HIGHLY respected acting coach Saurabh Sachdeva has gone beyond teaching the finer points of the craft and is regularly called upon to show off his own impressive range as a performer in diverse projects, ranging from hit Netflix serial Sacred Games to recently released film Taish, which is available on ZEE5. This has enabled him to have an interesting career connected to an art form he loves.

Eastern Eye caught up with the multi-talented Saurabh Sachdeva to discuss his new film Taish, acting, future hopes and the secret of a great performance.

What first connected you to acting?
It was my need to be expressive. I was an introverted person and was not really great with academic education. Since my communication skills were poor, I just wanted to do something where I can express myself without any judgment. I found solace in the art of acting.

Which of your roles has given you the greatest joy?
Manmarziyaan and Taish as both roles pushed me out of my comfort zone and were challenging. I had to work more on the character’s body language, hold their attitude and explore the imagery of the world the character’s lives in.

Tell us about your role on Taish?
The character I’m playing in Taish is that of a friend of the protagonist. He is highly unpredictable and impulsive and can pull a trigger on anyone to save people in his life.

What was the biggest challenge of playing this role?
I think the biggest challenge for me was maintaining the body language, style and attitude throughout the film. (Smiles) And yes, maintaining my hair in every shot was a challenge too.

What is your own favourite moment from Taish?
I can think of many favourite moments for now, but to name a few, one is preparing for the character I played and his relationship with Harshvardhan’s (Rane) character. Going out for the cycling around Worcester with Harshvardhan was a memorable experience.

What can we expect next from you?
Next will be an OTT release of a thriller film with Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta (title and date yet to be announced). There is the suspense thriller on Zee5, Raat Baaki Hai, which will release in November, and a few untitled films and web series with great powerful characters.

What according to you is the secret of a good performance?
There isn’t any secret recipe for a good performance. I have been teaching acting techniques for more than 19 years, so it all comes from my training, education and experience as an acting coach. I believe in ‘active listening’ because listening connects you with other actors, and the space you are in. It draws the viewer’s attention when you listen and react genuinely.

As an acting coach, what top acting tip would you give?
Having empathy and curiosity. With empathy, you can really see from where another person is coming from. It sets you free from your own prejudices. I believe that curiosity is the best friend for any artist. A childlike curiosity will teach you more.

Who is your acting hero?
Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack Nicholson, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep. I admire them for their craftsmanship and dedication towards their work. And all of them are so spontaneous that you cannot predict what they are going to do next.

What would be your own dream role?
One of my dream roles would be Anton Chigurh (portrayed by Javier Bardem) from the movie No Country For Old Men because of the layers of that character. Also, the role of Veeru (essayed by Dharmendra) from the movie Sholay because I am just a fan of how his character was written and portrayed. And being part of the Marvel Universe, because as a kid, I was fascinated with fictional character worlds.

Which are your own favourite movies of all time?
Maqbool by Vishal Bhardwaj, American Beauty by Sam Mendes and Dancer In The Dark by Lars Trier.

Why should we watch your latest movie Taish?
Taish is a revenge drama that revolves around two families from the UK, which will march to the beat of their own stories and madness. How a past secret connected between two characters sparks an incident of violence at the wedding is well worked on by the writer-director Bejoy Nambiar. The audience will enjoy the film as it will keep them on edge and engaged.