New Delhi: They say it's easy to get typecast in the film industry. Once you establish yourself in a particular genre of film and achieve success, offers for similar roles come your way. For decades the films have had stereotypical characters- heroes, villains, and character actors. But of late, lines have been blurring and filmmakers are now experimenting with actors and their talent.
To come out of a set image is never easy, especially when you have gained success because of it. But there have been some actors, who have tried to break the pattern and tried to do roles that are diametrically opposite to what they have been doing so far. Some have experimented at an age when they were expected to play only the father figures some have done it at the peak of their careers and some have got a new lease of life in Bollywood simply because they were brave enough to do 'hatke' roles.
So here it is- we list out five actors who have broken the stereotypes and have reinvented themselves.
Rishi Kapoor: The quintessential chocolate boy ruled the film industry from the late 70s to early 90s. Known for only playing the lover boy on screen, Rishi's comeback post sabbatical was also in a light frothy romance opposite Dimple Kapadia in 'Pyaar Mein Twist' where the two played a middle aged couple in love. Kapoor also made appearances in films where he played the friendly father, the helpful uncle, the go-to middle aged cafe owner till he shocked everyone with his Rauf Lala act in 'Agneepath' last year. A character which was created specially in the remake- Kapoor made Rauf Lala a venomous, ruthless character and surprised one and all. The actor also gave a hilarious performance as the gay dean in SOTY and now is all set to play a Mafia don in 'D-Day. Those who have seen 'D Day' say that Kapoor, who plays the antagonist in the film, is the best part of the film.
Farhan Akhtar: We all know that he is multi talented. A suave filmmaker, a storyteller, a lyricist, a singer and an actor-Akhtar dons many hats with élan. He has played the city guy in films like 'Rock On, 'ZNMD' and aced it. But to a play a Sikh from Punjab couldn't have been easy for a south bombay boy and Akhtar as Milkha Singh was almost flawless. To play the legendary athlete in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's biopic, Farhan went through rigorous training to look the character. He has certainly pushed the envelope and his performance is being touted as one the best this year.
Emran Hashmi: He worked in formula films. Which were mostly thrillers, had good music with a dash of eroticism. And it worked each time. Hashmi slowly created a niche audience for himself and could have continued doing such films since it had made him a star. But the actor decided to take a U-turn and start afresh almost. When the first promos of Dibakar Banerjee's 'Shanghai' came out, one couldn't recognise Hashmi. Such a change! In a film which boasted of actors like Abhay Deol, Farouq Sheikh, Kalki Koechlin- Hashmi managed to make an impact. He also came out of the Bhatt camps shadow and did films like 'Ek Thi Daayan' and 'Ghanchakkar'- both very different films, both having him in different characters.
Amitabh Bachchan- That he is a good actor no one has a doubt about. At an age when most actors only make friendly appearances at filmy events, Bachchan continues to enamour audience with his powerful performances. And there are still filmmakers who write films keeping him in mind. He did try to stick to his set image in the late 1990s and did some disastrous films like 'Mrityudata', 'Suryavansham' and 'Lal Badshah' but was quick to realise that it's time to break the pattern and bounced back with KBC and films like 'Mohabbatein', 'Black'. And he continues to do varied roles. 'Nishabdh', 'Paa', 'Chini Kum'- all risky projects but beautifully executed by Bachchan.
Arjun Rampal: Being called a non actor makes it easy to bounce back perhaps. Because the expectations are low and it is easier to surprise your critics. And that's exactly what Rampal has done. His debut film ('Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat') may have failed but the actor over the years has matured in terms of his craft. He has played myriad characters- anti hero, brooding failed musician and the conniving politician and each time proved his critics wrong who have scoffed at his talent in the past.
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