Harman Baweja hasn’t exactly bolted off the blocks in his Bollywood career, but he is primed for a tryst with destiny with Ashutosh Gowarikar’s “What’s Your Rashee?”. Aakriti Bhardwaj finds out what Harman’s Rashee says...
Let’s begin at the beginning… How was growing up?
How were my growing up days? Wow... I could write a book on that! They were fun actually. I’ve had great schooling in Jamna Bai Narsee in Mumbai, then I did one-year of Hotel Management in Switzerland. Then I came back and joined Mithibai then I went to UCLA film school and after that I did a course in LA. So yeah, quite an interesting childhood!
And how did acting happen?
Well, I was very good at fancy dress in first, second and third standard so I guess somewhere I was bitten by it then. And I was also good at dramatics and debates and used to participate in inter-school and inter-college debates and dramatics. So I guess I was always inclined toward it.
Your first two movies “Love Story 2050” and “Victory” didn’t exactly set the box office on fire yet. Now Ashutosh Gowariker took you as the lead actor. What do you think impressed him?
I would say that it is a question you should
ask him! I’m presuming he saw just beyond numbers. That would be an obvious presumption on my end but I’m sure that question should be probably answered by him. I’ve played my part, as a performer. And the kind of director that he is, I’m sure he is not going to okay a take from anybody for his film if he is not okay with it. I still happen to be the protagonist of his film along with Priyanka but I’m sure he wouldn’t even okay an extra’s or junior artiste’s shot till he is not okay with the performance.
How was it working with Ashutosh, one of the most sought after directors in India? How different is his approach to cinema?
With Ashu sir, it’s almost like an honour to work with him so early in my career. But one thing that I have to say is that we have this entire image of Ashu sir that he is going to be a really strict person, a tough task master and everything is going to be very quiet and hush-hush on the sets. You know it’s the cinema that he has made which precedes his image. But he is actually a very funny person, he is someone fun to work with. He has always got his poker face running through the day. I always keep telling him ‘you know “What’s Your Rashee” (WYR) is closest to your personality than any other films you’ve made’ because he is really funny and WYR is a romantic-comedy so it’s that space which he is always in. I’ve been a cinema student; I’ve done my schooling in cinema for three years so for me it’s very exciting to watch him work. I happen to like pretty much everything about him. He works in an organised way and has an eye for detail. Be it the number of cups kept on a table or the motivation of an actor to get up and move left or to say a certain line. At the same time he is so receptive to any suggestion from any department, not just the actors but also from the DOP (Director of Photography) to someone from the sound department to the art department; if there is a valid suggestion, he will incorporate it.
Let’s begin at the beginning… How was growing up?
How were my growing up days? Wow... I could write a book on that! They were fun actually. I’ve had great schooling in Jamna Bai Narsee in Mumbai, then I did one-year of Hotel Management in Switzerland. Then I came back and joined Mithibai then I went to UCLA film school and after that I did a course in LA. So yeah, quite an interesting childhood!
And how did acting happen?
Well, I was very good at fancy dress in first, second and third standard so I guess somewhere I was bitten by it then. And I was also good at dramatics and debates and used to participate in inter-school and inter-college debates and dramatics. So I guess I was always inclined toward it.
Your first two movies “Love Story 2050” and “Victory” didn’t exactly set the box office on fire yet. Now Ashutosh Gowariker took you as the lead actor. What do you think impressed him?
I would say that it is a question you should
ask him! I’m presuming he saw just beyond numbers. That would be an obvious presumption on my end but I’m sure that question should be probably answered by him. I’ve played my part, as a performer. And the kind of director that he is, I’m sure he is not going to okay a take from anybody for his film if he is not okay with it. I still happen to be the protagonist of his film along with Priyanka but I’m sure he wouldn’t even okay an extra’s or junior artiste’s shot till he is not okay with the performance.How was it working with Ashutosh, one of the most sought after directors in India? How different is his approach to cinema?
With Ashu sir, it’s almost like an honour to work with him so early in my career. But one thing that I have to say is that we have this entire image of Ashu sir that he is going to be a really strict person, a tough task master and everything is going to be very quiet and hush-hush on the sets. You know it’s the cinema that he has made which precedes his image. But he is actually a very funny person, he is someone fun to work with. He has always got his poker face running through the day. I always keep telling him ‘you know “What’s Your Rashee” (WYR) is closest to your personality than any other films you’ve made’ because he is really funny and WYR is a romantic-comedy so it’s that space which he is always in. I’ve been a cinema student; I’ve done my schooling in cinema for three years so for me it’s very exciting to watch him work. I happen to like pretty much everything about him. He works in an organised way and has an eye for detail. Be it the number of cups kept on a table or the motivation of an actor to get up and move left or to say a certain line. At the same time he is so receptive to any suggestion from any department, not just the actors but also from the DOP (Director of Photography) to someone from the sound department to the art department; if there is a valid suggestion, he will incorporate it.
You’ve been linked and broken up with Priyanka Chopra numerous times. What is the true status of your relationship?
I think we have always been great friends from the word go. We have been made to break-up and patch-up and get engaged and then break up again that now I’m confused myself as to what is the real status. But we are just good friends and I think that we have been that through this film.
Do you think that there is a set look or style for lead actors that the audience or people in the industry expect?
It’s an interesting question. I think the answer lies in the fact that there is something called the lowest common denominator which means that a wide array of people will find a certain look acceptable. So that is why one would feel that most actors probably fall under one space because that is probably what is acceptable. I presume that would be the reason. Beyond that I haven’t done my thesis on that so I have no clue!
You have been often compared to Hrithik Roshan for your looks and dancing style but do you feel this comparison with an established star hindered your growth to prove yourself as an actor?
Yeah... I mean I won’t say it hinders the growth as an actor because that is internal, that is up to me how much I put in my growth as an actor. I won’t crucify anybody who does that because I feel it’s sort of natural. When I meet somebody in person and feel that they have a hint of a resemblance with somebody I know, I bring it up and say ‘hey you look like one of my cousins or one of my friends from school’ and I think most of us do that on a daily basis. I think it’s only natural and then you see the person 10 times over and you forget about the comparison. So I think it’s only that the more people see you they start realising that it’s not that.
I think we have always been great friends from the word go. We have been made to break-up and patch-up and get engaged and then break up again that now I’m confused myself as to what is the real status. But we are just good friends and I think that we have been that through this film.
Do you think that there is a set look or style for lead actors that the audience or people in the industry expect?
It’s an interesting question. I think the answer lies in the fact that there is something called the lowest common denominator which means that a wide array of people will find a certain look acceptable. So that is why one would feel that most actors probably fall under one space because that is probably what is acceptable. I presume that would be the reason. Beyond that I haven’t done my thesis on that so I have no clue!
You have been often compared to Hrithik Roshan for your looks and dancing style but do you feel this comparison with an established star hindered your growth to prove yourself as an actor?
Yeah... I mean I won’t say it hinders the growth as an actor because that is internal, that is up to me how much I put in my growth as an actor. I won’t crucify anybody who does that because I feel it’s sort of natural. When I meet somebody in person and feel that they have a hint of a resemblance with somebody I know, I bring it up and say ‘hey you look like one of my cousins or one of my friends from school’ and I think most of us do that on a daily basis. I think it’s only natural and then you see the person 10 times over and you forget about the comparison. So I think it’s only that the more people see you they start realising that it’s not that.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative
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