Living in Mumbai, I forged an identity for Saleem: Satya Sorab Bhabha, British-born American actor
I spent time living in Mumbai , interacting with my extended family, forming close relationships with my co-actors , travelling alone in the local trains and so on . I forged an identity for Saleem .
By ET Bureau | Updated:
Satya Sorab Bhabha is a British-born American actor who’s playing the iconic Saleem Sinai in Midnight’s Children. Son of noted Harvard scholars Homi K Bhabha and Jacqueline Bhabha , Satya began his acting career through student productions during his days in Yale . Nehmat Kaur catches up with him:
How was the experience of transforming yourself to an iconic character like Sinai?
I read the book a long time ago and the interesting thing I noticed about Saleem then and even when I was preparing for the movie is that you only see the world through his eyes and not a lot of people talk about Saleem . So you get to know about the fantastic , hilarious people in his world but not about Saleem , himself . I think Saleem was a product of his environment and experiences so to prepare myself for the role , I spent time living in Mumbai , interacting with my extended family, forming close relationships with my co-actors , travelling alone in the local trains and so on . I forged an identity for Saleem .
How do you define yourself? A theatre actor or a wannabe movie star, especially after this movie?
I’d like to be part of both mediums as much as possible . The two are different but connected . As an actor , one’s role is very much to respond and react to the situation within the context of the character and his world . There are technical differences like the issues of physical presentation . For films , the process is that you work consistently and constantly for 3-4 months and then leave ; whereas for a play, you prepare for about a month and then continue performing it for 5 to 6 months . I wouldn’t like to be just a comic or dramatic or action actor but yes , I do have more experience in theatre as of now .
How would you situate the book Midnight’s Children in the larger realm of new Asian writing?
Well , Midnight’s Children falls under the genre of post-colonial writing and there is a range of writers like VS Naipaul and Salman who popularised it. Midnight’s Children was incredibly important in this cannon . When it was first published and all the attention it got from winning the Booker Prize and other awards , it certainly opened up this kind of literature to a much wider audience .
How was the experience of transforming yourself to an iconic character like Sinai?
I read the book a long time ago and the interesting thing I noticed about Saleem then and even when I was preparing for the movie is that you only see the world through his eyes and not a lot of people talk about Saleem . So you get to know about the fantastic , hilarious people in his world but not about Saleem , himself . I think Saleem was a product of his environment and experiences so to prepare myself for the role , I spent time living in Mumbai , interacting with my extended family, forming close relationships with my co-actors , travelling alone in the local trains and so on . I forged an identity for Saleem .
How do you define yourself? A theatre actor or a wannabe movie star, especially after this movie?
I’d like to be part of both mediums as much as possible . The two are different but connected . As an actor , one’s role is very much to respond and react to the situation within the context of the character and his world . There are technical differences like the issues of physical presentation . For films , the process is that you work consistently and constantly for 3-4 months and then leave ; whereas for a play, you prepare for about a month and then continue performing it for 5 to 6 months . I wouldn’t like to be just a comic or dramatic or action actor but yes , I do have more experience in theatre as of now .
How would you situate the book Midnight’s Children in the larger realm of new Asian writing?
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Well , Midnight’s Children falls under the genre of post-colonial writing and there is a range of writers like VS Naipaul and Salman who popularised it. Midnight’s Children was incredibly important in this cannon . When it was first published and all the attention it got from winning the Booker Prize and other awards , it certainly opened up this kind of literature to a much wider audience .
Back then , England wasn’t as accessible and multicultural as it is now and this literature helped in bringing about that multicultural mindset . The book also came at a time when multiculturalism was coming into its own ; there was a real sense of ownership and belonging amongst immigrants and their England-born children .
Have you followed the resurgence of mainstream Indian cinema these days that’s seeking to redefine ‘Bollywood’ ?
I visit India at least once a year though surrounding the making of Midnight’s Children I was there a lot more . I’ve visited India for work obligations twice this year itself and generally visit to meet my family in Mumbai . I travelled India quite a lot to prepare for the movie . I think Bollywood’s at an interesting turning point where people are experimenting and exploring ways to tell new stories .
It’s a fascinating industry . Though the big question about Bollywood seeking to redefine itself is that at the end of the day, as with any industry , even this is a business ; so is there really an audience for movies like Maqbool (Maqbool is one of my favourite films of all time ) and L S D? I’d like to say yes . It’s really reliant on filmmakers and producers , like Aamir Khan supports smaller films . So even though these movies don’t earn at the box office like a Rajnikanth movie would , they’re worth making and they are being watched .
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