Every actor has his journey and I have been impressed with the way Vicky Kaushal has grown to stardom. Recently, when I spoke to his father, action director Sham Kaushal, I learned about the initial days when Vicky decided to become an actor. During an exclusive interview with me, Mr. Sham revealed how acting happened for Vicky after he completed engineering. He also shared the lessons he gave to both his sons, Vicky and Sunny Kaushal before they entered the industry.
He said,
When I look back, the way I have lived my life, one advantage I had was that there was no one to guide me. I had to make my own way, I wanted to have the same for my children, and I wanted them to make their own decisions.
Read the excerpts from the interview here:
On Vicky deciding to become an actor…
When Vicky passed engineering, we thought now he is an engineer, but he said he wanted to join the film line. I couldn’t refuse because my bread and butter also came from this industry, the only worry I had was that he shouldn’t come in this line thinking that his father is an action director so he will get work easily. I had to remove that from his mind and I explained him how hard he had to work in this industry. One day I sat him down and told him that I respect his decision, but I told him not to assume that I would do anything for him because on my word he might get a small role in a film, but it won’t be a major breakthrough. I told him he had to earn it and trust this institution. Vicky is very honest, he did an acting course for 6 months, then he did theatre and started with auditions. That time I told him to be positive, and not to go with the approach that he will get the role, because it was the rejections that will make him stronger. Auditions are the best learning ground.
On Vicky bagging his first role…
He got a small role in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, when he got an offer I was shooting outdoors and he had to go to Ludhiana the next morning. Some people told him not to go for a small role like this, he asked me, what to do. I asked him to follow his heart and 10 minutes later he told me that he was doing it. Vicky is very honest to his craft.
On working with Vicky in Zubaan…
Vicky did his first action stunt with me in Masaan. I was shooting for Tevar in Mathura and this was a night shoot, so I went there and we finished at 5:30 am. There, during a shot he gets hit on the leg, I saw he was maintaining a very good body language, so after pack up, I was so impressed with what he had done, I spoke to my team members and they told me that before every shot he would keep a stone under his feet inside the shoe, and when that poked him he would limp. So, when I was returning to my hotel, I had tears in my eyes not because I got to work with my son, but because God gave me an opportunity to work with a great newcomer. The way he performed, showed me that I worked with a great actor.
Check out the interview here:
Well, Mr. Kaushal is indeed a proud father, and I wish to see him get prouder with all the amazing work both Sunny and Vicky do.