Delhi boy Pavail Gulati credits the national capital for helping him find his calling as an actor. BFH’s consulting editor Sourendra Das met Pavail at Lalit Great Eastern to chew the fat about his journey as an actor & love for sci-fi films.
After Thappad, Dobaaraa was your second film that achieved great reception at the London Indian Film Festival. Do you feel it got a fair reception in the subcontinent?
I never predict in advance since I am just three films old. I hope these kinds of films do well in the Indian subcontinent too. Since I am genuinely a fan of sci-fi films and quite a nerd in the fascination for science-fiction movies. I end up watching all sorts of sci-fi films, and I enjoy seeing them. I hope in future, I will be a part of more sci-fi films in India and overseas. The Indian film industry should make more films like these. Even my co-actress Taapsee (Pannu) aspires to play Captain Marvel someday, and if this film does well in India, we will be able to do bigger movies like this. I genuinely pray that the Indian audience will love our films more in the future too.
How much has Delhi contributed to you becoming an actor and in your journey?
My summer workshops at the National School of Drama (NSD) and my family’s love of cinema and theatre made me who I am today. I was the assistant casting director for My Name is Khan which had Shah Rukh Khan as the protagonist, that paved my way to landing roles in films like Thappad and web series like Made In Heaven. I have learnt to dance from Shiamak Davar. My father, a theatre aficionado, inspired me to become an actor and move to Mumbai at 18. Delhi has changed a lot in the past decade, but I do miss the delicious street food of Delhi always.
How was your experience working with Neena Gupta and Rashmika Mandanna?
In my latest film GoodBye, I played the role of Amitabh Bachchan and Neena Gupta’s son, and I shared the screen space with Neena ji and Rashmika for the first time. Neena ji and Rashmika are a riot on set. Rashmika is such a sweetheart and has a beautiful smile that instantaneously makes the environment on the set very positive. Neena ji is a bundle of energy, and I am truly honoured to work with her in this film.
Do you have a wishlist of Indian directors you like to work in your impending films?
I want to experiment and grow as an actor. I want to work with the best people I have looked up to all these years, and even if I get a cameo role with Rajkumar (Hirani) Sir, I will gleefully take it. I have worked with Zoya Akhtar, but I want to do a feature film with her. Then there’s Shoojit Sircar, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap; my list is very long.