In a very interesting conversation with Mr. Sahil Salathia, we learnt far too much about how he perceives things outside the realm of acting and while he’s on set. Nevertheless, these conversations took turns like that of Everest(Pun Intended) and we loved him in that series!
Movies aren’t all that Sahil Salathia is about. He also has his hands dipped in fashion and is quite a groundbreaking idol indeed. When asked about how he seeks to break the fashion stereotypes for the men as a fashion icon himself, he said, “Firstly, thank you for addressing me as a fashion icon: I’m humbled! Considering the boundaries that lie in fashion, they are far too many for men and women to tackle. One shouldn’t have a lot of seriousness around these boundaries. You wanna wear colour, wear colour, you wanna wear black nail paint, do that. Life is art, hence, be artistic and break these so-called boundaries! The key is to not take yourself so seriously!”
The key indeed is to not take ourselves so seriously, after all! Fashion is art you wear and Sahil has made it look beyond surreal. Elucidating upon how it was like to work for the series, “Everest”, he fondly recalls, “I got a Lines Gold Award for the best debut and it was an incredible experience. We shot for a year in Dokriani glacier, and shot for a year and a half in total, considering the kind of a perfectionist that Ashutosh sir is. We really put in the work on this series, and Target and Everest are both available on Hotstar is indeed worth all the admiration! Ashutosh sir is a sheer gentleman, and I got to learn so much from the young cast and the fantastic actors that were a part of this series.”
While there is so much that the actor has already got himself into, we couldn’t help but seek a glimpse of the upcoming projects he is set for in the future. He tells us all about them and how!
“I’ve done two very very interesting parts in two very very very interesting web series. I can’t talk too much about it, but one is produced by Nikhil Advani and the other is produced by Viacom. I’d let them come up with more announcements, but I’ve finished filming and it was a bliss indeed!”
Talking about the roles that he has particularly loved during his current tenure in the industry, he fondly recalls, “I can’t really pick a role that is closest to my heart, but I particularly loved my role as “Arjun Sabharwal”, the mountaineer from Everest, because it was my first and it was with Ashutosh, who is literally a legend. There are two more very interesting roles I’ve done which you’ll get to see soon.”
As a groundbreaker in fashion and an actor whose skills speak for himself, we sought more of him than just acting. We wanted to know all about his viewpoint towards therapy for mental health issues amongst men and women in today's age and climate. He says, “Mental health is one of the pressing issues in today’s times. Considering how rapidly dynamic our lifestyles are, it’s imperative to understand the sheer importance of how mental health impacts us. Since I’m not a professional, I’d recommend one should seek help when one deems fit. Mental health is the most intrinsic part of our being and should not be ignored. Personally, I love to meditate, go to the gym and help release my endorphins through doing things that I absolutely enjoy!”
As we furthered onto the topics of feminism and women empowerment, he stated, “Women empowerment is something we should all be very passionate about, since it’s not just for women, but also for the men. Considering how much we have suppressed women in the past, one ought to stand up for their rights in today’s scenario to make amends for the past. Feminism is about the rights that women rightfully deserve. It is about equality and being fair and I think everybody should believe in that.”
As an actor who believes that the odds to be ever in his favour, he has an advice for everyone who seeks to get into this industry: “My advice would be to stay disciplined, stay balanced and manifest while you put in the effort. You get luckier when you work harder. Ask yourself one very important question, “Are you passionate about art or do you just wish to be famous?” Ultimately, this is what you should ask yourself before you plan to get into the industry. It’s the art that ultimately takes you places.”
Art is something that is exuded through your passion for something, and the art of movies is to be known and perfected than be swooned over for the fancies that surround it. Nobody does it better than Sahil Salathia indeed.