Vaibhav Tatwawadi, in his ‘best’ element!
| Date :02-Jun-2022 |
By Aasawari Shenolikar
“DESTINY is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. And when you pursue your choice with passion and a lot of commitment, it does pay off - sometimes in terms of huge appreciation, sometimes in awards and rewards,” says the supremely talented Vaibhav Tatwawadi, who is presently basking in the appreciation that has come his way. After winning the Best Actor award at the Dallas Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival in the USA for his web series ‘Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi’, Vaibhav is in the seventh heaven.
“I am overwhelmed by the amazing response the web series has garnered, not only in India, but all over the world. Even as I am dealing with the congratulatory messages flooding my social media accounts for the fantastic work that the fans feel I have done for ‘Nirmal Pathak’..., I was pleasantly surprised when I heard about the ‘Best Actor’ award being conferred on me. Frankly I wasn’t expecting it, because I was pitted against many stalwarts from the world of entertainment. With talents like Adil Hussain, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Raghubir Yadav in the running, I never thought I had a chance. I guess it’s the best thing any actor can hope for and achieve,” he states, excitement rife in his voice.
Not only has Vaibhav received the much sought-after ‘Best Actor’ award, the series has also been awarded as the ‘Best Web Series’ for the powerful content and the social issues that it tackles in a manner that is entertaining and not preachy.
Commenting on the series, Vaibhav says, the narrative is about a guy’s journey to find his roots. It talks about initiating reforms in a village in which Nirmal Pathak takes a strong stand for the downtrodden who are still treated with a lot of contempt in the hinterland. “The questions on patriarchy, casteism, illiteracy are very pertinent. The writer and director should be given credit for dealing with the social issues in a very responsible manner. The makers have taken due care that no community is offended in any way,” he explains.
Inform him that these issues persist even in affluent educated homes, and Vaibhav says, “It’s time we take a close look at our attitudes. I truly believe that all individuals should get equal opportunities and should be treated equally.”
Believing in ‘dignity of labour’, the only requisite for Vaibhav is respecting anyone for his/her sheer presence. The web series, with its intricate and profound plot is definitely going to make the audience think. “And change happens only when someone starts thinking about any issue,” he adds, hoping Nirmal Pathak... is one small step in the right direction.
Vaibhav’s repertoire is vast. Having dabbled in Hindi and Marathi films, he now has gained a foothold on the OTT platform which is a gamechanger. Does he find, if any, difference in the work culture of these different mediums? Does he prefer one over the other? Agreeing wholeheartedly with ‘OTT is a gamechanger,’ Vaibhav adds, “That’s because filmmakers are no longer bound by the Friday deadlines. And because sky is now the limit for these storytellers, they are also not bound by the stereotyped plots that have been so typical of Bollywood. Different genres, different subjects are being handled very efficiently
by talented filmmakers. As for an actor, I think, the working culture is the same - be it the big screen or the OTT
platform.”
A look at Vaibhav’s filmography shows his selection of films covers a wide spectrum. What clinches the deal - the script, the length of his role, the director, the co-stars, the banner? “For me, it’s a very intuitive process. At the end of every narration of a script, I know, somewhere deep down whether I should agree to be apart of the project or reject it. Of course, the other factors are important too, but for me my inner voice is what guides me.”
The series ‘Nirmal Pathak...’ is replete with many dialogues that one can quickly identify with. It was a hoot to listen to a dialogue by a character, “JNU se ho kya?” Laughing, Vaibhav states, “Dialogues are one of the highlights of the series. People are loving them. My personal favourite from the series is, “baap bete ka rishta aisa hota hai jaise kisi bus driver aur yatri ka hota hai; safar saath karte hain magar zaroorat se zyada baat nahin hoti.” As for what he has taken away from the series is “Chhod kar jana aasan hota hai, ruk kar badalna mushkil.”
This dialogue is something Vaibhav can truly identify with, for this youngster who comes from a family of academicians went on to complete his Engineering and then took a leap into a field completely unknown to him, for he found this to be his calling.
“I had my fair share of struggles, but I was steadfast in my resolve to make a name for myself in the world of entertainment.” And today, he stands vindicated - for after all a ‘Best Actor’ award is ample proof of Vaibhav's accomplishment in the tinsel world.