The Pokhara native is all of 23, and Master Harold…and the Boys was his debut in the world of theatre. His interest in acting, he says, sprang from nowhere. Currently, Gurung is busy with rehearsals for “Ah! Wilderness,” this one also produced by One World Theatre.[break]
You’re new to theatre. Where did it start?
I wasn’t doing anything in particular when I shot for Bina Gurung’s “Maya” in October 2011. The song was being produced by G21 Production and that’s how I met Asif Shah, whom I also knew through my cousin. I learnt nothing from that experience but he thought I had potential and suggested that I take up acting lessons.
So I decided to give it a try and I joined Actors’ Studio in November for their three-month course. When I started, I wasn’t really serious about it, I was just there to test myself and see whether it was my cup of tea or not. Now I’m glad that my life has turned out this way.
Do you think it’s important that an actor take such lessons?
Yes, I believe it’s important to be trained. Discipline is very important in every aspect of life, and acting isn’t exempt from it. Through training, actors can learn a lot. Before each of my performance, I would be there hours earlier to go through my script and exercise my vocal chords. I can say that I benefited a lot from my course at Actors’ Studio. In fact, I’m planning to go back for some classes soon.
How was your experience in Master Harold….and the Boys?
Ashant Sharma is my teacher at Actors’ Studio and it was he who took me for the audition. I was kind of nervous when I had to act with him. However, I’m sure that my nervousness would have been greater had I known then that Rajkumar Pudasaini is such a great actor. Since I was still new in the world of theatre, I had no clue about him. But he was very helpful and open minded, and when I suggested something, he would always consider it. That put me at ease. And, of course, our director, Deborah Melora, was great to work with. Just before my first performance, I was so apprehensive that I felt like running away. But my fear vanished as soon as I stepped on the stage and started with my performance.
But out of the many memories that I have of the play, one continues to linger in my mind. During one of the shows, an African woman was there with her family, and when I had to say the word “Nigger” and look at the crowd, I happened to look directly at her. I felt bad at that point. Though it wasn’t in the script, we had been instructed to give the Black Power salute towards the end of the play. We had to raise our right arm and slightly tilt our head to the right. So, as I stood doing the salute, the lady also stood and did the same. All I can say is that I’ll always remember it.
Apart from theatre, what are you interested in?
My life, before my initiation into theatre, was completely different. I’m a big football lover, and my life then was all about football. In Pokhara, I was a member of the Singapurey FC for three years. I was also associated with Sahara Academy Football Club. I’m so involved with theatre now that with all the rehearsals, I have little time for anything else. My friends know my schedules, so if there’s an important game, they let me know a day or two in advance. And like most people, I enjoy music and movies.
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