Top News
Bollywood underrates me: Arunoday Singh
By Durga Chakravarty
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Actor Arunoday Singh, who has been a part of the Hindi film industry since 2009, feels his talent is under-utilised, and says Bollywood underrates him.
Arunoday made his acting debut with “Sikandar” and later featured in films like “Yeh Saali Zindagi”, “Mirch”, Aisha”, “Jism 2”, “Main Tera Hero” and “Mohenjo Daro”. He says it’s very difficult to get films in which he plays the lead because he is not “wildly famous”.
In a career spanning nine years, why has he done only handful of films, Arunoday told IANS over phone from Mumbai: “I am a good actor but I am not wildly famous. It’s very difficult to get films based on lead roles because I haven’t earned that level of box office success and that’s how it should be.
“These things are about business after all. So, I get limited number of options available to me in terms of roles.”
The actor, 35, feels his brawny built restricts him too.
“I am also very large, so I can’t be cast in everything. I am just little on the large side. So, I know that limits me a little as well. So, of all the roles I get considered for and audition for, I try to choose the best I can. I try the best with the films I get,” he added.
Does he feel like an under-utilised talent in Bollywood?
“I have not fully been utilised, that’s true… But I don’t think I have fully understood what I am capable of either. It’s a limitation. Bollywood underrates me and I underrate myself.
“So, one day we would get over it together,” added the actor, whose latest big screen outing, Irrfan Khan starrer “Blackmail”, has brought him a lot of attention.
Arunoday has featured in films of a variety of genres like romantic comedy, romantic thriller, erotic thriller, romantic action comedy, vigilante crime drama, socio-political drama and epic adventure.
But he says it was never a conscious choice to do genres of films as different as chalk and cheese.
“If it was a conscious choice, then it has failed because I got slotted anyway. But it was not a conscious choice. I just like doing different things. It appeals to me or the part appeals to me,” he said.
Apart from featuring in films, Arunoday also has a keen interest in writing poetry. The “Love per Square Foot” actor keeps updating his Instagram post with poetry penned by him.
Has he thought about publish a book of his poetry?
“I have many books of poetry waiting for a publisher brave enough to publish it. I met a few people, but the meetings were not really positive so… ‘Dil dukh jaata hai (it breaks your heart)’.
“So, you just give up saying maybe you are not good enough and you keep working at it and keep getting better. So, now I think I am okay enough to be published,” he said.
(Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
dc/rb/ksk
Top News
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.