it a struggle, then what’s the fun in it? I was just working hard and trying to learn, and learn without thinking of it as a struggle,” he said.
“Hunkkaar: The Roar”, which premiered on JioHotstar on Friday, also stars Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ram Kapoor and Zoya Hussain in pivotal roles. The six-episode series is created by Karan D Kapadia and Nitya Mehra.
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