Making a mark

Nonika Singh

A dream debut with an ace director…clearly no newcomer could have asked for more. And Armaan Ralhan, who made waves in Befikre, as the gentle and genteel banker, interestingly, didn’t even dare dream of working with one of the finest, the hot-shot director Aditya Chopra.

After he decided to try his luck as an actor, he did have a ready list of directors he wanted to work with. But Aditya’s name didn’t make it to the list. He quips, “Imagine, here is a director who directs movies like once in seven years that too with the likes of SRK, why would he be bothered to cast me?” But, Gods were kind and presto Armaan landed a plum part, almost the second lead in Befikre.

Did the Ralhan surname help this grandson of yesteryear’s director OP Ralhan find his way? “No way,” says Armaan who had to take the audition test and the usual grind that all newcomers have to undergo. Clearly, debutants never have it easy. However, he did not have to undergo the hardest struggle in the world for having a family in Mumbai meant, “There was always a roof over my head and food on the table.”

Interestingly, Armaan’s memories of well-known director OP Ralhan are more of a grandson who got to gorge on kebbas and tikkas whenever he visited him. The maker that Ralhan was, Armaan has been introduced to only on the big screen and via his most important film Hulchul. As and when Armaan, who has done a course in filmmaking at the New York Film Academy, turns a director he would be making very different films.

And yes, as an actor too he wouldn’t care to repeat himself. More second leads like the one in Befikre where he loses out on the heroine are okay, provided he gets to do something refreshingly different. Does he think nice guys finish second and never get the girl? Well, for one he is quite different from the perfect gentleman, the classic traditional romantic he plays in Befikre.

As for what girls like and don’t like in guys, he is still trying to figure out. His career too is unfolding, though he is yet to sign on the dotted line. Having signed the YRF talent pool, he can’t say yes to anything and everything that comes his way. YRF contract doesn’t impose any restrictions and is not constrictive at all. Yet he says, “I would be foolish if I don’t seek Aditya sir’s advice before going ahead with a new project. He has years of experience and knows exactly what are the strengths of his actors.” Spoken like a wise guy. Well, whether good guys get the gal or bad guys, wise ones do walk the part. And this one is here to play a long innings.

nonikasingh@tribunemail.com