Harry Parmar was recently seen in the negative role of Doctor aka Shahid Akhtar Saeed in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The actor who has also starred in Hansal Mehta’s Lootere and Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha, talks about his experience of working with Anubhav Sinha in an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times. Excerpts from the interview. (Also Read: Anubhav Sinha addresses the IC 814 Kandahar hijack controversy in his trademark, no-nonsense style. Here’s what he said)
Harry Parmar on IC 814: Kandahar Hijacking
When asked what was the most unique aspect about his character and the script of IC 814 that made him say yes to the show, Harry says, “First of all, it is not a fictional show. It is based on an incident that happened when I was in college. At that time, I followed the news very closely. When this role came to me I was very excited to play this character because sometimes you have to play a character which is very different from your overall personality. So, I was very excited about it. Moreover, the icing on the cake for me was that something or the other was happening in the doctor’s life with each passing day. So, I was very excited to play this character.”
Harry Parmar on his research for the 1999 Kandahar hijack
When asked about the need for actors to be well prepared with research while working on shows or films related to real-life events, the actor explained, “When you are focusing on a real-life event, You need to do your work. Research very carefully because you can’t go wrong with the facts. This was a huge accident for the whole of India which happened in 1999. So, most people knew about the incident but they didn’t know the specifics like what was going on in the offices, the crisis management groups, what they were thinking. About how they were planning to deal with the hijackers. So, for that, you need a lot of research. I read two books written on this incident and through Anubhav Sir I came to know many general things about what was happening at that time. Anubhav sir met many people aboard the flight. So, that common sense helped us a lot.”
Harry Parmar on his character ‘Doctor’
When Harry was asked if he had any apprehensions about playing his character as he is working with Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur and Manoj Pahwa, he said, “I think my character is based on the script like other characters. It is written in a particular way. I knew how important the character of the doctor was. Therefore, there was no fear or doubt. And I didn’t share any screen space with most of the big actors. Like Naseer saab, Pankaj saab, Manoj Pahwa sir and Kumud bhai. I didn’t get a chance to spend screen time with him. But I knew which actor was playing which character. Although, we were not physically there, but I knew that whatever voiceover was coming was Manoj sir’s voiceover, I knew how to react. Most of my reactions were very muted. So, I knew how to play my character. I was very clear about it.”
Harry Parmar reflects on his acting journey
When asked about his experience as an artiste while working with Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta and Advait Chandan, Harry says, “Every filmmaker has his own style and approach towards his art. So, I am lucky that I worked with Advait Bhai, Hansal sir and Anubhav sir. When I worked on Laal Singh Chaddha, Advaita was very prepared. He would check his scenes in his mind and he knew what he was shooting. With Jai on Looter, it was like a party. We will sail to the location. He has a very unique style. When he reaches the set, he completely changes the scene. Jai used to improvise a lot. Anubhav Sir was also very clear in his mind as to what he wanted and how he wanted it. So, his choreography was very much on his mind. So, I learned with all my directors and they all have their own unique style.
Harry Parmar on working as a casting director
When asked if working as a casting director helped him understand his craft better, Harry says, “Yes, I would say casting depends on how one understands a character And how to contact him. I have been casting for the last 14-15 years and I have had the opportunity to meet many directors and understand their perspective. So, over the years my understanding of how to construct a character, a script or a scene has become deeper. So, casting helped me a lot to understand about film acting. Because, I have done theatre, but the grammar of film acting is a little different from the grammar of theater acting. So, casting helped me a lot in understanding film acting.
Harry Parmar insists on OTT vs theatrical release
When Harry was asked about the ongoing discussion of theatrical releases being affected by digital streaming platforms, he said, “I believe that no medium can kill the other medium. OTT can never kill the cinematic medium because the cinema experience is a very different experience. Whether I am doing a series on OTT or a theatrical release, I need to connect with the content as well as the actors, director, DOP. As long as you are making good and entertaining films. The medium probably doesn’t matter.”
Harry Parmar faces online scrutiny over cinema
When asked about the need for filmmakers to be cautious while making a story based on real-life events, as people may raise objections related to the authenticity of the story, Harry says, “I believe that every filmmaker Walk with your instincts and convictions. When they conceive a story and start writing it, they have their own strong beliefs about a particular story. If we talk about people raising objections on social media, most of them are fake accounts. So, I don’t feel for some mischievous elements; You must compromise your thought process. Therefore, you should go with your convictions and let people say what they want to say. You have to face both positive and negative criticism. If you make Ramayana tomorrow, you will have to face criticism. So, you will be criticized anyway, so why not do what you believe in.
