'As an outsider, you can't compete with actors from film family': Karan Tacker on challenges faced by newcomers

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

From making his mark on TV to walking the red carpet at Cannes, Karan Tacker's journey is a testament to his remarkable talent and ability to connect with the audience as an actor. He considers himself lucky to be blessed with so much love and never "gotten any hate"; however, he asserts that it is challenging for newcomers to establish themselves in the industry.
(Also read: Seeing my idols Denzel Washington, Spike Lee at Cannes a dream come true: Karan Tacker)
Karan candidly discussed how challenging it is for newcomers to establish themselves in the entertainment industry, his experience at the film festival and how he carved a niche for himself as an actor without any Godfather.
In a conversation with ANI, he shared how challenging it is for newcomers to establish themselves in the entertainment industry as an outsider. "You don't really get people to meet you very easily. And it's a lot of knocking on doors constantly again and again, maybe casting directors, producers, or perhaps the directors you want to work with," he said.
The actor, who played the lead role in the TV show Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai, added, "For me, it was sort of challenging because at the time that I took a break from television, there was only films and to crack on was very difficult because nobody at that time was launching any new faces. There was a certain perception about actors who came from television. And that was a bit of a barrier to jump."
He continued, "As an outsider, you can't compete with actors from the film family because they have a lot going for them, while they might have their own challenges, which I wouldn't really know of. But they get a lot of padding. They can pick up the phone on a whole lot of people if they want, and get an advice on whether they should attempt a script or they shouldn't, somewhere as an outsider, you have to go out there and build those relations maybe with seniors from the industry or people you have faith in and ask advice."
"So somewhere I feel, as outsiders, the first chunk of your entire career, you are only trying to find your bearings within the industry. And it's post after that, you know what's happening, and you know enough people who can be there and guide you through it," said the Special OPS actor.
Recalling his journey as an actor, he shared that it never happened in a planned way and destiny played a role in shaping his career, "I feel like it was magical, because I didn't really set myself out to be an actor. I did study business, and my father had a business of his own. So the natural understanding was that when I grew up, I would join his company, which is exactly what happened. And, we were in business for quite some time until this part of the world's recession hit. And, you know, we were a small business and got quite hit with that."
"I feel somewhere. I mean, I say magical because this may have been destined to happen in this fashion. And it was a really tough time in our lives as a family, especially financially, when I just started off as an actor. So it was, I remember, for the first four, five, and six years, you know, whatever money I was making, I was just paying off all the debts of the business my father and I owned," he added.
He went on to share, "It's after that that I, somewhere, started saving money, and we accumulated money as a family. And I took a little bit of a gap from television because I was adamant that if I acted again, it had to be with something that I'm really passionate about and that really kind of drives me and gives me purpose. So I pretty much refused everything that came my way during my break from television."
However, his career took a turn as he got an opportunity to star in Special OPS, an action espionage thriller series created and directed by Neeraj Pandey.
"I remember I was in Mussoorie on a holiday with somebody, and I got a call from this casting director saying that, you know, there's an audition for such and such show. He never told me who the maker is; he just said that this is the audition, that's the scene, if you can send it. And I was on a holiday, let me come back to Bombay and then do it. But he was adamant. 'No, no, like something about maybe your look or something that works, and can you just send it?' So I was sitting in a hotel room trying to fix my phone, find a stand, and put a light on. I tried to record an audition, and the best light ironically was in the bathroom. So that's where I recorded my test."
"I think it's been about five years if I'm not mistaken. There's been no looking back, because 'Special OPS' happened, that got a lot of love and I somewhere got a lot of acclaim, especially sharing screen space with giants like Kay Kay Menon and, being directed by Neeraj Pandey just to kind of get a little bit of recognition in a setup like that means a lot for someone like me," he added.
The actor who recently made his Cannes debut with Tanvi the Great, said that he is happy that he got an opportunity to see his idols, Hollywood star Denzel Washington and filmmaker Spike Lee.
"This is my first time at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a very good experience. There were so many people, and everyone had come for the same purpose: to talk about films, creativity, the craft and business of moviemaking. It's always nice to be under one roof with like-minded people. Moreover, being at a one-arm distance from my idols Denzel Washington and Spike Lee was a surreal experience."
He walked the red carpet in a Manish Malhotra outfit. "Manish is a dear friend, and I just have to pick up the phone for him, and he's always there. I loved the white suit I wore on the red carpet. That big bow(tie), I borrowed from Anupam (Kher) sir, that's his bow because, I accidentally, I think while packing my suit, I dropped mine at home and only there I realised that I'm not carrying a bow so, Anupam sir was nice enough to give me one of his."
Tacker shared his working experience in Tanvi the Great, saying, "I remember when Anupam sir narrated the one-liner to me and told me that the film deals with autism. He gave me my character brief, which was that 'you play a captain, but you play an army officer with a rose and a smile on his face'. That's all he had to say. And I was like, sir, really happy to be a part of the project, especially because of the work that Anupam Kher has done over the years."
"I was really happy to be a part of it. And as far as the preparation is concerned, I'll tell you, sometimes some roles require a very different prep for this one. Literally, it is the happy quotient that my character, Samar Raina, brings to the entire film.
So, the best way to describe him would be as an army officer with a smile on his face and a rose in his hand," he shared.
On collaborating with Anupam Kher, he said, "He is passionate about what he does because, of course, he's from the industry. He loves the craft. But at the same time, because he's been an actor, he understands what exactly you would require on a set as an actor. So in that aspect, he's very, very soft with his actors.. he'll push you, even if it's the smallest thing. Whenever I shot with him, there used to be a certain script, but he always wanted to keep adding things. He wanted to keep improvising. So he would keep throwing suddenly. You had to be so prepped because you never knew what he would ask you. So that was a very fun workshop for me because it was a lot of learning, given his experience."
While speaking about his upcoming project, Bhay: The Gaurav Tiwari, he said, "Bhay will be written down in my book. I mean, not my book, like my book to be published, but just my mental life journey and my career journey because, it is a genre that I'm so afraid of in general, you know, I'm very scared of the paranormal and, and, and the world of all of that. That said, this has been the most joyful, immersive, engaged experience I've had as an actor." (ANI)