Actor Vineet Kumar Singh who has been seen in films like City of Gold, Gangs of Waseypur, Bombay Talkies (Murabba) and so on started his career as an Assistant Director despite being a medical student. After struggling for several years in film industry, he got noticed in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur as Danish Khan and then went on to win accolades for his performance in Bombay Talkies. This actor’s next film, Shor, one of the five short films in SHORTS, an AKFPL and TUMBHI venture, was released on 12th July, 2013.
Here are excerpts from an interview with Vineet:
Q: How did AKFPL & TUMBHI’s SHORTS happen to you?
A: When we were shooting for Gangs of Wasseypur in Baranas, Neeraj came to me with the offer of acing in his film Shor, one of the short films in SHORTS. Initially, I ignored his offer and then he started chasing me on an off-day by rickshaw. After a while I gave up and decided to hear him out out. And soon after he narrated the script to me, I decided to do the film.
Q: What’s your expectation from SHORTS?
A: I never expected that SHORTS will get a theatrical release. I did the film for the sake of friendship. All the five films have been made in a wonderful way and we praised each other for our works.
Now, we are happy that the film is releasing in theatre. From actor to director, everyone needs a platform in every field which is difficult to get. So many directors, actors, DOPs and writers have got that opportunity with SHORTS. I am happy for each one of them.
Q: What is the specialty of short films?
A: One of the significant specialties of short films is that it gives you an opportunity to experiment with characters every time. In case of feature films people are scared of experimentation with new actors and prefer to cast them in roles similar to the ones in their previous films.
Q: Tell us something about your film in SHORTS?
A: Shor is my film in SHORTS of which Neeraj Ghaywan is the director. The film is about a poor class couple in the city, Mumbai. It is an intimate and gripping portrayal of dissonance in relationship that unsettles with its raw and restless energy.
We shoot in real locations, sometimes in dangerous situations. But it was a wonderful experience to work with Neeraj and my co-stars Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Amardeep Jha. This film gave me an opportunity to play a different kind of character.
In future, I will love to do more short films. SHORTS has opened that path for me.
Q: What next to expect from you?
A: Issaq and Ugly are my upcoming films. I am playing vital roles in both these films.
