Anshumaan Pushkar, who recently garnered immense love for his portrayal of Gauri Bhaiya in 12th Fail and Badaaun in Maalik, has been working with some of the finest talents in Bollywood. The actor, who has shared screen space with Vikrant Massey in 12th Fail and Rajkummar Rao in Malik, opened up about whether these celebrated actors ever felt insecure around him on set. In an exclusive chat with The Free Press Journal, Anshuman addressed the dynamics he shared with his co-stars, praised their work ethic, and also revealed how he bagged the role of Gauri Bhaiya in what went on to become one of the most iconic films of recent times.
When asked if Vikrant or Rajkummar were ever insecure of him, Anshumaan said, “Look, in that regard, I’ve noticed that people with less experience than me tend to feel insecure because they get a bit overwhelmed. I’ve felt overwhelmed too, but I never showed it, because when you’re at a certain level of seniority or position, especially while creating cinema, it becomes your responsibility. Of course, there are many names in the industry who are insecure, but they can never have my respect. I’ve worked with Raj bhai (Rajkummar Rao) and Vikrant bhai (Vikrant Massey), and both are incredibly secure actors. They have full faith in their talent and craft. Their process is entirely scene-focused, and they don’t believe in seniority disrupting that."
He continued, “If during a scene someone starts thinking ‘I’m 10 years senior to you,’ the sync breaks. By God’s grace, I haven’t worked with insecure actors. Nobody I’ve worked with has compared me to others, because talent can’t be measured. Sometimes, someone might not be a better actor, but their understanding of a scene could be deeper and that’s what theatre has taught me. A good artist will always accept that, even if the other person is new, and not feel insecure. That’s what creates magic in a scene. Personally, I’ve never felt any insecurity on set. All my co-actors have been seniors and every single one of them has been committed, evolved, and rooted. They’ve created such a safe space that I could share anything with them. Raj bhai, in particular, was like a mentor-friend. I could talk to him about anything and he always made the scene work easier. For me, it was a learning phase. Even if there ever was any insecurity around me, I didn’t pay attention to it. It’s wrong to think in that direction. When I’m working, my focus is only on my character. And outside the scene, I always give my seniors the respect they deserve.”
On learning from Rajkummar and Vikrant, Anshumaan shared, “Firstly, both Raj bhai and Vikrant bhai have achieved so much in their careers. They’ve created milestones without any film industry background. Their journey is purely a result of their hard work and dedication. I still have a long way to go and I truly look up to them. They’re my role models. Anyone who wants to reach great heights in this industry should learn from them. I’m constantly learning from both of them."
