In Deepa Mehta’s screen adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s epic novel Midnight’s Children, Darsheel Safary got his second chance in a row to play the lead actor for the second time in a row after Taare Zameen Par at the age of 15. In this exclusive interview, he speaks about the experience.
Darsheel, Midnight’s Children completes twelve years?
Midnight’s Children was an incredibly ambitious and unique project. Playing Saleem Sinai right after Taare Zameen Par was both exhilarating and challenging.
The two characters were completely different from one another?
Ishaan Awasthi was a deeply internalized character, but Saleem had an epic, almost mythical journey, growing up in a newly independent India, dealing with questions of identity, destiny, and personal transformation.
What was it like being directed by Deepa Mehta?
Deepa Ma’am is known for her bold and visionary storytelling. I feel she saw in me a certain rawness and emotional depth that fit Saleem’s journey from childhood to adulthood. She has an amazing way of extracting performances from her actors, allowing them to bring out the most authentic version of their characters.
You got to work with actors like Shabana Azmi, Charles Dance, and Dhritiman Chatterjee in your second film?
The cast was vast and diverse, and working with such seasoned actors was an enriching and a memorable experience. Every actor brought all of their unique energy and experience to the set; just watching these collaborations made me learn a lot about my craft.
What was the impact of Midnight’s Children on your life and career?
Midnight’s Children pushed me beyond my comfort zone. It expanded my understanding of performance, historical narratives, and cinematic storytelling. It also gave me international exposure, which added a different dimension to my career. It remains one of the most important learning experiences of my journey as an actor.
