Reality shows are very often a ticket to stardom. Its winners gain popularity in no time, though some remain one-time wonders. Jyoti Ranjan Nayak, winner of the reality show Mitha Mitha Jodi, falls in the first category and is now a well-known face in Odia filmdom. Jyoti, who entered the Odia film industry in 2016, has so far acted in films like Dele Dhare Katha Sare, Nijhum Ratira Sathi, Dil Ka Raja, Mitha Mitha, Tu Mo Hero, Happy Lucky, Ole Ole Dil Bole, Sathi Tu Pheria, Pyar Alaga Prakar, Tu Mo Suna Chadei, and Prema re Rakhichi 100 ru 100 in the last four years. Ahead of the release of his 12th film Super Boy opposite Tamanna, he gets candid with Orissa POST about his journey so far.
Son of Ramesh Kumar Nayak, a retired Air Force officer, and homemaker Jayshree Sahu, Jyoti made up his mind to make a career in acting when he was in school. To watch films, he used to bunk school. “Once I skipped class to watch the Rani Mukherjee starrer Tara Rum Pum with my friends. My father rushed to the cinema hall after he learnt about it from a neighbour. He was angry and asked me to go home walking barefoot even though it was peak of summer. Following the incident, I stopped bunking school. When my father came to know about my plan to join the film industry, he advised me to complete my education first. I completed B.Tech and tried my luck in the reality show Mitha Mitha. To my surprise, I won the reality show and started getting film offers.”
Jyoti, who makes sure to watch three movies every day, says, “I did not take lessons in acting school to train myself nor do I have a godfather in the film industry who can help me get films. Thus, I make it a point to watch as many movies as possible to brush up my acting skill.”
Asked about his favourite film, he says, “I cannot name any particular film. I always aim for perfection and want to do better with every performance. I am sure even if I do 100 films in the Odia industry, my hunger for perfection will never die. I love watching flop films. Take the example of Bombay Velvet. If you watch the movie thrice, you can spot the flaws and learn from it. I try to find the reasons that cause the failure of a film.”
Jyoti attributes his success to his family and says, “I cannot name any actor as my idol. I follow every actor. Every actor is blessed with certain qualities. I love to learn from those qualities and entertain my audience.”
Jyoti can cry onscreen without using glycerine. “While doing emotional scenes, I always try to feel it. When you feel the emotion, you do not need glycerin. Tears roll down automatically. I can’t cheat people crying artificially. In the movie Tu Mo Hero, I played the character of a slum boy who eloped with his lady love only to face the harsh reality of life. He found it hard to support his family. In one scene, I cried loudly to show my character’s helplessness. While watching the premier of the movie, I spotted people wiping their eyes during that scene. There can’t be greater satisfaction for an artiste.”
Sharing another anecdote, Jyoti says, “I had gone to attend a cultural programme at a Jajpur village where an elderly woman rushed to the stage and shouted at me. She said, ‘Shame on you. Your mother raised you with so much difficulty and gave you a good upbringing. But you did not care about her in the end.’ I was puzzled by her words. After some time, I called her and asked her to explain why she was upset. I came to know that she had seen my movie Sathi Tu Pheria and it really had a lasting impact on her. In the movie, I played the role of a don who did not look after his mother during her last days.”
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP
