You tend to learn a lot from Sanjay Jadhav, says Sachit Patil

Sachit Patil, who was last seen in Amol Shetge's mystery drama One Way Ticket (2016), has made a comeback to Marathi cinema after six years in Sanjay Jadhav's musical drama Tamasha Live (2021). The actor plays the egotistical and opportunistic news anchor Ashwin who controls the media and has the power to influence people any way he wants. 

In an exclusive conversation with Cinestaan.com, which took place shortly before the release of the film, Patil opened up about the film, his character and his preparation for the role.

What can you tell us about your character?

Ashwin is the undisputed king of media. He controls the media and has the power to influence people in any way he wants. He is an extremely selfish guy who will go to any extent to get what he wants and doesn't believe in the concept of right or wrong. Many journalists want to become like him, but he is confident that no one will take his place. But then comes Shefali, who starts giving him and his talk show a tough competition. I was very happy to play the role because very rarely do we actors get to play a character who has such shades. The last time I got a chance to play such a character was in Zenda (2009) and Classmates (2015).

How did you get on board the project?

Although it's a musical, issues such as the deterioration of the political discourse, the changing dynamics of society and the impact of social media and trolling are highlighted in the film. But all these serious topics are addressed using the music and songs, which is the most unique aspect of the film. We have seen some of these issues being addressed in films and shows before, but they have never used music and songs as a form of storytelling. 

As for how I got on board, it is not a difficult question at all. I mean who is going to refuse to be part of Sanjay Jadhav's film? And the moment I read the script, I immediately agreed to be part of the project. 

Tamasha Live review: An underwhelming musical satire of the mainstream media

You participated in a workshop to prepare for this role, which doesn't happen often. What was that experience like?

Yes, workshops are not common anymore, especially for films. But because there were so many things we were doing for the first time in this film, we all decided to do a workshop for more than a month. Just like we do rehearsals for any play, we rehearsed our scenes. 

And this became really helpful during the shoot because we had learnt all our lines by then. Not many would believe this, but we actually completed the whole shoot, including all the songs, in 19 days. Most of the time, Sanjay didn't even need to do retakes because we would even ace the complex scenes in the first take itself. And because of this, the portion that would have probably taken 10 days to complete, we would shoot within four days.

This is your fourth project with Sonalee Kulkarni after Kshanbhar Vishranti (2010), Samudra (2010) and Classmates (2015). What was it like working with her after seven years?

It was a fantastic experience. When I worked with her for the first time, I immediately realized that she was someone who always likes to learn something new and keep improving. And with each new project, I have seen her become a better actress. Here, she plays the role of an honest reporter who turns into a cunning and smart journalist who knows how to not let herself get affected by her emotions. Sonalee has proved with this film that she is one of the best actresses in Marathi cinema right now. 

You have also performed a rap song for the first time. What was that like?

Yes, I did many things for the first time in this film. When I was asked to sing for the first time by Sanjay, I thought he was joking. But then he told me he was serious. I was not ready to sing initially but when he told me that it's a rap song and even Sonalee and Siddharth Jadhav had sung songs in the film, I reluctantly agreed. And now I'm getting a lot of appreciation from the people so I'm glad that I tried this new challenge.

This is your second project under Sanjay Jadhav's direction after the web-series Anuradha. So how was the experience of working under his direction once again?

Generally, artists have to wait for years to get a chance to work under Sanjay's direction. I'm fortunate enough that I got a chance to be directed by him in back-to-back projects. He knows exactly how to extract good performances from the artiste. He is also an excellent cinematographer, which makes things even easier for artistes like us because he is always very clear about how to shoot the scene. There is never any confusion or doubt in him regarding that. And if you keep yourself aware on set, you get to learn a lot from him as an actor and a human being.

Your last directorial venture was Kshanbhar Vishranti (2010). When will we see you again in the director's chair?

I'm planning to return to direction soon, but I can't reveal much now. Because currently, I'm busy with multiple projects. I am shooting for two Marathi films. I'm also busy with the daily soap Aboli, which airs on Star Pravah. So amidst this busy schedule, I don't find much time to focus on direction. But I assure you that, I will soon begin work on my next directorial venture.