After being an actor on stage and screen and a successful talk show host, Shekhar Suman has now become a teacher. The veteran actor recently launched his Film Academy in Mumbai, where he will teach budding actors the ABC of the craft. We caught up with the 62-year-old on the sidelines of the launch of the Shekhar Suman Film Academy to talk about his journey, lessons, and the impression young actors today make.
You have been an actor and a host on television. But how did the idea of a film academy come about?
This has been on my mind. One of the more cardinal reasons has been that my father was one of the greatest surgeons in this country and also a professor of surgery. And whenever I meet his students, who are now big doctors all over the world, they say, ‘It’s all thanks to your father that we are able to become proficient doctors today’. So, I felt that there’d be a point in my life when I would like to give back to people what I have learned.
You were 20-21 when you started in films. What changes do you see in young actors today from back then?
Shekhar Suman: I think they’re far more disciplined. When you explain a character or give them lines, they’re very professional about it. They will take it up sincerely and perform. But a lot of them don’t know how to approach the role. They probably have the misconception that if you say your lines, you are an actor. They do not understand the character. There are certain areas that they lack, and that’s where the academy comes in. I think today’s generation has completely lost that grip on language. That zubaan has become weak now, particularly their inflexions, intonations, and voice modulation. They’re not too well aware of how to use the voice, and that’s one of the biggest weapons of an actor. Instead of Phool they will say Fool. They’re far removed from pronunciation, and more focused on how they look, whether it’s their hairstyle, makeup or the clothes that they’re wearing or making a great physique. But yes, they’re getting better. They just need to be shown the way.
You say you have chosen to be very hands-on with this. You designed the curriculum yourself, and you want to be involved.
Shekhar Suman: Every second of the day that I spend with them, I want to teach them. I just don’t want to lend my name. Because then that doesn’t mean anything. Then, it becomes a business. I want to be completely hands-on with them.
They say a lot of young actors today, and aspiring actors, particularly make the mistake of wanting to be stars instead of actors. Have you observed that?
Shekhar Suman: That’s the problem with most of them. They are in a hurry to become stars. They want to follow a star. They want to have PR. They want to have bodyguards. They want to have cars. They want clothes, that swag, and all that. So they’re just expending their energy somewhere else. I think stardom will follow naturally when you become a great actor. Once people accept your craft, they accept you as an actor, and you become a star automatically. You don’t have to try for that. But, they’re in a hurry. Their question is, ‘Sir, how can I become a star?’ They never say, ‘Can I become an actor?’ They have these notions in their heads, and they lack that patience.
You yourself have been a student of acting for four decades now. What has been the biggest learning in your journey from films to TV to hosting?
Shekhar Suman: My biggest learning is that there is something to learn every day. Every day you discover something about yourself, about your talent. And I’m still learning. It’s an ongoing process. It never ends.
Apart from his academy, Shekhar Suman is currently seen on his new talk show, Shekhar Tonite. It streams on YouTube, with weekly episodes featuring a new guest. A promo for the show hinted at guests like Manoj Bajpayee, Bobby Deol, Farah Khan, and Ali Fazal.