Sushil Chhetri is looking forward to playing a very poor man someday.

He shares the story of his rise with our reporter in a candid chat.

Dipti Sherchan

Kathmandu

He debuted in Kollywood with the film ‘Aaago’ which received much hype and sensation but was banned before release. The reason? It was based on the Maoist crisis. “I cried when I got the news that it was stopped from release. I had so much expectation. I had worked so hard. The director of the film, Narayan Puri, consoled me saying that at least I have the experience of working in films,” shares Sushil Chhetri today.

The episode fortunately did not make him give up acting. Soon after that he appeared in Star Plus’ series Best Seller ‘The Ring’ (Sunny Rauniyar and Saranga Shrestha too acted in it) and did two Kollywood movies — ‘Anaath’ and ‘Khandan’ — playing the lead. “I got to learn so many things from ‘The Ring’. I learned about camera angle. I succeeded in getting many ideas about filming.”

After one year, in 2000, ‘Aago’ was given the go ahead for release and Sushil’s happiness knew no bounds. “I didn’t get nervous when I got the chance to face the camera for the first time in ‘Aaago’. I had been building my confidence for the past eight years then. I was always interested in acting from my childhood. I used to imitate other actors. When I was small, my neighbour Surendra Nakarmi dai knew that I was interested in dancing and acting so whenever he was part of any event, he used to give me a chance for solo dance. I used to copy Michael Jackson. Later I also got trained in dancing from Raju Shah and all these really helped boost my confidence.”

His colleagues Dilip Raimajhi, Pradip Shrestha, dance director of ‘Buhari’, among others, also got trained under Raju Shah.

“ I decided that I want to be an actor when I was studying in class 10 at Tika High School. Then, my mother used to scold me because she wanted me to concentrate on my studies. Nevertheless I ignored her chidings but followed my instinct. Somehow I did I Com from Tahachal Campus and completed my studies till B Com second year from Patan Campus. After this I couldn’t at all focus on studies and gave up.”

“Now I regret not completing my Bachelor’s,” he is quick to add.

Besides acting he cannot think of any other profession that he could have opted for. “While I was studying I got into films. Now I know nothing except acting.”

He defines his concept to work as “not something where one should use strength but rather utilise one’s brain.”

He has over 29 films under his belt and believes in doing quality films rather than quantity. At the same time he confirms, “There has been times when even while not wanting to do certain films I ended up doing it because of some obligations.”

Of all the films he has done so far he shares that ‘Aago’, ‘Muskan’, Upahar’, ‘Triveni’ and ‘Khail Khailai’ — which will be released soon — are his favourite works.

Before entering Kollywood he always wished to act in action films and he got this opportunity in his very first film. However, now he wishes for a different role. “I want to do a role of a poor man who lives in the village. He should be so poor that it is difficult, if not impossible, for him to eat two square meals.”

Sushil believes in hard work and says that this is the time to show his talent after so many years of effort to enter the Nepali film industry. “I believe in trying.” He tells that the best compliment he has received so far is, “’You have done a good job. You worked hard and you have been successful in introducing your name in Nepali Film Industry’.”

He was one of the nominees for the categories of leading Actor in Dabur Anmol Motion Picture Award 2060 for ‘Triveni’. He was also honoured with the title ‘Best Actor’ in Kolkata for ‘Aago’ in Artist Award. He received the award from Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee.

He has worked with the leading artistes of Kollywood — Niruta Singh, Bipana Thapa, Saranaga Shrestha, Sunny Rauniyar, Melina Manandhar, Anupama, Regina Uprety, Rekha, Gauri Malla, Rajesh Hamal, Ramesh Upreti, Shiva Shrestha, Uttam Pradhan, Dilip Raimajhi, Dinesh Sharma, Sri Krishna Shrestha — and is all praises for them. “They are all very supportive and helpful.”

He has recently completed the shooting of ‘Lekhanta’ and ‘Ukali Orali’. In ‘Lekhanta’ he starred with Uttam Pradhan and Rekha. “The film is a love triangle,” informs Sushil. In ‘Ukali Orali’ he has a role of a tourist guide and guess who is the tourist? Rajesh Hamal. “The actress is Bipana Thapa. Rajesh Hamal is from England and while on his visit to Nepal, I take him to show places of interest. We go to trekking in mountain area and it is there that the story unfolds.”