Piyush Mishra: “With Cinema We Are More Like Employees, Theatre Gives Us The Freedom To Choose”

Celebrated actor Piyush Mishra has made cinephiles fall in love with his versatile portrayals and the life that he puts in them. The actor recently gave yet another acclaimed performance in a short film titled Katran. Directed by debutant Prem Singh and produced by Shashi Prakash Chopra, Katran talks about an elderly couple heading towards a divorce and what leads to it. In a candid chat with Koimoi the veteran actor spoke about Katran, his idea of a good role and how actors are employees of cinema.

Why Katran?

The script, it attracted me towards it and it was bound to happen. The story is itself so brave. When a young couple is getting divorced, it is no more a big thing, but when an elderly couple who have walked a long way are heading for a separation is a huge thing. If there is a problem in a marriage after you have crossed a certain age that means there is an issue that needs to be addressed and Katran did exactly that. So that is what attracted me.

How do you choose your characters?

The script, my character should be a part of the exception, it should not be the rule. If the part is exceptional and challenging it attracts me or else it doesn’t.

So choosing parts that are varied in every possible way, be it the storyteller in Tamasha or the lawyer in Pink or as a director focusing on Bhagat Singh’s journey is a conscious choice?

No, it just happens, it is my habit to do different things. I can’t do the same thing again, even if someone offers me the same thing I deny doing it.

How was it working with Prem who is making his debut as the director and the Producer Shashi Chopra?

It was very good, I am not someone who gets sceptical with the fact that I am working with a debutant be it the director or a member of the project as a whole. I first read the script and interacted with Shashi Ji and Prem. They answered all my question and I had many, so there wasn’t any problem. So the character had its pace growing on me, and they were gracious enough to answer all my queries and doubts.

So when everyone is trying to crack the code unconventional stories does it pressurise an artist like you to bring uniqueness to your part?

There is no pressure. The only pressure is that of the character, with each the pressure increases. If I talk about Tamasha, the pressure was to portray this person in a unique way and I did that. If you ask about any pressure other than that, there is none.