No acting school can teach what I learnt on Mulk sets: Ashrut Jain

Written by Mimansa Shekhar | New Delhi | Published: August 2, 2018 5:58:35 pm Ashrut Jain has previously worked with YRFs casting department for three years. Top News

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Ashrut Jain is happy about his latest film Mulk getting good reviews. “It gives me immense happiness that the country loved our thought process. It needed a lot of courage to bring up a story like this. Hats off to Anubhav (Sinha) sir for pulling this off,” Ashrut said in an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com.

The actor plays Rashid in the Anubhav Sinha directorial. The young actor is full of gratitude to the filmmaker. “Anubhav (Sinha) sir is God. He is an encyclopedia. His thought process is incredible. Im very honoured that a director of his calibre respects my work. I want to be a part of every film he makes (laughs),” Ashrut said.

Mulk stars Rishi Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Ashutosh Rana, Rajat Kapoor and Neena Gupta among others. “Its about a family which is stuck in a controversy, and which is fighting for its honour. And as the trailer suggests, Prateik is a terrorist and he is a part of this family,” Ashrut shared.

Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu starrer Mulk is a courtroom drama.

Adding that Mulk is for the love of the nation, he further said, “When I got this film, I thought we were doing something for the nation. Everything cant be about the film. As filmmakers, as actors, we have a certain amount of responsibility towards the society.”

Hailing from Jabalpur, Ashrut came down to Mumbai for his higher studies, never to return. While he received several corporate offers, he stuck to his dream of becoming an actor. Ashrut began with a job at the Yash Raj Films casting department for three years, where he worked on films including Ek Tha Tiger, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Sultan. He kicked off his acting career with supporting roles in Ram-Leela and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and a lead role in Sunshine Music Tours & Travels.

Ashrut Jain in a still from Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela.

He recalls how he got Mulk. “I was called and I auditioned for the next 2-3 days. But I had some work back home so I had to go. In the next 7-8 days, I again got a call that Ive been shortlisted and they wanted to do a look test with me. I took a running train ticket. I was sitting in the pantry with rats. I was sleeping on the floor because that was the only train available then. There were even rains and a 16-hour journey took me around 32-hours to reach Mumbai. Ultimately I met (Anubhav Sinha) sir,” he shared.

Mulk has been directed by Anubhav Sinha.

Revealing how the film was a start-to-finish schedule, Ashrut added, “It was shot in 27 days. But thats how this film should have been shot because everyone was like a family. Start to finish, the entire cast was living in the same hotel in Lucknow.”

And how was it sharing the screen with such amazing actors? “These people are legends. So each day spent with them on the set was a learning experience, something even an acting school or a theatre experience cannot teach you,” he said.

The entire cast of Mulk during one of the promotional events in New Delhi.

Ashrut, who will also be seen in Batti Gul Meter Chalu starring Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Yami Gautam, said he has started to feel like Matthew McConaughey. “Both (Mulk and Batti Gul Meter Chalu) are courtroom dramas. So I feel like Matthew McConaughey right now because he is the king of courtroom drama. I wont say Im the king too, but Ive done two back-to-back courtroom dramas. I love it because you can bring out all your emotions in it,” he remarked.

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