Jewel in the television crown

SMALL SCREEN STAR PEARL V PURI ON LOCKDOWN, LEARNING AND HIS SPARKLING CAREER

by ASJAD NAZIR

POPULAR actor Pearl V Puri has had a powerful presence on television ever since he made his debut with hit serial Dil Ki Nazar Se Khoobsurat in 2013.

Since then, the prolific small screen star has shone in serials, including Phir Bhi Na Maane...Badtameez Dil, Naagarjuna – Ek Yoddha and Bepanah Pyaarr. A gradual step up to the big screen looks inevitable for an actor, who has made an impact globally with his natural ability and good looks in front of the camera.

He will have to wait for lockdown to be over before taking that next big step in his amazing journey, but was happy for a catch up with Eastern Eye while indoors. Pearl spoke about his acting journey, inspirations, future hopes and the art of learning.

How have you been handling the lockdown period?

So far so good! Initially, it was a problem for like five-six days and then it was normal and not that difficult, because you know that it is safe to not go out. So, whatever is happening is for our safety; I think we all should follow it.

How do look at your career?

Looking back into my career, I feel for what I have done, I want to thank God because it won’t be possible without him. Simultaneously, I’ve learned a lot along the way and am still learning. According to me, our life is all about learning. How much you learn is how much you live. So, I feel you should learn as much as possible, to live more than what people generally do, because if you have a lot of knowledge you’ll be very confident in life.

Did you imagine that you would be so successful? 

Success is subjective and according to me, I’m not successful. Success will be something when everybody in this world starts loving me, not just as a performer, but also loves me as a human being. So, that’s when I’ll feel that I’m successful. I also believe in having hope and always looking forward. So I will never consider myself successful. I will keep working hard for it because for every landmark there is another one ahead, which offers an even new challenge.

Which of your projects is closest to your heart?

Phir Bhi Na Maane...Badtameez Dil, Naagin and Bepanah Pyaarr. Overall, all of my shows are close to my heart because whenever you do something you do it with a full heart. At least, I do that because I love my job. Simultaneously, I need to sleep well, and to do that I make sure I work hard. I do something different at least in whatever I’m doing. I do it like this is the first and last time I’m doing it, and that’s when I feel eased out.

Which role challenged you most?

Like I said, whatever I do, I do it with my heart and soul. I give my 100 per cent. So all the roles were challenging because I made them a little different from what generally happens. With Badtameez Dil, I played a rock star and it was definitely challenging. After that in Meri Saasu Ma, my character was like Anil Kapoor’s in the movie Beta, which was in a completely different space. Then with Naagarjuna – Ek Yoddha, I was a super hero, playing Arjun as human and Naagarjuna as a super hero. Then in Naagin, I played a lot of characters and enjoyed it, as I was getting to experiment.

Bepanah Pyaarr was another interesting project you did...

A reference point for Bepanah Pyaarr’s was the drunk guy in (the film) Arjun Reddy, so it was another completely different genre for me. I had not done something like that before and enjoyed it immensely. Luckily, I have always got male-oriented shows with strong roles and I thank God for that.

What is the plan after lockdown?

After lockdown is over, I’ll go to my mother and eat maa ke haath ke daal-chawal (mum’s handmade rice and lentils). That’s the clear plan. And professionally, a lot of pile-up is happening, so I will clear that and start working again because that’s something I need to do to live, so I won’t sit idle.

What have you been watching during lockdown?

I have been binge-watching a lot of shows, movies and serials. I’m shocked they are making such good content. I really appreciate it as I have learned a lot of things from these shows and movies. It’s good homework and I’m enjoying it.

What inspires you?

Every being on this earth inspires me. Everybody has something or the other to inspire them and if you are capable enough to observe that you’ll learn a lot. That’s how life is. There are a lot of things you have to learn and you can learn from everywhere, including travel. I love to learn about new places, people, the world around us and everything else. There are a lot of things you need to learn, including as an actor.

Tell us a key lesson that you have learned as an actor?

All my mentors taught me that if you are a good observer, you’ll be a very good actor. Acting cannot be taught. It is learned from experiences and convincing yourself. If you can get yourself convinced, then you can convince others.

You are a multi-talented person, but if you could master something new, what would it be?

Given a choice, I would master everything. I guess I love to learn and that is there in my blood. I love to do anything and everything with equal perfection, so it is very difficult to decide. I am always learning. I have learned horse riding, swimming, MMA, gymnastics, kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I sing, compose, write and learned a little bit of direction also. There are many more things I want to learn. There are so many things in the world I haven’t touched yet, and before I go from this world, I would want myself to know everything. I know that’s not possible, but I’ll try.

Why do you love being an actor?

Being an actor is a good job. You can experience a lot of things as an actor. You can be a doctor, pilot and anything else.  An actor can live that kind of life, including experiencing the stresses for a particular span of time and at the same time entertain people. Being an actor makes me smile because I give others a smile with my work and a moment of happiness, even if it is just for a few minutes. I love making people happy and I try doing that everyday. Seeing others smile makes me feel happy about being an actor.