The lights went out. Murmurs and whispers led to anxious silence. A lady came on stage, flashlight on her face. She delivered a stunning monologue. Into the act, she experienced a plethora of emotions, right from anger, to happiness, to ecstasy to the final climatic pathos. When she left the dais, she was shivering, in tears, exhausted yet elated.

That day, she did not act, she lived the part. She and her character became one.

New to theater experience, we asked a stage critic, “That was something…she was in a different zone.”

Noting our curiosity, the burly freckled man in a blue shirt said, “They say best actors don’t act. They simply experience the emotions.”

Cathartic!!!

The lady might be one of many, who are talented but live in oblivion in the world of art. She might not be famous, but does that make her any lesser artist? Is fame the ultimate barometer of deftness?

The argument can have many sides, to ponder upon on a different day. Here, we would like to focus on certain age old notions and conventions pertaining to acting, and its launching platforms, television and Bollywood.

Dangal, the movie, is the talking point across the nation currently. It’s buzzing and brimming in the cinematic space. It is quite an attempt without a doubt, earning accolades for Aamir Khan and the superbly talented girls (Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar).

However, being from the television space, we would like to share a word or two on Sakshi Tanwar aka Daya Kaur of Dangal.

Sakshi became a household name with Parvati in Ekta Kapoor’s Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. She weaved magic on small screen again with Bade Acche Lagte Hain. She and Smriti Irani (now a Member of Parliament) are arguably the two most celebrated figures of Indian television. They did push the proverbial envelope to reach heightened performances and impeccable audience connect.

The golden days of Indian television reached sunset, giving birth to a notion, TV actors are not cut out for Bollywood. Typecast and stereotypes followed, creating an ambience of insecurity and prejudice.

This is where art died a little. The very harbingers of performing art created webs of bigotry which created a suicidal mindset among burgeoning artists, wherein they moved away from the basic and started living in a cocoon; either they are a Bollywood actor or a television artist.

During our everyday interactions, we meet casting directors and actors, who mention about not taking up television projects in the desire to be the next Sushant Singh Rajput.

“Sushant began with TV,” we inform, “He got lucky, everyone won’t”, pat comes the reply from a beefy body of mass who spends more time in the gym than understanding the craft he intends to dive in.

“They say best actors don’t act. They simply experience the emotions.”

What is acting? What is art?

Remember the popular French slogan from the early 19th century, "l'artpour l'art"?

It means “art for art’s sake” and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral, or utilitarian function.

Let’s stop being parochial. Let’s stop dissecting the craft.  Let’s act for the love of acting. Stage doesn’t matter, the performance does.

An actor is an actor, and will continue to be one, cutting through the catastrophic clamor all around.

He or she will rise above the norm, prying eyes and manipulators and tell a story via his or her soul and senses.

There is no such term as television or Bollywood actor. Anyone who is passionate, hardworking and intelligent can make a mark.

The key is to look within and eat, live and breathe the chosen profession. Aim for the best, to be the best.

Sakshi’s role in Dangal is a pivot around which the entire Phogat family revolves. She, reflective of millions of Indian housewives, supports her husband and children, balancing sides and emotions. She is fighting her own battle, not glorified but gallant. Far from being ostentatious in an attempt to stand out in a scene, she delivers a subdued yet poignant performance. Sakshi, in Dangal, is not a star, but an actor who is committed to her part.

In one of the promotional videos, Aamir talks how Sakshi was selected for the role, which is quite intriguing. Sakshi, on her part, inspite of years of work experience, talks and behaves like a fresher, hungry to learn and achieve more. She thanks ‘the universe’ for the beautiful gift called Dangal.

Watch here

We are not going gaga over Sakshi bagging a film opposite Aamir. Her acting acumen is beyond our realm of judgment or comprehension. The message here is to widen one’s circle of perception about life and art, in general.

Sakshi is not a television or a Bollywood actor, she is an artist, an evolved one, who has waited patiently for better opportunities, in the process, sharpening her skills. 

She is a lesson for all standing in the queue. Acting is for the passionate and dedicated, not a means to pay off EMIs for material pursuits, which is good, but certainly not the goal.

Sakshi in Dangal has moved far away from the image of Parvati, conquering the prejudice and emerging an unsullied performer. And yes, the world is taking note of it.

To quote a famous dialogue from 3 Idiots: “Be capable my son, capable…success will follow no matter what”.