From Blood Diamond To Bachchhan Paandey, Rana Naidu & Gadar 2: Gaurav Chopraa's versatility over the years is inspiring at its very best

by Priya Jadhav

Gaurav Chopraa is someone who's always had the ability and potential to win hearts effortlessly. The last few years have been simply phenomenal for Gaurav in every possible way and no wonder, anything and everything that he has attempted professionally has worked wonders for him. While talent and potential was never a matter of doubt for Gaurav, over the years, his ability to pick the right roles has helped him immensely and how.

Well, if we talk about versatility, he became the talk of the country in 2006 itself when he worked in Blood Diamond alongside Hollywood superstar Leonardo Di Caprio. Gaurav got an opportunity to be a part of this project at a time when even the legendary late Irrfan Khan and Priyanka Chopra weren’t a part of Hollywood and that’s true commendable. While everyone knows about his performance in Blood Diamond, not many perhaps know the story behind how he bagged the project. Gaurav says,

"It was around 2005-2006 when I had just become a star in Indian TV. After 3 successful shows, I decided to be in Broadway in South Africa. I remember a lot of people told me that I have become a star here now and why am I doing this. Many thought it was a bonkers decision. However, I wanted to experiment and take gamble in order to realize my true potential. What happened next was beautiful and I am thankful to God. I got Blood Diamond only because I chose to go to South Africa for Broadway theatre. Now imagine, if I wouldn’t have gone fearing the risk, I don’t think I would have got the opportunity to shoot 17 days with Leonardo Di Caprio for a blockbuster project like this. So, in a way, I have never shied away from taking risks and because the risks have paid me rich dividends and success, the confidence to take risks and gambles only increased for me as my career progressed. After I returned to India, many people

criticized my decision to be back in Indian TV. Many felt it was a horrible decision to be back on Indian TV after shooting with Leonardo DiCaprio for an International project. But again, I decided to listen to my gut feeling and that’s when I decided to do Nach Baliye. So, like I said, I have only listened to my gut feeling and have never shied away from experimentation."

If one takes a close look at his career trajectory post the Covid-19 pandemic, his versatility is genuinely inspiring in the true sense of the term. It can genuinely be referred to as a second innings for his career. It all started with Bachchhan Paandey where he played a small-town street thug from Rajasthan. Next, in Rana Naidu, his versatility touched many hearts and his character of Prince even fetched him two special awards. And, just when many thought Gaurav wouldn't surprise them anymore, he was back with a bang in Gadar 2 where he played the role of an army officer from 1971.

Regarding the versatile roles and performances as a performing artiste over the years, Gaurav comments,

"The biggest challenge as an actor is to constantly evolve yourself in order to play different characters. I don't think you are really acting if you get repetitive about the same kind of roles. As an actor, you want thrill and excitement and only playing different characters can give us that thrill. Like I said earlier, I have never been scared to experiment. A lot of people call me versatile for pulling off diverse roles. However, what not many realize is the gamble and risk that’s involved in the process. Once you get accepted for something and get loud cheers for the same, it takes a lot of guts and courage to quit your comfort zone to start something totally fresh. It might be better or it might be worse. None the less, there’s always a risk which is hard to take. Let’s take a look at Rana Naidu for example. There were many 'uncomfortable' scenes which many actors refused to do. However, I was up for the challenge. Be it the sexual scenes or abuses, I knew it is going to be a big risk for me given the kind of image I have had onscreen over the years. However, it was a gamble worth taking again and guess what? It fetched me 2 special awards. I truly believe from my real-life experiences that 'Darr ke aage jeet hai’. I call the phase post Covid-19 pandemic as the second innings of my career. I was very clear about the fact that I wanted to do different kinds of roles that would challenge me. All my characters in the recent past have involved a tremendous amount of research and preparation which has eventually helped me do justice to the characters on-screen. For me, I have set no limits for myself and I want to go all guns blazing when it comes to doing more versatile roles going forward. I am motivated like never before. I want to do more quality films and I want to play impactful characters. I also want to be a part of more International films going forward and expand my audience and horizon as an actor. Thanks to my fans and the audience for keeping their faith in me. I truly feel blessed."

Well, right from Blood Diamond till Gadar 2, the variation that Gaurav has shown onscreen is phenomenal and truly inspiring for young gen-z actors who are sometimes scared to experiment. Yes, there’s risk but if you work hard and take smart decisions, the risks are indeed rewarding, just as they have been in Gaurav’s case. Speaking of risks, it will be interesting to see what will be Gaurav’s next move as an actor and how he plans to surprise his audience and fans yet again in a new way. Till the time comes, all we can do is play the waiting game. Stay tuned for more updates.