The very talented Sharman Joshi has been a stage actor for several years. On June 2, he’ll make a different debut on stage. The actor has joined hands with mentalist Bhupesh Dave for a show titled Braintertainers. Sharman and Bhupesh will perform tricks that'll leave the audience in shock and awe. Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke with Sharman Joshi on Braintertainers, his journey and a lot more.
How did you decide to get into this new territory? 6 years back, I had gone to see Bhupesh’s show on mentalism and I was absolutely stunned by the way he pulled off the acts. We had met earlier socially and he had loved my work as an actor. Thereafter, we were in touch and I had a keen interest in learning the art and craft of mentalism. We spent a lot of time with each other, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown. That’s when we decided that one day, we both will do a show together. He assured me that he’ll help me learn the craft and techniques of it. I agreed and here we are now. Our show will take place on June 2 at NCPA, Mumbai.
How did you guys lock the name ‘Braintertainers’ for the show? My wife Prerana Chopra coined the term. We were looking for a title for the show and she asked, ‘How about Braintertainers?’ since it’s brain-related. Magicians generally do magic tricks with things and in mentalism, we also do magic tricks. But it doesn’t involve things but people’s minds and brains. She remarked that the brain seems to be an important aspect of it. So brain and entertainer clubbed together became Braintertainers!
Could you explain the process of learning the art? Bhupesh taught me a few tricks that he asked me to try whenever I am socializing or with friends and family. That led to me learning more and more tricks. He has a bundle of sets. He has been doing it for 40 years. We sat together and we picked and chose acts which we thought would be quite unbelievable and joyful for the audience. I learned the 14 acts that we are going to perform.
We are already planning our next show. We are hoping it’ll have a good run and in the meantime, we are going to script a show called ‘The History Of Magic’. In this show, I am going to play the role of a madaari. We are going to perform it like a play with magic effects happening on stage. Then, we’ll eventually turn towards mentalism which supposedly, at this point of time, is the highest form of magic. Hence, we’ll narrate the story of the journey of magic.
Are you nervous about your debut show? Three weeks are left for the show and I am at peace already. This is because we started preparing well in advance for this very reason that I don’t want to be nervous. A big credit goes to Bhupesh who pushed me. Whatever little fear I had in my mind, he addressed it. He assured me that I was ready and prepared enough to perform on stage.
Also, we performed in a few colleges and they have responded very well. We also understand that those were college kids who are generally excited about life. Hence, we are keeping our prayers intact and hoping that people accept our show wholeheartedly.
You’ll complete 25 years as a film actor this year. Your debut flick, Godmother, co-starring Shabana Azmi, was released on September 3, 1999. How does it feel to be completing a milestone in the film industry? It’s been a wonderful journey. I am thankful to the Almighty that I got to do something that I so passionately enjoy and love. I must have got the opportunity from up there. I recognized early in my life (that I wanted to act). For it, I have got a lot of love and acceptance. I have been a part of some wonderful films. And it’s going on.
How was it shooting for Godmother? The first day was like walking into Planet Mars! This is because that world was just not known to me. My father, Arvind Joshi, is a theatre actor and also did Gujarati films. I had accompanied him to a couple of shoots and the schedules were so hectic that I swore that I’d never go along with him again. Then, once I began acting, I decided to assist first so that I get a chance to be on a set and get a feel of things. Coming from theatre, I understood how important my physical environment is for me to be at peace and give my best. That didn’t happen. Hence, my first visit to a set was with Godmother. Elaborate preparations were happening and there were 200 crew members working on it. In my head, I was wondering, ‘What is the need to have so many people on a set?’! I was flabbergasted by the entire setup. Thankfully, my time in theatre helped me. I didn’t get baffled when it came to acting.
Your film, Style (2001), became a rage. Did people start recognizing you after its release? Yes, that started happening. The leg shake also became popular. Even after six months or one year after the film’s release, whenever I would step out, people would ask me ‘Where is Sahil Khan?’. I would reply, ‘Well, I am not sure’. Then, if I go out for dinner, I’ll be asked again, ‘Where is Sahil?’. It was like people assumed that Sahil and I must be moving out together anywhere and everywhere! That’s how innocent and beautiful the emotions are of people when they connect with you and your character in a movie.
You also had a crucial role in Rang De Basanti (2006). Do you feel proud to be associated with such an iconic film that has gone down in history? Absolutely. Even today, if I happen to catch Rang De Basanti, (I am amazed). Just the way Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Aamir Khan made sure that everything happened the way it should happen, the way Binod Pradhan did magic with his cinematography, the way the team worked on the costumes etc, were commendable. All the actors did a great job. And what music that film had! It sounds like today’s music.
You once said that you are more than a comic actor and that you’d like to do a romantic drama. In Raqeeb (2007), you rocked the show as the villain and it proved you can ace any kind of role. In the next 25 years of your film career, would you wish that the filmmakers offered you different and out-of-the-box roles? It sounds so beautiful when you say ‘the next 25 years’! I am also hoping that in the next 25 years, I hope that kind of material comes my way. We will have to evolve and have content which is world-standard. It has now become a compulsion. Earlier, only some of us were making that effort. But now, all of us need to do so because we are out there in the world market. The viewer is going to switch from Indian content to content in a foreign language if they feel the former does not match the latter. This would push all of us to work harder on our script. As a result, I am hoping that I get to play different characters and roles that I have not played so far.
You directed a play once. Do you have any plans to direct a film? Not at this point in time as I don’t think my mind space is there. It is a tedious process. There are a lot of things to be taken care of. I won’t be surprised if a story comes to me that excites me. There are only a few stories but the way it’s written or visualized, then maybe, I might go for it. But it’s not happening for the next 10 years for sure!
Who from the industry are expected to attend the premiere show of Braintertainers? Who have you invited? No one is invited! The tickets are expensive. Everyone should come and buy them (laughs). On a serious note, they are all friends. As and when they like to come, they’ll do so and watch it. Hence, everyone is welcome.
Any final thoughts? The audience will be amazed by Braintertainers. Even today, when I perform, I am like ‘Wow. How is this happening?’. Hence, it’s going to be fun!
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