Actor Jitendra Kumar, who recently essayed an impressive role in Lantrani, met school students in Chandigarh and emphasized the role of hard work

Gurnaaz Kaur

You’ve known him as the frustrated corporate, Jitu, from TVF Pitchers, the confused bridegroom from Permanent Roommates, the kind teacher, Jeetu bhaiya, from Kota Factory, the young urban secretary, Abhishek Tripathi, from Panchayat. He has also played a gay character, Aman Tripathi, opposite Ayushmaan Khurrana, in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. The most recent one would be his silent, yet powerful portrayal of a common man in Dharna Mana Hai from a story in Lantrani. Jitendra Kumar is an IITian civil engineer who turned to acting instinctively.

Almost a decade into the profession, he knows nothing comes easy. So, when he made his way to Chandigarh to interact with school students about filmmaking at Chitkara’s CineMaestro, he not only shared notes from his acting journey, but also revealed the teacher within him. For the unversed, Jitendra used to teach part-time in Mumbai during the initial years of acting. Addressing aspiring actors in the crowd, he said, “I think everything can be learnt and that applies for acting too. In our journeys, no matter what profession, some magical things happen that make us and others feel that we are gifted or are in the right profession. But that’s true for everything. When you set your mind to something, possibilities are unlimited. Be open to learning and keep pushing your boundaries. That’s what I’ve understood over the years.”

An artist, in Jitendra’s eyes, cannot be ranked. There can’t be a competition among them, as each one is playing different characters and living different stories. At the same time, his idea of success is, “To be honest with my craft and be able to show the reality of the time I live in. If in my works from 10 years back, I was able to convey what 2014 felt like even today, then I am satisfied with it.”

Balancing act

He has a way of dealing with failures too. The actor, very honestly, admits there are more lows than highs in a profession like acting. “My set formula is haath pair chalaate raho. Whether something is successful or it fails, you have to keep making effort. In my case, if something succeeds, I am even more scared because you really don’t know what clicks with the audience and if you will be able to replicate it in your next project. But when something fails, you are somewhere aware of what was not up to the mark.”

Even during the roughest times, Jitnedra says, there will be people who will support you. “My mentors have been there for me through it all.”

What we see on the screen is the outcome of many years and people coming together. But along the way, how one person is dealing with his day-to-day challenges is different for all. “To make a place for yourself in such a huge industry is difficult, but not impossible. When I first came to Mumbai, discouraged, I returned home within three months, but came back after 10 months because the work I did in those initial months gained recognition by then. I understood there is no shortcut and the biggest requirement in our profession is consistency.”

Team man

Jitendra’s choice of work has introduced the world to rural India. But the actor refuses to take the credit alone. He says, “Those who conceived the ideas deserve a pat on their back. When I heard stories like Panchayat or Kota Factory, they were so impressive that I knew they needed to be told. Being a part of them has been pure joy.”

Lantrani is also a story that sheds light on the problems of a subaltern couple and through them, people in general. Along with his on-screen wife, Jitendra protests outside a government office, but no one listens to them.

His work in National Award-winning director Gurvinder Singh’s short story won praise, but Jatinder is all praise for the director. “His entire process of working is very unique. The way he distributes shoot in a day is unlike any director I have worked with. He starts the day early and completes the most demanding scenes in the first four-five hours. So, by 11 am or 12 pm we would be done with the most daunting task of the day. The remaining hours would be dedicated to some easy-breezy parts and by lunch, we were in a position to relax.”