From Balasore To Bollywood, This Actor From Odisha Is On A Mission To Explore

From Balasore To Bollywood, This Actor From Odisha Is On A Mission To Explore

There is no dearth of talent in Odisha when it comes to creative pursuits. No wonder, the number of actors, models or singers from Odisha carving a niche for themselves in tinsel town, Mumbai, has been increasing steadily. One such talented name is that of Ratikant Kamila, a 28-year-old actor from Baliapal, Balasore, who has more than 50 Hindi telly shows to his credit including Saheb Biwi Aur Boss, Suhani Si Ek Ladki, Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanuman, Akbar Birbal and Vikram Betaal. Not just that. He also has more than 100 short films and one Bhojpuri film ‘Tu Hi Toh Meri Jaan Hai Radha’ in his kitty. 

For someone coming from a middle class family with six siblings, it was not an easy walk for Kamila to make a mark in the acting industry where everyday scores of people come in search of work. But Kamila never gave up. Currently busy shooting for a daily shop ‘Maharaj Ki Jay’ for Star Plus, scheduled to be on air by August end, the actor is also gearing up for a Bollywood film with a big production house, where he will be seen playing a writer.

MCL had an exclusive conversation with the actor. Here are the excerpts from the interview.

How did your interest in acting emerge? Are you a trained actor?

I was attracted towards art since childhood. I would make sculptures, drawings, etc as a kid. I wanted to pursue fine arts, but I never thought I’d be an actor. I remember I used to watch TV shows like ‘Malgudi days’ and ‘Shaktiman’. The poor financial condition of my family did not allow me to get training in fine arts. After completing +2, I moved to Bangalore and began working at a call centre. That was when I got to know about NACT (National Academy of Cinema and Television), Bangalore, and I decided to join. After completing a three year course in Acting and Filmmaking there, I moved to Mumbai in 2014 to try my luck in acting. I struggled there for about six to seven months before getting my first break in DD national as the lead villain in ‘Aisa Prem Kahan’ that continued for about 1.5 years.

What were your early days in Mumbai like?

I had already found out about the scene of struggle in Mumbai from my seniors in NACT. After completing the course in 2013, for about a year, I focused only on earning money to have some good savings.

Which actors inspire you?

I am a big fan of Hara Patnaik. I loved watching his films like ‘Jor Jar Mulak Tar’ and wanted to work with him at least once, which unfortunately is not possible anymore. I like watching Siddhant Moahapatra’s films; in fact, his film ‘Santan’, is the last Odia film I watched. I moved out of Odisha so I didn’t get any opportunity to watch Odia films. Kamal Hasan is my idol.

Did anyone in the family ever suggest you to come back to Odisha and work?

My parents are my best supporters. They never asked me to leave Mumbai and work in Odisha instead. But yes, they do wish to see me act in an Odia film. I have received offers from the Odia cine industry but those were not the characters I thought I was suited for and so I did not take them up. If and when I get a good character to play in any Odia project, I will definitely do it.

There are many Odia technicians working in Mumbai. What do you do when you meet any Odia on the sets?

Yes, that’s true. On the sets, people are very professional in Mumbai and because of work, we get no time to talk about our native places. But we sometimes talk about it after shoots and have a good time together.

Which character among the ones you played is your favourite? Do you have a dream role in mind?

I played the role of a leader of dacoits in ‘Vikram Betaal’. That is my personal favourite, because there were a lot of layers in the character. I always choose the characters with substance, regardless of the screen time. There are no such dream roles yet, I feel my makers or directors better decide which character I fit the best.

You have done many short films. Are web series on your mind next?

No plans yet. An actor can act in any medium, because the idea is to reach out to  our audience. So whatever opportunity comes my way, I will accept if it suits me.