‘Ramayana’ actor Saurabh Sachdeva: ‘Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi Had the Toughest Job’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Saurabh Sachdeva, known for films like “Vadh,” “Animal,” and “Eko,” plays Marich (Maricha) in “Ramayana: Part One.” In an interview with Variety India, the actor shares how he was captivated by the new technology used in the film and how Nitesh Tiwari ensured all actors aligned with his final vision for the movie.

What motivated you to take up the role of Marich in the film?
I don’t think any actor would refuse a project like “Ramayana: Part 1.” Casting director Mukesh Chhabra auditioned me for the role of Marich (Maricha). I was very excited when I found out that I had been cast. I was curious to see what kind of technology they were using. The entire team was fantastic.

What was it like sharing screen space with Yash? 
The difficult part was managing the costume, as it was very heavy. The jewelry was made from real materials. They wanted to keep it authentic, but it was quite a load. The pieces were kept in air-conditioned rooms, and they were really cold when we wore them. For me, that was the hardest aspect of the shoot. The fun part was the character of Marich (Maricha), who is a huge catalyst in the story. He is a shapeshifter, so I knew I had to play with my body.  

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How is Yash as a co-star?  
Yash is an energetic person. He is committed to the task at hand and does not want to give up on anything, however small it might be. He just wanted to leave an impact, which he has done with aplomb. He said, ‘I don’t settle for anything. I don’t want to settle for anything.’ He was very humble and respectful. I also maintained that demeanor. 

How different was the experience of shooting ‘Ramayana’ compared to your previous films, given its technological scale?  
The majority of the action, animation and VFX teams were from abroad. After every scene, they used to shoot me again with three cameras. We used to make faces and say consonants and vowel sounds. All actors would also say dialogues in a certain way, which were written in Hindi-English. We were told to make faces so they could work on them in post-production when they translated the film into any other language. On set, I was speaking in Hindi, but when I see the movie in English, it seems like I am speaking that language. This is the new technology they have come up with. Also, the manner of color grading and lighting was very new to me. It was difficult and fun, as it kept me on the edge. 

What do you make of the criticism coming in from some quarters?
We knew this would happen. There are different versions of “Ramayan” and people can debate on that too. While researching for my role, I read different versions, which made me realize I could play it in multiple ways. But then, Nitesh Tiwari said, "You have to play it this way because that’s how I want it to be." I realized that if everyone stuck to their version, the final output could be very different. We didn't want to spoil the film or disrespect the faith. He was like our North Star, guiding us. He was clear about what he wanted. While I could play Marich in a certain manner, playing Lord Rama and Sita was the toughest job. People have their perceptions, which makes it difficult. For me, I still had the leverage to change my body, voice and attitude. 

Which actor from 'Ramayana' surprised you with their performance?
I think Ravie’s (Dubey) performance was quite beautifully done. Rakul Preet Singh also surprised me in a way. Arun Govil was a surprise package too. The making itself surprised me because I had never seen the film. In the dubbing, I saw some of my scenes, and the visuals really moved me. Also, the last scene of Raavana taking Sita away was so powerful. It was so well done.

Is there any other mythological character you would love to play?
I would love to play Duryodhan in “Mahabharata.” I am trained in mask work (a theatrical technique where actors wear literal or symbolic masks to develop physical awareness) and body work. This gives me a certain kind of body language. I feel I have the voice and the eyes to play the part.