Struggle is a bad word

Tall (6' 2"), fair with a taut physique, Raahul Maharya, who enacts the royal character of the young prince in Zubeidaa, hails from a family of jagirdars of Udaipur.

And it shows -- his visage fairly screams regal and royal.

After studying at the Mayo College in Ajmer, Raahul joined St Xavier's College, Bombay, for all the masti and mazaa offered by the college's extra-curricular activities.

While there, he also modelled for prestigious brands like MaxTouch, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra.

"About 10 companies," informs Raahul, with a wave of hand, as if they were trivial and things of the distant past.

Raahul has also done some TV serials like Chahat Aur Nafrat, Rishtey and Saboot.

Gajaa meets Raahul. Excerpts:

How did you land the role in Zubeidaa?

I used to meet Shyam Babu (Shyam Benegal) quite regularly.

When I heard about Zubeidaa, I told him that I would fit the lead man's role perfectly. Given my background, I felt I could play the character with all the necessary royal nuances. But I proved too late for the hero's part.

Shyam Babu had already roped in Manoj Bajpai to do the role that I wanted. But I didn't lose hope. I insisted on playing whatever role that he thought would suit me.

Shyam Babu was considerate enough to give me the young prince's role (younger brother of Manoj Bajpai).

Which was the first scene you did in your first film? And how did feel when you faced the camera for the first time?

The first scene was a part of the climax scene. And I was my normal self while enacting it.

After doing the scene, Shyam Babu gave me a reassuring pat, saying, "You have a future ahead of you."

To reel back a little, when were you bitten by the acting bug?

I wasn't bitten. Had the bug bitten me, I would have had a swelling!

Jokes apart, the urge for acting just crept into me when I was around 14-15 years old. As a child, I never in my dreams thought of taking up acting as a career. It is only later that I seriously thought of becoming an actor.

That's why you came to Bombay to do modelling and TV serials?

No, my dream was restricted to acting on the big screen. The modelling and TV assignments just happened to come about. I did them to keep myself moving, to keep my body's engine from rusting.

But why acting, of all the professions?

Because action matters the most in life. By action, I mean movement, progress. Not fighting. Action is generally a filmi connotation for fighting scenes!

What if you hadn't made it as an actor in films?

I would have tried a career in wildlife research or tried to become a cop. Both these fields involve a lot of action.

Any humiliating experiences you encountered while struggling to make space for yourself?

Struggle, for me, is a bad word. Why do you have to struggle for anything if you aspire to do something you love?

Struggle is a negative word. When you introduce yourself to anyone as a struggler, you are sure to be sidelined or given false hopes.

What was your main consideration when you were seeking work in films?

I went to meet people with a very positive frame of mind. And I used to meet only those people who, I thought, would care to take a good look at me and my photographs.

Did it work?

Yes, very much so.

I am been considered by director Priyadarshan to play one of the leads in a two-hero film of his.

In Goldie Behl's Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai, I play a hardcore nationalist student leader. Also, there are some more films in the pipeline, for which negotiations are on.

By God's grace, I am doing a variety of characters which should help me from being typecast.

Does your ambition stop at acting?

No, yeh Raahul maange more!

Some day, I might produce films based on my own scripts. Yes, I have written, too. But that's another story...