"My family still wonders why I don't act in TV series. They don't believe that I've worked with famous actors, either," he laughs.
Baral, 27, is part of the group of skillful actors at Mandala Theater in Anamnagar where he is the set manager. After leaving his mark as BK in the 2013 hit film 'Kabaddi', he will now be seen next in 'Kabaddi Kabaddi' and 'How Funny'.
The candid actor sits down for a short chat with Republica's Pramila Rai to discuss his work and what he hopes to achieve.
Why do your family members want you to act in TV?
I’m from Sarlahi and most of them watch TV rather than go to cinema. So they know of hit shows like ‘Jeere Khorsani’ and ‘Tito Satya’. They say they never see me on TV and don’t believe I’m doing good work.
What is the beauty of acting for you?
Actors of theater and movies
There’s a complete sense of satisfaction that fills me when I’m acting. I get nervous for a while but then I go from being an actor to a character, and everything is different.
I’ve always wondered what other actors do when they’re awaiting their turn on the stage.
Well, sometimes we peep into the stage and see what the others are doing. Or we just walk around outside or go to the control room above and watch the scenes from there.
In your opinion, what are some of the basic qualities that make a good actor?
Every actor must be observant. Personally speaking, I always notice little details of each person I meet. I will have stored the mannerisms of that person and one day at work, it will be helpful. Also, actors must have a great imagination and power to visualize vividly. When someone is telling you about the scene, you should be able to imagine the color of the sky and the freshness of the breeze.
How is it working with the same team of people?
We have this comfort level with each other and I know they will always give me great advice. I find working with my friends and seniors challenging. When I see their work, I want to be as good as, if not better than, them and that’s what helps me grow. It’s nice when people compliment my work. However, I still feel I have a long way to go before I am the actor I can be proud of. So, working with this fine set of actors pushes me in the most positive way.
You say you have a lot to learn. Is there any particular actor you’re inspired from or wish to emulate?
I’m always amazed at how talented Dayahang Rai and Saugat Malla are. They have different styles of working and I wish I could take a little bit from each of them to make myself a better actor. Like, Daya dai is very cool and great with giving other actors space. He is a great team player. As for Saugat dai, I really admire his passion and dedication for the craft. He will pour through the script every free time he has.
There are a lot of theater groups in town now. Do you view them as competition or are they a welcome growth to the burgeoning theater scene?
The latter, definitely. I remember Daya dai saying that our goal should be to inspire young people to be good actors one day. And if we all get together and do good work, that day is not far off. The theater groups are also different from one another because we follow different school of acting. While we focus on real stories, the other group could be more into physical form of theater. That’s how we introduce different flavors of theater to the audience and bring in more audience.
