Acting is a journey of exploration: Kumud Mishra

Actor Kumud Mishra has just wrapped up the performances of his recent play Saanp Seedhi in Mumbai, and is all set to take the show to New Delhi. 

Premiering as part of Season 7 of Aadyam Theatre, a theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group, Saanp Seedhi is based on a play called Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer, adapted in Hindi by Akarsh Khurana. A thrilling exploration of love, power, betrayal, and mind games, the play has all the elements of great storytelling. 

Ironically, as YS Life gets on a call with Mishra for an interview, the actor begins the conversation with a disclaimer—“I am not a great storyteller.” 

It’s surprising to hear this from a veteran actor whose filmography spans over 50 projects including Rockstar (2011), Badlapur (2015), Airlift (2015), and Article 15 (2019). 

But that’s Mishra for you—honest and unassuming. 

His humility shines through not just on screen but also beyond it. So does his passion for the craft, for the actor has been deftly juggling cinema and theatre for several decades. 

Likening his craft to a “journey of exploration,” Mishra says he tries to perform every role given to him with honesty and conviction.

In a freewheeling conversation with YS Life, the actor discusses his character in Saanp Seedhi, the versatile roles he plays, and how he overcomes creative blocks.

Edited excerpts from the conversation: 

YS Life [YSL]: Tell us about your character in Saanp Seedhi. 

Kumud Mishra [KM]: Saanp Seedhi is about two characters and the gameplay between them. When my character finds out about his wife’s infidelity, he extends an invitation to the man his wife is involved with (played by Sumeet Vyas). 

In the original, my character is a mystery writer; here, I play a filmmaker. It's about how the two characters look at situations; sometimes I win with my move, sometimes the other man does. It’s a thriller. 

YSL: You’ve worked with Sumeet Vyas and Shubhrajyoti Barat (the director of Saanp Seedhi) on several occasions in the past. How was it teaming up again? 

KM: It’s always a great experience working with them. Whether it’s Akarsh (Khurana), Sumeet, Shubro or Ghanshyam Lalsa (who has helped with production), we have a certain comfort with each other. 

When we revived the theatre ensemble D for Drama a few years ago, Akarsh directed one of our plays—he has also adapted Saanp Seedhi for us. I’ve also worked with Sumeet many times. He directed Purane Chawal for us in 2023. During that play, Sumeet and I discussed we should be acting together, and that’s how it happened. And it was now Shubro da’s turn to direct. 

When you know each other so well, there’s an openness to discuss anything with each other. You know each other’s  strengths and weaknesses; so it comes with its advantages. 

YSL: While you’ve been doing theatre for a long time, are there any challenges you face when taking up different roles? 

KM: As independent producers, the biggest challenge we face is that of scale. We don’t have big funds to do a grand show. Whatever we earn from one play is spent on the production for the next one. 

We belong to Pandit Satyadev Dubey’s school where the text and performance are paramount; everything else is minimalistic. Even in Puraane Chawal, we had a modest set even when it was a set-heavy play. 

This time around, Aadyam is supporting us; so we’ve taken the liberty to create a big set. That’s how we could experiment with lights and costumes. In the future, when the play travels, we may have to work out the economics. 

YSL: What's the secret sauce to the versatility in your roles?

KM: Honestly, I don’t think there's any secret. At the end of the day, you are playing a character, and each has its own identity. Of course, I try to do it with honesty and conviction. I always say writing plays an important role in shaping a character arc. When the script is good, the actor’s role becomes much simpler. 

I must admit I’ve failed several times. But that’s the excitement of our profession; you can’t ever guarantee that the work you do will always be excellent. You always embark on a journey of exploration—sometimes it’s successful, sometimes it isn’t. 

YSL: With the emergence of OTT, do you believe actors, writers and filmmakers have more courage to experiment today? 

KM: OTT has certainly given wings to many people in the industry but it’s also up to us how we leverage it. Generally, our intention is noble at the start but we get trapped in the pursuit of success. If someone wants to share their story truthfully, it will touch people. But we first look at the outcome or focus on the returns. 

Nonetheless, a lot of interesting work is happening on OTT. However, I feel we want to be a part of the herd and follow a formula. If there’s one series that tastes success, we praise it and then we follow the same. We want a safe space and do not want to explore more. We need more people to take risks, and the responsibility lies in the hands of OTT platform producers. 

YSL: How do you deal with a creative block? 

KM: It completely depends on the project and time. Sometimes, you can’t overcome a block and continue to struggle with it. At other points, your director can identify it and help you get out of it. 

There have been times when I’ve not been in a state to work, and I have had to apologise for not being able to. The fact is creative blocks will happen but one should know how to navigate it. Sometimes, your co-actors or other members on set can say something or give you an idea that helps you snap out of it. 

YSL: Your wife, Ayesha Raza is also a brilliant actor. How easy or difficult is it to work with her? 

KM: I don’t think I am working with my wife but with an actor. When you share the same space, you work as professionals and have to move past your relationship. You have to remove the baggage, and it’s not easy. 

In Puraane Chawal, we had one scene together, and it was hard initially. But it was an actor’s block for us. It took us a while to get over it and perform. Today, we can perform very well with each other. 

YSL: What are the projects in the pipeline? 

KM: I can’t say much about films until there is a formal announcement. About theatre, my next is Vibhuti Rachnawali, directed by Sukant Goel. There are several other projects in the pipeline. Our group D for Drama wants to perform a Marathi play, and Ghanshyam is going to direct something experimental.