Ever since people sat up and took notice of Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Gangs of Wasseypur, there has been no looking back for him. No wonder that Aditya Kumar, who played the razor blade chewing Perpendicular in the film, aspires to be just like his co-star.
Aditya says, `Nawazuddin got noticed in Gangs and became sought after. Filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap sketch roles that have the potential to be stylish in their own way. Every good performance comes out when a filmmaker gives time to an actor to absorb the character.`
He adds, `I don't understand how in a 10 x 10 room one can judge someone's acting skills and call it an audition.` Aditya features in an upcoming film with Nawazuddin and in another project being helmed by Anand Singh (an assistant of Kashyap).
He feels B-Town is finally opening up to actors like him. `Even the impact of the secondary characters like Perpendicular remained in people that's what matters,` he says.
Interestingly there is a chapter on Aditya's life in Anish Bari's book Dreams of Mango People.
`The writer wanted to emphasise the power of dreams. He found my story worth saying.` Aditya elaborates, `My dad used to run a video parlour and organise film screenings in Nalanda, Bihar. This is what inspired me to be an actor.
I shifted to New Delhi where I would just observe the actors and get tea for them. Gradually I made my space, moved to Mumbai and got a role thanks to Anurag Kashyap, whom I consider a father figure.`