“I Want To Work With Kay Kay Menon”- Prasanjeet Mohapatra

“I Want To Work With Kay Kay Menon”- Prasanjeet Mohapatra

Nobel prize laureate, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore once said, “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” We all need to take that risk and while moving ahead we should be ready to face any kind of hurdles.

Meet emerging Odia actor Prasanjeet Mohapatra, who is determined to be an actor no matter what hurdles come his way. In just four years since returning from Mumbai during the COVID-19 pandemic, he has left an indelible mark with his compelling performances in films such as ‘Four’, ‘Hi Krushna’, ‘Zwigato’, ‘Shanti Apartment Flat No. 203’, ‘Katak-Sesha Ru Arambha’, ‘My Sweet House Wife’, ‘Jajabara 2.0’, and ‘Bigul’.

At 30 years old, Prasanjeet, a native of Jamugaon, Jagatsinghpur, found himself residing in Kolkata with his family, led by his father who served in the defence forces. Though his initial dream was to pursue a career in cricket, fate had other plans as he ventured into the world of acting. My City Links recently had the opportunity to delve into his personal and professional journey. Here are the highlights of our conversation.

Can you share more about your latest project, Jajabara 2.0 which is receiving rave reviews from the young audiences?

Jajabara 2.0 has been an emotional journey for me. It's the first time I've been given such a significant role, allowing me to express a lot on screen. I'm truly grateful to my producer and director for believing in me and giving me this chance. I feel like this film will stand the test of time; it's something people will still watch and appreciate twenty years from now. I highly recommend it to all cinema lovers out there. Don't miss out on this cult classic.

You wanted to be a cricketer,  how did you develop interest in acting?

From a young age, I always yearned to pursue something unique in life. As a passionate cricket fan, my dream was to become a cricketer, and I even played at the under-19 level. However, fate had other plans when an accident forced me to abandon my cricketing aspirations. Unsure of what to do next, I found myself working at an IT company in Mumbai, sharing a room with a fellow who happened to be a graduate of the National School of Drama (NSD). Witnessing his dedication to acting sparked my interest in the craft. My journey into the world of cinema began as a junior artist in the film 'Padmavat'. Since then, I've been fortunate to work on various projects, including a cameo in 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2' and portraying a police officer alongside Rajinikanth in 'Darbar', among others. I've come to realise that I'm not cut out for a conventional 9-to-5 job for life. Acting has become my passion and my path to self-expression.

What are the challenges you face as an actor?
Surviving as an actor in Odisha is challenging. The industry is relatively small, with a smaller audience compared to Hindi cinema. Consequently, the pay scale here is lower. Opportunities like working in the Hindi film 'Zwigato' provided me with decent payment, highlighting the contrast. Despite the hurdles, the Odia entertainment sector is evolving, although slowly. It demands patience as we wait for its full development. Throughout my journey, I've been fortunate to have a friend and mentor in Amitabh Patra, an actor based in Mumbai. His constant encouragement and unwavering support have been instrumental in keeping me going. He always emphasised the importance of perseverance, and I've followed his guidance wholeheartedly. I followed him blindly and kept moving forward.

Who are the legends in your field you take inspiration from?

One and only Kay Kay Menon. He is the one I learn a lot from. I love the way he owns the screen. He is truly a living legend for aspirants like me. I want to work in Bollywood movies, especially with Kay Kay Menon, sir. In fact, I am shifting to Mumbai in September, and I’ll keep travelling to Odisha whenever I get any assignment for acting.

How was the support from your family?

Family actually played a vital part in my journey. They never questioned any of my decisions, instead they always praised and motivated me to work hard and achieve laurels.

What are the things you feel people still need to understand about any art or artist ?

I understand that as an artist, I don't have the right to accuse or blame anyone for the struggles I go through. However, I feel it's important for people to be aware of the challenges we face. As a newcomer, I hope audiences would come to the theatre to witness our work, but unfortunately, that's not happening here. I acknowledge the reality that over the last 10-15 years, the entertainment industry has failed to fully satisfy our audience. Yet, as an artist, I wish to receive that love or critique, whatever it may be, from our beloved audience.

Recently, we noticed a post on your social media handle where you mentioned that you'll only be selecting protagonist characters from now on. Could you elaborate on that?
In most of the films I've done in Odisha so far, I've been assured that I'm being offered a significant role, only to realise later that it was untrue. I've undertaken numerous projects primarily to network and establish contacts. Now, I'm prepared to embark on a fresh journey.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

Right now I am not involved in any projects. I have rejected almost 10 projects in the last 3 months and I am waiting for a good script to come my way.

You have been seen playing a variety of characters in all of your projects. According to you, what are those key aspects which can make an actor versatile?

Just read the script as many times as you can rest “Kaynaaat apke liye hai.”

According to you what needs to be changed in Ollywood for the betterment of our industry?

We all have to have good intentions first. Dedication and hard work comes after having good intentions.