Sharman Joshi: We can only imagine what went in their mind while staring in the face of death

Actor Sharman Joshi still gets goosebumps thinking about the valour of the freedom fighters, and how they stared death in the face to get independence for the country. He confesses that no one can actually get to know what was going in their mind at that time.

Joshi essayed the role of Shivaram Rajguru in Rang De Basanti (2006), which captured the freedom struggle in flashback mode with a contemporary twist.

“I got a beautiful opportunity to be part of an absolute cult film, which is still remembered, about young boys who hear stories of these wonderful and brave freedom fighters only to get inspired by their movement,” Joshi tells us.

For him, looking back in the past, and thinking about their fight was enough to create the mood of the story, and get him inspired.

“We could just imagine what was running in the minds of those brave heroes of our freedom fight. It sends a chill up your spine, and gives me goosebumps. There were many such moments during the filming when we all felt like freedom fighters, but we can never actually imagine how it is to actually stare into the face of death,” admits the 42-year-old.

Joshi adds, “We felt those emotions, which can only be imagined and never truly felt, because of the efforts put by everyone from writers to our director”.

Many years have passed since Joshi got under the skin of the character, but there are many values that the actor took from the real life hero, which reflect in his life even today.

“The one thing that continues to stay with me is one dialogue from the film, ‘If you want to bring about a change in your country then you have to be the change in yourself, and not depend on others’.”