Faraaz actor Aditya Rawal: I want to work with filmmakers who will challenge me

It’s natural for children to follow in the footsteps of their parents, and more so if they have carved a niche for themselves in their field. Similar is the story of Aditya Rawal - son of veteran actors Paresh Rawal and Swaroop Sampat - who aspires to have a long and successful career in the film industry.

Last seen in Hansal Mehta’s new action thriller film Faraaz, where his performance as Nibrus has been widely appreciated, Aditya entered the industry in 2020 featuring in ZEE5 original film Bamfaad, which was directed by Ranjan Chandel. In 2022, he appeared in the Disney+ Hotstar web series Aar Ya Paar, alongside Sumeet Vyas, Patralekhaa, Ashish Vidyarthi and Shilpa Shukla.

In a recent interview with PTI, the 29-year-old actor said that people working in the entertainment industry tend to enjoy a longer shelf life than those in other professions. “One thing I would like to emulate from my parents is the length of their career, they are working for 30 to 40 years. Imagine doing something you enjoy. Even sportsmen get 15 years at best. If you are Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, you get 20 to 22 years. In the field of arts, you can keep working. There are rises, falls, hits and misses. As long as you enjoy the work, you are in a healthy space. I aspire to do this.”

According to Aditya, the pressure that comes with being the son of celebrated actors is offset by many advantages. “It’s not so much fighting for anything as much as it is trying to create my identity by expressing myself as an artist as honestly as possible. After a couple of films or shows, ‘the son of Paresh Rawal’ will stop appearing in parenthesis next to my name… At that point, my work will have to speak for itself, as it does for everyone else,” he added.

He wants to collaborate with filmmakers that draw the best out of him. “My hope is to work with filmmakers who have different life experiences and sensibilities; directors who will drive and challenge me, because they are deeply passionate about the stories they tell,” the actor explained.   

So, when Hansal approached Aditya for Faraaz, which was released on February 3, he instantly grabbed the offer. In the film, he plays the character of a terrorist, who holds several people hostage at a bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “If somebody like him (Hansal) gives you the chance to be part of something like this, you grab the opportunity with both hands, understand the responsibility and do your best,” he said. Faraaz is based on the July 2016 terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka. The film also features Shashi Kapoor’s grandson Zahan Kapoor, Aamir Ali and Juhi Babbar in pivotal roles.

Aditya said it was difficult for him to align with his character’s ideology. “For me, the biggest challenge was how do you as an actor believe what this character is saying and doing, because it is far away from me, my reality and world view,” he added.

In the future, Aditya wants to pursue diverse and challenging roles. “I also want to play roles that are closer to who I am as a person. Additionally, I have performed comedic roles on stage and would love to explore the genre in films too,” the actor summed up.