51 thoughts on “What does it take to become an Actor ?”

1. sir, im ajay ..i wnt to be actor …i completed my engineering ..my passion is acting ..gimme some solutions wer i can get a platform to act n show my skills

2. yes u r right……Being attractive on the outside may be important , but the ‘art’ of acting is to be attractive on the ‘inside’…..is very beautiful line….

3. i loved this post, so true, we are all actors in this life, only we remember it at our deathbed and few lucky ones earlier.

4. Dear Sir i have read your article and a good message about acting. as art master i have read it and i feel you are saying very true about acting lession.i think a Director can make a good actor by his art sence in a comen artist. here i have done lots of work for painting, for photography out door indoor and for press, i have done set design for lots of play, in 2006-7 i have created some prop in fibre ( TALWAR, BHALE,DHAL ,DHANUDH ) ect.and director of theatre have used that in a presentation of play in rom.that was my first big work for theatre art. i have done dress desing in a compition of NIFD institute.i have write somthing on art and art vision for visual art.
   and its countinue.
   one day i were went near a threater director and told himsir i want to do acting for your play that play title was DUDHA the story of Snak care. the director Mr. Shabir khan told me ok come with me he gave me a script of dudh play with 10 ticket that cost was 25 Rs. , he told me you can leanr this script and then sale this 5 ticket to your closs friend and here to my scretary you will pay 250 rs. as a fee of your acting class. i was in art study of B.F.A. in Art collage
   i am saying it its art journey.. , rajasthan School of art so money was made truble for me and i told him sorry and i were feel the real pain of theatre art that day a big play director is feel hadicaped in society and that result he making pressor on young artist for money so i have change my idea about art and come back in painting.( dard idhar bhi dard udhar bhi, dard hi dard hai dekha mane jistarf bhi..) ..ha
   thanks for your mesage sir.
   regards
   yogendra kumar purohit
   M.F.A.
   BIKANER,INDIA

5. “Moments of absolute truth are the most satisfying moments in any art”

   This line perhaps is the most romantic line an actor will fall in with and think it came from literature but I disagree because it is the total reverse!

   Actors are the greatest fakers and shakers instead and how much they fake the truth where audience actually suspend that belief is of extreme importance and then it becomes art.

   The actor can work on craft of his lies to tell the truth but its the audience who deem it to be art and not vice-versa. Some actors are paid for it while others fail.

6. Well said sir…

7. Dearest Mr.Shekhar,
   Thank u soo much for this wonderful post for me as an actor its a Blessing from you and i shall always be grateful to you for all your wonderful knowledge & wisdom that you impart to us day to day.
   Ending with faith that you in are the best of your spirits & health, my prayers for your wellbeing & great success towards Paani, the intent behind it & your other endeavor.

   InshahAllah someday would act under your great direction.

   Much love , regards & obeisance,

   Bhisham Mansukhani

8. Dear Sir,

   In one word I can say that it is the GOOD DEDICATION which makes one AN ACTOR..

   Minakshi Karan

9. Thanks a lot for your insight. It’s surely going to help people like me who are trying to get closer to that infinite power that you mentioned through art of acting.

   By the way, is it similar with art of direction too? I mean do you feel possessed and closer to divine power while directing?

10. Great Article on acting and from a good perspective…being an actor i really appreciate this, and accept this fact…acting is not about business, but has some spiritual meaning, but unfortunately we all are deluded by the glamor and money factor…

    But thanks for this nice article, hope at least few people will start practicing this..

11. Sir, After read this I can not stop myself to write about it that its excellent explanation of ‘art of acting’..would like to know more..

    Regards,

    Neha

12. Dear Shekhar, I gave my first theater performance enthusiastically though I had to be coaxed by my friends. It came out well, audience appreciated and we were satisfied too. I also did the second performance of the same play. We had a chance to practice it more and we did it too!The play went flawless, but somehow we weren’t able to pinpoint why it didn’t reach the audience. I have often wondered why, and I guess I have to blame myself for not finding enough enthusiasm. When I asked my other ‘play’ mates they told me that they feel the same about their performances too! Took me two plays to realize what acting is! No matter how much we tell ourselves that we FAKE, it has to come from the INSIDE! You are bang on target!

13. I would say that an actor should view the movie from the director’s perspective.He should not be concerned about how the audience will respond to a particular performance given his image in the market conditions.

14. acting skills. irrespective of how you are within, if you have strong acting skills, it will not matter, would it now .. 🙂 and nothing hones acting skills like … experience .. exposure .. understanding .. 🙂

    understanding oneself, and one’s environment, and focus leads to surety, and confidence, which then looks good … you look good ..

15. Hello Sir,

    You are right. I agree with a lot of points that you said. In today’s world, looking glamorous, and having the right connections do open the door for a lot of people. Then, there are people like myself, who chose family life as a priority over career, and now having freed up some time for myself, decided to proceed in the path I love most. I am working on making home made cooking shows, which took these many years to gain experience in. My You Tube movies are one shot deals using a camcorder. More than teaching, it is like acting.
    It is very raw and may look immature. But I am having a lot of fun doing it. http://www.youtube.com/user/radharayasam

16. This is a bit off-topic, but wonder how the Last Airbender by M Night Shyamalan will fare in India. It is being ripped apart by critics in the US (as many of his past movies), I think mainly out of prejudice towards the director. It seems that Sixth Sense became a hit because no one knew this guy as an Indian, but ever since he became famous, the critics love to hate him.
    This guy is in a league of his own, and delivers some high-class stuff. Sir, what do you think about M Night Shyamalan’s work? Have you ever interacted with him?

17. BRAVO!
    That is one fabulous reply.
    I would not in this lifetime have the courage to be emotionally naked, exposed in front of a hundred people. Which I see solid actors do. Sarita Joshi in Sakubai?

    In The Last Lear, there is one shot- “hey you!” where AB sir demonstrates voice power. What all must have gone into a lifetime to be able to emote this one shot??

18. the last statement of this blog
    quote
    Being attractive on the outside may be important , but the ‘art’ of acting is to be attractive on the ‘inside’.
    unquote
    may be I have not understood last statement, everybody will see from the glasses of their own value system, so it is really difficult to judge whether the ‘character’ was felt attractive to the actor himself..insuch cases may be what manoj is saying that may give good results.
    what do you want to say do you mean attraction (which can be false, emotional reaction) is important or acceptance (came out of rational thinking about the character)..or you mean whatever it may be the actor should like that character..lilke we like ourselves and start doing simulation…what is it…I want to understand it..ofcourse my acting experince is very limited..in school as royal guard and in college as a Charlie Chaplin

    needless to say all the rececnt blogs are nice 🙂
    subodh

19. Are you really going to direct Larklight? please blog or something so I know that my dreams have come true (Or have been squashed under a dead space squid).

    Huzzah!

20. tats true sir, ma teacher told me, its all abt behaviour, acting is not abt showing ur emotions brutally like v do in bollywood usually(apart of sum actiors/directors), its just wat u r at that place, time, situation, mood, ur feeling……etc

    “do your own method. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you.” – Constantin Stanislavski sir. I follow this technique.

    n u also said tat in a diff manner i liked it very much coz its abt acting.
    tk

21. Hello shekhar ,
    I have seen your interview and read your article today about Mogambo and have seen you sometimes in India got talent etc I always get the feeling you are an intellectual and a wandere / travelet at heart
    in short a genius just one small idea i want to give you what i call the what if game

    just imagine ( with due respect to your uncle legendary Dev saab ) what if guide had dilip Kumar in the main lead ?

22. besides shekahr my speacial hello to your children / daughter i am not certain Sir about your children and hello to dev saab via u and yes indeed your uncle goldie was amaverick as well shekhar u too along with gowariker farhan bansaali hrani rakesh roshan anurag kashyap and basu are part of the elite director club who build indian cinema 90 onwards ouch i missed ur beloved friend aamir khan he will get angry and yup Vidhu vindod and other maverick man india has got a long list of direcros yaar wht abt farah and bhardwaj ohh thts too many wowo

23. I guess maybe when a person develops one of the best way to express emotions(written for a character) while knowing what is expressed is what was developed i.e., acting.

24. I think the question, “What does it take to become an Actor ?” really depends on:

    1) The country you live in.

    2) The industry you operate in…cinema,tv, theater stage.

    3) The economic situation in a country…..the luxury of “modern” consumer culture enables a large thespian community with many oppertunities in cinema, tv and theater…….USA vs Somalia…..try being an actor in say Somalia. A $15,000 billion economy of the USA verses a $5 billion economy of Somalia. A Lawrence Olivier would have a tough time being recognised in Somalia.

    In India with a $3,600 billion economy, the oppertunities are ample, and varied depending on where you want to go. However in relation to Goondawood (Bollywood, Hindi Cinema) where criminal elements use the industry to launder their money, one imagines that in such a nefarious situation, where 50% of films are never released (but according to the books huge amounts of money were spent)…..and 95% of movies are financial losses…….then being a successful actor in an industry that dominates Indian cinema may be due many factors, SOME OF WHICH MAY HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH ACTING ABILITY:

    1) Couch casting….the actor slept with the director, producer and others.

    2) The actor has strong connections with the Mumbai Mafia, and Donjee has promised an acting career.

    3) The actor belongs to an established acting dynasty which creates automatic entitlement, regardless of actual acting ability. The same with politics…..the same in business….the same in….India is an extended family based society. NEPOTISM.

    4) The actor has connections to the Shiv Sena and RSS both based near Bollywood.

    5) The actor is white, fair skinned and physically beautiful….. and not a “Kala Sala”——-aged between 20’s and 30″, and not older.

    6) For Muslim males a better than average chance of becoming an ACTOR, especially if your name ends with Khan……..absolves “liberal” Indians of the guilt that Muslims constituting just 13% of the population are at the bottom of society, below even the untouchables. Absolves goondawood movies directors of any feelings of doubt and guilt propagating International Jew Banker agenda’s covertly, against Muslims……USING MUSLIM ACTORS TO propagate foreign agenda’s….”but we have Muslim actors”

    7. The underlying theme of commercial acting is about mass production…..melodrama…sensationalism….titillation….voyeurism…….in INDIA, and not necessarily about quality. Then it begs the question what types of people “make it” in Indian commercial acting? Is it about MOGAMDO “Mr India” quality…..the actors acts for the pure excellence of skills, acting prowess…….or the actor is participating in a glorified pantomine in film, with OTT cardboard characters, with “clever lines”….and International Jewish banker themes?

    8. The UK probably has some of the best actors in the world, though it is subjective opinion as I was brought up in the the UK: “What does it take to become an Actor ?” In the UK’s case probably not as much to do with the UK MAFIA, or other non-acting factors mentioned above. The movie industry has been decimated by competition from Hollywood, but there is a substantial British presence in Hollywood. British TV affords many oppertunities for actors, and of course finally British theater employs a vast pool of actors both professional and amateur part-timers. Thus depending on your priorities there are ample oppertunities to participate in the art and craft of acting in the UK, at many levels. It is a rich country $2000 billion with a vast private and government funded cultural network sector which facilitates actors at many levels.

    “Acting takes incredible discipline. You body is the instrument through which you express yourself, like a violin is the violinist’s instrument. It takes years of discipline to create mastery over your body and voice. It takes years of introspection and hard work to learn how to use the inherent emotions in you, to be able transfer them seamlessly to your mind and emotion and from there seamlessly to your body and voice. The discipline and ‘riyaz’ of an actor is no less than that of a classical dancer.”

    “Moments of absolute truth are the most satisfying moments in any art, and the only way you know them, or recognize them, are because you feel closer to something infinite, some power beyond yourself that seems to be in control of your emotions, you body, your heart, your mind.”

    Absolute meaningless drivel, and if you have the “basic” requirements…..that is all that is required.

25. Almost all terrorism in a country is carried out by the state itself, usually by elements within the military/security apparatus because they have the training, the logistics, organisation and the motivation/rational. Their primary motivation for such action is to influence political outcomes within the state, and nothing else……it is purely a political act:

    1. In India a lot of so called Pakistan based Islamic terrorism is actually the work of sections of the Indian military and security (RAW, IB with Police).

    2. India has consistently since the early 1970’s promoted State Terrorism as a weapon with which to conduct its foreign policy, especially under and from Indira Gandhi’s rule…….against Sri Lanka backing the Tamil Tigers; and against Pakistan and Bangladesh with destabilisation programs. This is not mere gossip, BUT fact………that is why Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh want to BUDDY up with China as a counter weight. Such action is based on actual poor experience with India, and not flippant whimsical state diplomacy.

    3. During the early 1980’s with the approval of Indira Gandhi, again, RAW developed close relations with MOSSAD, and with the rise of the BJP in the 1990’s Indian security generally developed closer relations with Israel…under the doctrine of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” But of course Israel is always a special kind of friend as the USA well knows.

    4. Israel’s objective to the present is the neutralisation of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal either through the USA or through India. This has been tried many times against Pakistan since the mid–1970’s. The American occupation of Afghanistan is part of that rational. The present American destabilisation of Pakistan is part of that rational. 26/11 Mumbai was also part of that Jewish rational to get India into a war with Pakistan, and in the process destroy Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. That was the political objective of 26/11.

    5. 26/11 was the work of elements within RAW, IB working with the Mumbai police to stage and fix such an event, with Israeli help. The BBC and The Guardian reported people in Mumbai seeing white European men with guns in the vicinity of the terrorist attacks……….and that some of the Indian commando’s dealing with Nariman House actually found the Israelis “Hostages” who were actually doing the shooting. i.e “We saw white people shooting at us”……..in the other locations again mostly likely Indian, or Israeli ops doing the shooting, and than explaining that away as Pakistan based terrorists.

    6. ATS Hemant Kakare deaths is odd. ONE IS TEMPTED TO SAY THAT THE WHOLE THING WAS SET UP FOR HIS BENEFIT. HE HAD AN EXPLOSIVE STORY IN THE WORKS………….RSS/MILITARY/ISRAEL Hemant Kakare is the guy, ex-RAW who uncovered the RSS/military terrorism nexus in India…………….Thus the “incompetence of the Mumbai police” in relation to Kakare’s death, and “We failed to connect the dots” according to Home Minister P Chidambaram……is in fact not FAILURE by them, but the actions of people in positions of influence directing the staged event of 26/11 for Israel and the RSS agenda……state elections were due in several Indian states but mercifully sober Indian voters did not flock to the BJP rabid cause, unlike the Anglophone media in India CNN-IBN, NDtv etc.

    7. David Headley is an American agent…..working for the DEA and others. His mother is Jewish. He is a key organiser of events in Mumbai.Reinforces the account of many in Mumbai who saw white people with guns carrying out the attacks around Mumbai.

    8. But hasn’t Pakistan partially admitted to 26/11? The corruption of Zardari and his junta is legendary. The Pakistan Supreme Court has ruled that many of the top Cabinet members of Zardari are BIG TIME CROOKS who should be doing jail time…..Zardari has given them a presidential pardon instead. Zardari came into power through rigged elections through the largesse of the USA in 2008. He has gone into purduh since, so loathed and hated that he is in Pakistan for good reason. ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT FROM SUCH A REGIME COUPLED WITH AMERICAN PRESSURE, MUST BE TAKEN WITH A PINCH OF SALT. Pakistan is a client state of the USA, and the USA bankrolls and controls the ISI. Most terrorism in Pakistan is committed by the Pakistani state for the USA (Think Mir Sadik, Mir Jafar and Shaikh Ayaz)…..if it will help watch the whole shoddy serial of Tipu Sultan, and see what people can do to their own for greed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy4Qf1JSZbk see the actual basis of South Asian failure, where the ruling elite loot and plunder South Asia into foreign off shore accounts.

    9. What about Ajmal and the 9 dead men = 10 terrorists on 26/11. Well in India lets see, there are about 32,000 homicides each year; 200,000 = suicides; 130,000 road accident deaths; a few hundred thousand dying from starvation……..Indian morgues have a lot of dead bodies who can be mutilated, scared and passed off as alleged terrorists in Mumbai, and a handful of hapless captive Pakistani tourists who really ought not have ventured into RSS/BJP India in the first place (I am not venturing into the country any time soon, even with my high profile). Anyone of these hapless tourists can be passed off as a terrorist, and produced as such. It wouldn’t even surprise me if the American funded and controlled ISI actually supplied Ajmal for such a fake narrative. The ISI has handed over to the Americans since 2001,……. 700 alleged members of ‘al-QAEDA” who were sent to Bagram and Guantanomo. Pakistanis and Afghan nationals…….some 3200 Pakistani nationals have “disappeared” due to the actions of the Pakistani security state working in conjunction with the USA, since 2001. Most of the 700 captured by the Pakistani security have been released by the Americans subsequently, many old men and some boys wholly innocent…….500–600 people. Ajmal confessing to being a terrorist means nothing; indicates nothing.

    10. Siv Sena Mumbai, with the RSS in the background, in the vicinity….what does it all mean? The city has a notorious reputation at many levels. It is controlled by the Siv Sena Mafia who have publicly stated that terrorism as a means of political advancement is wholly justifiable…..and we are not talking of one of those off the cuff comments, but as a matter of party politics. Violence intimidation and threats is an integral part of Party policy. The Siv Sena and the RSS love Israel.”The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Mumbai use to at one time the center of the Jewish community in India ‘Bene Israel” with 40,000 Jews living and working in the Mumbai hinterland. It is very natural that such a city with such a reputation should produce such an incident with such CODED Jew dates 26/11, involving such numbers allegedly—10.

26. in bollywood an actor can only survive if he is accepted from the masses. no director or producer signs an actor unless he cant draw the crowd to theatre. we as audience r used to see cinema as commerce, the audience doesnt see it as an art. that is why films like bunty&bubbly & hooseful gets superhit &lsd flop. we r a cinema crazy nation not cinema literate.

27. No, I think a certain amount of personal charisma, and connection with the audience does help the actors of Goondawood. One imagines that people like Amitab Bachan didn’t get to where they are purely through nefarious connections. Having said this one can cite Hollywood where many people one could argue are not really good actors, but have the “right” surgically enhanced looks, are Jewish, part Jewish…..Harrison Ford, Richard Geer and all the rest……and the vast commercial enterprise worth $50 billion churns out and processes these stars so that they become appealing to the public…..even though they still may not have real acting skills.

28. It is an interesting question.

    I think it requires a certain degree of “intelligent” vulnerability. As we grow up in this world, we tend to build walls around us which keeps most us insulated from most experiences and emotions in life. An actor has to be open to every encounter. For me, “self importance” will kill an actor’ skill. An actor should be willing to forego the idea of self as defined by his ego to play the role of an observer. If you observe we are all acting most of time during the course of the day. Most of our responses stem from our defense mechanism. However, an actor is honing on a different goal, hence his approach has to be one where he can develop at first a God’ eye view of the world and the characters and then a 3D view of him linking his own experiences to those of the character.

    Maybe I am being too abstract here.

29. Good one.

30. you just need to feel things .

31. i want to become an actor.

32. Acting is some thing i relate to sprituality.It is the most difficult thing to do.you need to be an allrounder.

33. Why don’t film makers [in India], for the most part, have a natural affinity for seeking out talent that is more attractive on the inside…talent that has been through focused rigor and incredible discipline in training. Is aligning with star-power a mask to one’s own inadequacies as a film maker?

    Or, should the question be: what does it take to make the business of film an art? is the art of film the same as an ‘art film’ ?

34. Hello sir,
    This is harsh I am a bba third year student of jims new delhi.Ia m extremely good looking guy with a very gud built please sir consider my mail twice or thrice i am a very dedicated and hard working guy if u give me a single chance i will convince you,there is something because of that i cannot come to mumbai and struggle from there…if u read this reply plz consider me.my contact no.7607160052

35. Hi my name is William and I am not from the big city like New york,or Cali. I was born and raised in Montgomery Alabama,I now live in Florida and I have never took no acting classes but I am a great actor It is about controlling your mind and having controll over it. I have just finished my first book its called “The Image In the mirror, Knowing who you really are in Christ” and already have a publisher, so if you know someone that needs a good actor from Alabama just e-mail me or my cell number is 850-305-1956
    Thank You

36. I appreciate about the outside and inside matter which u had told in Ur article, there r many things which can help an individual to look good from outside through various tool like u had mentioned above in Ur article, but to be a good actor one had to b truth to self only his hard work can show that he is a good actor along with its talent. Thank u 4 sharing Ur opinion with us.

37. Mr. Kapur,

    Kind of you to share your thoughts on what it takes to become an actor. I’ve been your admirer since childhood, and have always wondered what it is to become an actor…and your answer up there gives good reasoning.

    It’s been really hard for me to accept that I have to take up to another profession, rather than pursuing my passion. It’s stability that family members think about, and that’s what drives me to different fields other than doing what I like to do. I’m a qualified lawyer, and also have an MBA from a US business school, but none of it interests me….as my passion still lies in singing and acting. I’ve tried marketing, law, IT, which does not help me mentally, and that’s the reason at 30 I’m still willing to take a chance to get into acting.

    Would really appreciate some input from you, and opportunities that I could take up.

    Cheers…dee

38. Sir,

    Iam Khaja from chennai. wants to become an actor and wants act in parallel and art films. I love to act in natural way. i dont have any idea to how to start my career as an actor. but i am very much interested to become an art film actor. please give me some idea. if you requires i can send my photos. Please give me a kind reply sir.

39. i think for being an actor u jst have to play a gamble and if that works . U r an actor . Whatever we want to do we shud do that completely without thinking about its consequences .

40. Sir,

    I am Santosh from Tamil Nadu. I have a deep interest in acting. I am only 12 and I want to develop myself in the cinema field. Even though this is not ambition, I want to be successful in acting. Please anyone help me.

41. iwant too be onee so bad but when iget in front of lots of people ifrezze up; and dont wanna say anything. what should i do anyonee.

42. hello sir,
    Mai ASHISH india -mumbai se hu.har kisi ki ek khwaish hoti hai kuchh kar dikhane ki but shayad hi use mauka mile.mai bhi khudko proof karna chahta hu duniya ke samne .meri age 18 yrs hai.
    bahot kuchh sapne hai mere lekin kisi ka support nahi hai.
    bas ek request hai aapse ek mauka aap mujhe de mai khudko proof kar sakta hu .
    i want to becm a actor …………………sirf aapka support chahiye sir……….pls

43. sir…i am Harkamal singh from punjab ……i like acting a lot…i have a habbit to do some best scenes and dialogues…when i am alone….i was totally inspired by movie rockstar…..i just dont want to earn status symbol money or any thing else bt i just want to do acting…and to struggle more and more in this field…..chahe saari umar hi kyn na gujar jaye….

44. Dear Shekhar,

    I read some reports somewhere that you are acting in Kamal Haasan’s movie, is it true? That would be great!

    How I wish, an actor like Kamal Haasan can get an international film? Perhaps you could team with him, it would be an amazing combination.

    Regards
    Ganesh

45. I want to become an actor..

46. abe khamosh jise dekho actor banne chala hai. Yeh shekhar suman bhi na.

47. sry suman written by mistake

48. se moustque or moure what ever u r. What about the hizbulla, lashkar, jaish-e-muhammad and many more. And they are not run by RSS, IB, SHIV SENA. Therez no doubt that the pakistan is producing the terrorists and cannibals.

49. Dear sir,
    I realy would like to become an actor but do you think if I study lines from a movie that would help me get used to lines ? then I have one more quiestion to ask you do you think acting can come naturaly?

50. dear sekhar sir,
    ur message is really a great guide and aspirational one.here i have a querry ther r many talent in northeast which no director wants to dive in…ther r many struggler who suppose to get back footed due to monetory problem or shorter outlook in the states.i my self only to become an attracted actor,my dream since childhood but hardly cross my barriers over here in tripura.if a gateway passes thru the state many talents wud have been born from her.sir , i’d request u being a genuine film director u should take a leap over here in our state..
    thanking u.

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