Mumbai, May 30 (IANS) Actor Subodh Bhave, who will be essaying the role of Neem Karoli Baba in the biopic “Shree Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj,” opened up about the emotional responsibility of portraying a revered spiritual figure on screen.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Subodh shared that portraying the role of any saint is a challenging task, as audiences have a deep emotional and spiritual connection with such personalities.
Subodh further said that he was selected for the role only due to Maharaj Ji’s blessings.
He told IANS, “Playing any saint is extremely difficult because people look at them with immense faith and devotion. They hold a sacred place in their hearts. Portraying such a Mahatma is never easy unless you receive his blessings. I truly feel that I could perform this role only because Maharaj Ji blessed me.”
Subodh revealed that when director Sharad Singh Thakur approached him for the movie, he did not know much about Neem Karoli Baba.
“I had heard his name through some friends from the industry who often visited Kainchi Dham, but I had never personally been there or visited Vrindavan. However, once Sharad ji narrated his life story to me, I felt deeply connected. At one point, I even wondered how Sharad ji reached out to me because neither he nor his team knew me personally. That is when I realized that no actor chooses the role of a saint. The saint himself chooses the actor. I genuinely believe Maharaj Ji selected me for this role. Everything I heard from Sharad ji and Baba’s devotees stayed in my heart. When the camera rolled, those emotions naturally reflected on screen”, he added.
During the interaction, Subodh was also asked, “Neem Karoli Baba was known for his simplicity and calmness. As an actor, what did you have to control within yourself to bring that authenticity on screen?”
He said that, according to him, no actor is capable of completely recreating the spiritual presence of a saint.
“That becomes possible only through blessings. I believe Maharaj Ji’s grace was with me, and because of that, portraying him did not feel difficult”, concluded Subodh.
–IANS
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