In search of a perfect role

Intro: With over 400 films to his credit, veteran character actor, Prem Chopra feels the time has come to pass on his experience and knowledge to aspiring actors. K.KANNAN has the details....

Blurb: `No one can take success for granted. There is always a lingering insecurity, especially if one is among the top-of-the- line artistes...

#``An actor is always in search of a perfect role as an artist which, however, continues to elude me,'' says veteran character actor Prem Chopra. With over 400 films under his belt in a career spanning over four decades he is still going great guns and has several projects on hand.

#Here in the Capital recently to launch a film institute of which he is also the chairman, Prem Chopra feels he has been able to simultaneously do character roles and play a villain. ``Doing only one kind of role for a long time makes an actor vulnerable to typecasting and that is why I decided to do character roles,'' he explains. Also, ``change is real fun, is it not?'' he asks.

#Giving the example of his recent film ``Chori Chori, Chupke, Chupke'', Prem Chopra says: ``I was a good guy in that film.'' However, in a forthcoming film by Harmesh Malhotra, he is cast as a don. ``The role is one of a dangerous criminal, who, however, is outsmarted by the hero Govinda.'' In yet another film being made by Mahesh Manjrekar, he plays a good guy again.

#According to the aeging star, -- who will also be seen in the Milind Soman starrer ``Pyar Ki Dhun'' -- ``making a change from the role the audience identifies you with is indeed very difficult but then getting accepted in other roles is a real challenge''. He feels he has succeeded in breaking stereotypes. ``I have been a terrible villain in films for so many years. But the audience has welcomed me as a character actor.''

#The evergreen actor says an artist is never ever satisfied with the kind of roles he does. ``It is a big ocean out there. The more you go into it, the deeper you want to go,'' he points out, stating that his quest for perfection still continues.

#What really matters in the end, according to Prem Chopra, is the kind of roles one gets to do. ``Unless and until the character is backed by a very powerful storyline, people do not accept you in that role,'' he admits, adding it has happened to him many times over.

#At the same time, the roles in which one labours hard and derives satisfaction in the end need not necessarily be the ones the audience laps up. ``I did a film called `Jaadu Tona' some years ago in which my role was superb. But that film was never a commercial success,'' Prem says. ``You cannot take your success for granted. There is always this feeling of insecurity especially if you are one of the top-of-the-line artistes.''

#His future projects also include a television serial, ``Kuch Bhul Gaye, Kuch Yaad Hain'' being produced by Mr. K. Asif. ``I do not mind doing television,'' he says, adding it was a refreshing change.

#Talking about films again, Prem Chopra says certain films that were made during his lifetime were truly memorable and it was unfortunate that such kind of films are not being made today. ``I liked Mughal-e-Azam very much,'' he declares. ``I cannot forget films like `Upkaar', `Phool Aur Patthar' and `Phool Bane Angare','' he says on a nostalgic note.

#While he has not yet decided to quit films, Prem now wants to share his experiences with those aspiring for a career in films. ``I feel I have something to tell them. If they are able to learn from the struggle that I had to wage in the initial years, my association would not go in vain,'' he says, justifying his decision to be Chairman of Kashish Film Institute. ``I will be coming to Delhi once a month for this.''

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