Mumbai,(IANS)| As Sanjay Kapoor and Shweta Kawatra’s short film ‘Friction’ released on YouTube, the story revolves around a married couple’s complicated relationship with a child. The actor says that unless child actors are well directed, instead of looking cute, they can come across as “troubling”. In the short film, Sanjay has some important scenes with child artist Purab Modi. Directed by Sumit Suresh Kumar, the film is written and produced by Mandhir Sahni.
Sharing his experience of working with a child artist, Sanjay, who was recently seen in the web series ‘The Last Hour’, told IANS, “I would like to give full credit to our director Sumit. You see, the child actors need to direct them properly so that they can give their best performance. They are flawless, so it is in the hands of the director to pull out the performance. “At times it is extremely difficult to show a child as loving rather than teasing. In Indian cinema, I have seen child actors shown as ‘too cute’, grumbling a certain way and trying to be over-the-top. It is shown to have happened. But things have changed.”
Citing an example from his earlier films, he said, “When we were making ‘Mr India’, I saw how Shekhar (Kapoor, the director) did it. Those child actors came across as real, relatable. I still remember when I went to the theater to watch the movie ‘Masoom’. “Throughout the film, whenever those moments and close-up shots came on-screen, seeing Jugal Hansraj, the housefull audience reacted in one go.” The story is told from the point of view of a contemporary middle-aged couple, Rahul and Rosky and their 10-year-old son Rishi. A call from Rosky sends Rahul on a whirlwind journey about the events of his past. What happens, changes the lives of the trio forever in a way that no one can fathom. In the end, Rahul is left to ponder what he wants versus what has happened.
Continuing his conversation with IANS, Sanjay said, “On one hand I found the story very relatable because in every couple, in every intimate emotional relationship, there is some friction. It is only natural. On the other hand, when it comes to casting . A child artist, he had to look like he was a part of the family. In our story it is the family of Rahul, Rosky and their son Ishaan. Since Chhota seems to be a part of the family, his presence and performance is lovely.”