RACHID SHALIN AMIR
I actually forgot, the biggest issue I’ve had is working with one of the members of the cast: Shalin Agarwal—he’s very awkward. ‘Sound more English, Shalin! You’re not going to do it like THAT, are you?’ (laughs).” “He literally stops in the middle of scenes…’You’re going to say it like that?’ (laughs)” “Atul has a strong regional dialect—it’s quite different from the way I actually speak.
All the older characters have Indian accents while the younger generation has a northwest England accent. It’s like figuring out a puzzle—what drives that particular individual, what makes him tick. With good writing, you can—as an actor—bring a whole spectrum of colors to the canvas. That’s exciting to me. I also like the challenges of accents, singing, physically having to change…anything that takes me away from being me. (laughs)” These two aren’t the only ones whose characters challenge them. “One word for my character is misunderstood,” admitted Amir. “Jivaj comes across as
very confident, gruff, kind of the jokester whom everyone looks down upon. But that’s a front. There’s other stuff going on, as with any normal human being. His back story is coming from Northern India and then moving to Bolton after losing his family and starting his life again. So really, this whole cast of characters is Jivaj’s family. He came from nothing and really made a man out of himself. The difficult part was showing his vulnerability and what makes him a relatable human being. That’s been a challenge because it’s easy to have him be one-dimensional. It’s funny, we’re in previews right now. You go in thinking that you’re going to get a reaction out of the audience, and it’s been very different for me. I’ve come to the conclusion that when most people see Jivaj, they either want to punch me or f*ck me. (laughs) So it’s just a matter of layering him a little bit more—maybe even make them like him a little bit too.” On the other end of the scale is Ariya’s character, Jai—the one whom Ayub calls “the
horny younger brother.” “He’s attracted to Atul’s wife…kind of a troublemaker,” said Ariya. “I like him (laughs) I think he’s a very fun character to play—very different from any other role I’ve ever played. I just finished The Kite Runner which is a very intense drama. So to come back
ARIYA
and do something as colorful and vibrant as Rafta, Rafta… is a very different taste.” Though it may seem as though these boys are having too much fun with what they
do, their devotion and professionalism are unquestionable. “A lot of my previous roles have been strong and confident characters who are bro- ken on the inside,” Amir elaborated. “I’m really attracted to someone who is vulnerable and weak to begin with. It takes a lot to put yourself out there, especially onstage, and be weak and vulnerable consistently. You really have to tap into certain experienced in your life and bring it out onstage.” “Obviously you want to immerse yourself in the culture and watch Bollywood
films. I personally don’t have an Indian accent. In the play, Jai has a Bolton (British) accent. I worked with an amazing dialect coach—Gillian Lane Plescia—who is just phenomenal. Also, the costumes really help. Especially in this play which begins at a massive wedding. When you’re performing in costume, it absolutely brings it to life. I actually see a lot of similarities between Indian and Iranian culture—very close-knit, big celebrations, everybody’s in each other’s affairs, they want the best for their kids... and reputation is very important in both cultures.” “There’s definitely a common thread between all Middle Eastern cultures. Our fami- lies can be very loud, (laughs) but at the same time very warm, affectionate and loving. There’s a lot of respect within the family despite conflict…it doesn’t matter where you’re from. It’s family.” “We had a cast member who fell ill and he had to be replaced four weeks in. He was
playing my father. We became very close, we built that chemistry. Then, when a new actor came in, we had to develop that relationship all over again in a very short time. We want to make sure we know each other well and we’re believable as a family. That transition was definitely the most challenging for me.”
To read the COMPLETE interview, visit
ragemonthly.com. Rafta, Rafta… continues its West Coast premiere at The Old Globe Theatre until Sunday, April 24. Go to
theoldglobe.org for tickets and showtimes.
APRIL 2011 | RAGE monthly 19
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