In the luminous world of Indian cinema, Adarsh Gourav stands out not just for his exceptional talent but also for his depth of character and insightful perspectives. Best known for his riveting portrayal of Balram Halwai in the critically acclaimed film "The White Tiger" (2021), Gourav's journey to stardom is as compelling as the characters he embodies.
In this candid interview, he opens up about the serendipitous start to his acting career, his thoughts on masculinity, and the personal philosophies that guide his life. Gourav's reflections reveal a multi-talented individual who values happiness, health, and genuine connections above all. As he shares his views on maintaining a balanced life, the importance of fitness, and the comfort he finds in friendships, it becomes clear that his success is not just a product of his artistic abilities but also his unwavering dedication to personal growth and well-being.
Join us as we delve into the mind of this remarkable actor, exploring the experiences and motivations that continue to shape his extraordinary path.
BFH: What do you think makes you multi-talented? Can talent be imbibed?
AG: Thank you for calling me multi-talented. I think I was just blessed to have good genes being passed down to me by my grandparents and parents. And I was lucky that I had the resources to do something about some of the things that I was interested in. And yeah, mainly music, a bit of writing, and a bit of acting, too. Yeah, what got me into acting was purely an accident, honestly. And drama school definitely helped me solidify my desire to be an actor, I guess. It just gave me more clarity and more perspective and gave me a few tools to help me act.
BFH: What are some of the feats that I'm looking to accomplish in life?
AG: That's a very big question. I don't know if I have any feats that I'm looking to accomplish in life other than to be happy, and to be in good health.
BFH: What is my concept of masculinity?
AG: My concept of masculinity is to lead with love, to have no ego, and to be kind to people.
BFH: Do you feel it is easy to be a man in today's world?
AG: Sure. I feel like it is easy to be a man in today's world as compared to a man in the past because we're in the most peaceful time, the most peaceful era, so as to call it in history. And men had to fight wars and engage in much more violent activities as compared to today. So I do feel like it's easier to be a man in today's world.
BFH: How do I maintain my work-life balance?
AG: I Well, I consciously remind myself that my work is not everything for me and that there are other things in life that also make me happy, like my family, my partner, my cat, Paculo, plants, and being amidst nature. And then I take time out to do all these things and to be with people that I love.
BFH: How important is fitness to you? What's your fitness routine like?
AG: Fitness is very important to me. I've always enjoyed exercising and playing sports. My fitness routine is mostly bodyweight training and playing sports as and when the schedule allows. But I love playing competitive sports. I'm a very competitive person, and I love it.
BFH: What's the importance of friends and sharing in your life? Are you usually too shy to share?
AG: I think it's very important to be able to have friends that you can speak to about things that you're going through emotionally, because men usually shy away a bit from that, and I do as well, especially our emotional journeys. But I feel like it definitely takes some weight off the chest. And you feel lighter when you have that. And I'm very lucky that I have a couple of friends who I can be honest with, and well as my elder brother.
BFH: What do you think your mission in life is?
AG: Again, I don't know. It's a very big question, but I think my mission in life is mostly to just practice gratitude, and to be happy, and to do things that make me happy overall. And one of those things is to spend a lot of time in nature.
BFH: What are the five things you can't live without? You're free to mention brand names and products.
AG: I'll try to name as many as I can, but I definitely feel books and movies. I feel that staying in Bangkok for the past few months has also just made me realize how much I love Indian food. I miss my mom's food, so Loki's koffta is going to be on the list. Pani Puri will be on the list. And if I had to name a thing that I possess that I can't live without at the moment, I feel like my skin is really drying up, so maybe a good moisturizer. I'm using the Keels Moisturizer.
BFH: Do you feel life has been easy for you? What were your lowest lows, and how did you pull yourself out of them?
AG: Life has been unexpected and more interesting than I thought it would be. I definitely feel like a very low point for me was when I lost my uncle, who I was very close to. And just the idea and the concept of death and wrapping my head around it was extremely hard for me. And I don't know if I've ever pulled myself out of it. Yeah, I'm still doing it.
BFH: What's the best motivational stuff you've ever heard? Would you like to share it with our readers?
AG: It's actually two biographies that I've heard. One is called Can't Hurt Me. And the other is called Green Lies by Matthew McConaher. 'Can't Hurt Me is by Dave Gaugans.
It's a book on Dave Gaugans. And I highly recommend both of these books because I feel like they both have some amazing anecdotes about how people and how these two individuals have faced and found themselves in really sticky situations and have found themselves facing problems that at that time seemed impossible to get over. But there's always a way when there is a will. And they're just phenomenal stories. And I highly recommend both of these books to people.
Written by: Puneet Kapani
Edited by: Aniket Joshi