To be a young, new actor in the past few years has been extraordinarily difficult, and actor Maahir Mohiuddin understands the uphill battle faced by those who don’t have industry ties. “It’s very hard to break into the film industry , especially when you are an actor with no connections,” says the up-and-comer, who has primarily worked on stage and short films. The actor, who will next be seen in the Kannada film Vritta, adds, “It’s almost unimaginable because someone is essentially putting their money in you.
They’re betting on your potential. And because the industry often works on populist values, sometimes it’s your number of followers that determines whether you get the part or not.” Excerpts from a chat: When you’re on stage, it’s like you’re living in the moment.
There are no second chances. It’s a real kick. That’s the beauty of theatre.
It’s just you and your co-actors playing with each other. That’s why it’s called a play Mahir Mohiuddin ‘AS THRILLING AS THEATRE IS, IT CANNOT SUSTAIN YOU’ Theatre is thriving right now. Shows are selling out, even on weekdays.
While there’s a clear audience for theatre, making a sustainable living from it is still a challenge. We have a long way to go in terms of profitability. And as a theatre actor , it’s not a sustainable source of income - voiceover work and ads are my primary source of income.
When I decided to become an actor, I started with theatre, then ads started coming in and then .