From Bihar to Bollywood: The journey of Gurmeet Choudhury

Brut India

"I will not leave this industry." Gurmeet Choudhury opened up about his struggle for recognition in the film industry due to Bihari stereotypes.  📹: Digital Commentary

Transcript

00:00Even if I don't act, I'll open a canteen in Film City.

00:04You don't look like a Bihari.

00:06How can you be from Bihar?

00:08I am a Bihari, so I look like this.

00:10I was a 4-5 year old face.

00:12I used to run around a lot.

00:14Kali, Kali, Kali, Kali

00:16Kali, Kali, Kali, Kali

00:17There's a saying about you

00:19that whenever people know that you're from Bihar,

00:21they don't even look at you.

00:23I want to know, have you heard comments like this about yourself?

00:27This is a very common question that people ask me.

00:32They even say that you don't look like a Bihari.

00:35How can you be from Bihar?

00:37That's why if you see,

00:39for the past few years,

00:41in every interview, everywhere,

00:43I say that I am from Bihar.

00:45Why? Biharis don't look like this.

00:47I am a Bihari, so I look like this.

00:49So people have made a perception

00:51that Bihari people don't know how they look.

00:53How they are.

00:55And it often happens that

00:57a small percentage,

00:59now it's much better,

01:01they feel shy to speak Bihari.

01:03So it's not their fault.

01:05In our past,

01:07where Bihar didn't have such a name,

01:09people felt shy.

01:11We are intelligent people,

01:13hardworking people.

01:15The best thing about Bihar is

01:17that we work very hard.

01:19And if you know the direction,

01:21if you know that you have to reach this destination,

01:23I am a Bihari.

01:25I am like this.

01:27Bihari people are like this.

01:29They are of all types.

01:31We are humans too.

01:33When you come from Bihar to Mumbai,

01:35initially you had no connection,

01:37no identity, nothing.

01:39What year did you come here?

01:41I came here in 2003.

01:43I was about 17-18 years old.

01:45I gave the 12th board.

01:47I didn't even take the result.

01:49And I came here.

01:52I came to Mumbai.

01:54I came here for an acting course.

01:56I always wanted to become an actor.

01:58My preparation was going on since childhood.

02:00If I reach Mumbai,

02:02I could visualize

02:04that I am in Mumbai

02:06and what will happen,

02:08how will I do it.

02:10I had a thought in my mind

02:12that if I study and graduate

02:14and then it will take 3-4 years

02:16to understand the industry,

02:18then I will be like this for 30 years.

02:20I won't be able to act

02:22or do any other work.

02:24If I learn this craft

02:26at the age of 16-17,

02:28practically, on the set,

02:30then I will be able to do something.

02:32I had a lot of confidence

02:34that I will definitely

02:36be able to do something.

02:38Even if I don't act,

02:40I will open a canteen

02:42in Film City.

02:44I will do something in the industry.

02:46I won't leave the industry.

02:48I used to be famous

02:50for all the actors.

02:52All the ads used to be made there.

02:54I went there on the first day

02:56and distributed my pictures everywhere.

02:58On the same evening, I got 3 calls

03:00for the ad.

03:02I started shooting from the next day.

03:04Of course,

03:06it was not a very main lead ad.

03:08But I wanted

03:10to go on the set

03:12and learn about the lighting,

03:14how the actor speaks in his dialogues,

03:16and what the camera facing is.

03:18For the first time,

03:20people saw me in Ramayana.

03:22But very few people know

03:24that I used to do TV

03:26for 4-5 years before Ramayana.

03:28I used to play small roles

03:30like a waiter,

03:32a friend of the main lead,

03:34or a two-day job.

03:36I used to run around

03:38for 4-5 years.

03:40When I got Ramayana,

03:42I knew what I had to do.

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