At 23, the clarity that Vishwak Sen has about his career is quite impressive. It, however, shouldn’t come as a surprise as his parents, on seeing his potential, started training him as an actor when he was only four years old. And, today, when Vishwak’s performance in Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi is drawing appreciation from all quarters, his parents are the happiest.
“They are on top of the world. It’s funny to see relatives, who once criticized them for allowing me to ‘waste time in pursuing films’, calling to congratulate them on my newfound fame,” says Vishwak, who has not only been appreciated by the critics for his role as Vivek but has also gained a sizable female fan following.
Not many know that the young actor’s first film was Vellipomakey, a love story with an unhappy end that was produced by Dil Raju. After much delay, the film had a small release. Though the film didn’t fare well, in the film circles, Vishwak’s performance was appreciated. “All I needed was an opportunity. Vellipomakey was a learning great experience and I will cherish the film no matter how big or small the release was,” he had earlier told me. Apart from starting his dance training at an early age, Vishwak also has a degree in acting from Anupam Kher’s acting school in Mumbai.
The film released, but failed to generate interest. Vishwak, however, is satisfied with his choice of films and the roles that Vellipomakey and Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi offered. “I am glad I got to work on two such distinct films. I am always scared before every shot. I am someone who does a lot of homework before every shot. That’s how it was even when I did short films. But I also believe that you get only one chance to give your best performance on screen.”
Vishwak, whose original name is Dinneesh Naidu — ‘Vishwak Sen’ was suggested by his father — is very eager to climb the heights of stardom quickly. He has a theory for it. “I want to make a name of myself so that by the time I am 26, I can slow down,” explains the actor, who is also an aspiring director. This statement is probably reflective of the new generation of actors who like to dabble in various capacities without getting pigeonholed.
In fact, even before the filming of Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi began, the youngster had started working on his first directorial venture, a remake of Malayalam film Angamaly Diaries, declared one of the best films of 2017.
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“I came in contact with Tharun Bhascker (director of Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi) after we finished the first schedule of the film and had to put the film on hold. I started working on [the remake] soon after I wrapped up Ee Nagaraniki… My whole cast and crew have waited for me for almost a year now and we need to resume work,” he says and adds that he is aware of the pressure that is on him to deliver a decent film.
On the new-found attention that he has been receiving, “Let’s be frank here! Things haven’t gone out of hand but this love is overwhelming. While we were touring the theatres, there were a few girls who had waited for almost two hours just for us and then gifted us books! I became so emotional knowing that people are capable of giving so much to someone they just connected with on screen.”