Express News Service
Popular American actor Terrence Mann once said, “Movies will make you famous, television will make you rich, but theatre will make you good.” Padma Shri Mohammad Ali Baig is an actor who created a lasting legacy in front of live audiences in theatre before stepping in front of the camera for movies and OTT. After making his debut with the Tamil film, Aruvi, he went on to star in pivotal roles in this year’s Cobra and Sardar.
Mohammad Ali Baig has also had starring roles in the OTT space with shows like Netflix’s marquee series, She, the Aha series, In the Name of God, and the recently released Telugu web series on ZEE5, Aha Naa Pellanta. “At the risk of sounding immodest, I believe cinema is a cakewalk for seasoned theatre actors who are used to the meticulousness of the stage. But I do understand that unlike theatre, which is an actor’s medium, cinema is a director’s medium. Having adapted to the medium, I am just having a ball now,” says the actor.
Excerpts from a conversation
It wouldn’t have been easy to make that shift from theatres to films…
Being born into theatre, and groomed under my legendary dad (Qadir Ali Baig), I had a good launching pad. I had the confidence to go gung-ho in any form of media.
The difference between theatre and cinema was more offscreen. We were shooting for SHE during the second lockdown, and it was nice to see a 7 am shift start at 7.04 tops. However, while shooting for films, I was asked to be ready by 10 am and the first shot was canned only after lunch. We have to be ready to face the changing dynamics.
Are there things that cinema would be better off without?
I absolutely hate the ‘sir sir’ culture in cinema. I have grown up seeing the biggest of stars standing up to greet a director. It pains me to see directors go behind stars and say ‘sir sir.’ Also, I have always adhered to strict protocols, so I was a bit apprehensive about the cinema culture.
What have the responses to your performances been like from your peers?
The confidence to play a variety of roles comes from my theatre grooming. My roles in Aruvi and SHE were of strict police officers and yet I could bring a difference to these characters. From PK Abraham in Sardar to the eccentric Maths teacher in Cobra, the makers wanted an actor who could hold his ground in front of the stars. I shared an excellent working rapport with actors like Vikram and Karthi who are not just a powerhouse of talent but extremely warm people too. With my role in SHE, people told me that they checked the credits to see if it was indeed me or an actual police officer playing the role. I internalise my characters, and I want my audience to think twice if it is indeed me that they are seeing in the film. That is the real applause.
Finally, do you see your cinema sojourn opening up a new audience to your theatre…
I would be delighted if they come to see me as an actor on stage, and not as a film actor doing stage plays. That will be highly contentious for a thoroughbred theatre actor like me. We see cinema actors in the West wanting to get on stage, however, it is the reverse in India, which is unfortunate. But selling more tickets, and having more people see theatre is a good thing. I wish to see the ‘struggling theatre artist’ trope end soon, and it becomes a financially strong medium that more people wish to be part of.
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