Not sure if continue acting: The Life of Pi's Suraj Sharma

Not sure if continue acting: The Life of Pi's Suraj Sharma

Life-changing’, ‘surreal’, ‘unbelievable’ are the words this young debutant uses to describe his journey into showbiz. Not surprising considering someone like him — who never had acting on his agenda — to actually land the lead role in Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee’s film. Meet Suraj Sharma who made the cut to play Pi in Lee’s ambitious The Life of Pi. Describing himself as a simple boy studying philosophy in St Stephens College in New Delhi, the newbie says the feeling is yet to sink in, though people around him seem rather excited. “It’s all so new, I’m just taking it one day at a time,” says Suraj in one of his very first interviews ever. As we chat with the actor, he shares his anxiety of being on the threshold of international fame and reveals his future plans. Excerpts...

Did you ever imagine making your debut on a huge international scale, as you are with 'The Life of Pi'?
Never in my wildest dreams. In fact, I had never wanted to be an actor. I was just accompanying my younger brother who was the one actually auditioning for the role, when I landed it.

Wasn’t it intimidating working with Lee and a more established star like Tabu?
No, it could have been, but I never let myself be overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Had I thought of that, the pressure and stress would’ve been unbearable. I tried not to think about how big a project this actually is. Also, everyone really made me feel comfortable and prepping for the actual shoot for almost five months helped too.

Are you gearing up for stardom?
I don’t know what stardom is, so I’m not thinking about it at all... dekha jaaega. My college friends are excited and so is my family back home in Bengaluru, but for me it’s not sunk in yet. They all are proud of me and it’s humbling. But to be honest I had never harboured Bollywood or Hollywood dreams.

You are already being touted as the next export to Hollywood after actress Freida Pinto...
Well, it’s too early to say anything. Bollywood, Hollywood... I don’t even know if I want to continue being an actor at this point. I am trying to take one step at a time. But I do plan to complete my studies first. If I ever choose to continue acting, I will be open to both Bollywood and Hollywood equally.

You turned 18 on the sets...
Yes, and I feel metaphorically there were many parallels I could draw with Pi’s life. To a great extent, it’s been a spiritual journey for both. Like Pi, I too felt lost initially, but then have matured, grown up faster with the journey of this film. There were parts which were challenging in the film like the ones that required intense emotional output and at the same time a lot of physical movements. It wasn’t easy, but I felt like Pi at the end of it all!