‘Failing is better than never trying’

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With the staggering success of his last film D-Day and the positive response to the promos of Satyagraha, Arjun Rampal is clearly the man of the moment. From the time when he was slammed by critics as a “non-actor” to winning a National Award, Arjun is a survivor in the truest sense of the term. And the man continues to live and learn.

“There was a myth that models cannot act. Fortunately I have got the opportunity to prove that wrong.” Arjun’s career underwent a sea change with the release of Rock On! But he didn’t rest on his laurels. He kept pushing harder for excellence. Along the way Arjun ventured in entrepreneurship as well. He says, “I ventured into business at a time when my career was going great. Normally people think of a plan B when plan A is shaky,” Arjun says with a laugh. But he does believe that actors should keep their options open. “I don’t think we should restrict ourselves. Entrepreneurship was a choice that I made. I feel it’s good to have a plan B in hand,” he adds.
The actor reveals that his wife Mehr Jesia Rampal has played a huge role in his success story. “She has always been encouraging. She insists that I keep moving ahead. Failing is better than never trying. Each time she drops by on the sets or when she is watching my film, I always look for her reaction. She has the capacity to find a million faults with my performance,” Arjun says, adding that like Mehr, even his daughters want him to be nothing less than perfect.
With so much on his plate, making time for family becomes a huge challenge. “My family is always aware of my work schedules. Despite the erratic hours and hectic schedules, I ensure that I spend as much time with them as possible. If I am required to go out of town for long, Mehr travels with me. The girls come and go according to their school timing.” Arjun stresses on the fact that he and his wife strive to give their children a normal upbringing. “Their father is an actor and they are well aware of that fact. But life is not as glamorous as the way it appears to be on screen. Thankfully, Mehr has instilled that in their minds.”
While his personal life is well taken care of by his wife, his professional equations continue to be talked about. “The only one who is responsible for my professional equations is me. To sustain a friendship is tough, it’s like nurturing a plant. It might change with the weather but if the roots are strong enough, it’s bound to sustain.”
As far as films are concerned, Arjun doesn’t care much about the industry’s new favourite figure — `100 crore. “There was a time when ‘hit film’ meant good business. Now it’s the `100-crore figure that decides the fate of a film. These things don’t unnerve me at all. As an actor, I just do my bit. I’m happy if my film does well but I’ve stopped fretting over the business aspect. Not every film can touch the `100-crore mark. That doesn’t mean they are bad films. I know a lot of bad films that have made `100 crore.”