Meet Neeraj Kabi, the on-screen Rajesh Talwar

For almost 18 years now, Neeraj Kabi has been working as a professional actor with national and international theatre and ‘art house’ film directors. While his portrayal of Dr. Anukul Guha in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! earned him more attention than ever, Ship of Theseus brought him international recognition.
During a telephonic conversation with us, Neeraj comes across as a calm and composed man.He seems to be insatiably passionate for his work, deriving immense pleasure from it, every single day. As his latest film, Talvar, based on the 2008 Aarushi Talwar murder case, hits screens, the actor talks about his preparation for the role of Ramesh Tandon, working with Konkona Sen Sharma and what impression the film has left on his mind. Excerpts:
How did Talvar happen?
I cannot recall it exactly but I think I got a call from Meghna’s (Meghna Gulzar, the director) team that they wanted me to be a part of a film based on the Aarushi Talwar murder case. When my first meeting with Meghna happened, she came across as a really sensitive human being and I was totally attracted to her personality. She is absolutely fantastic as a director and very comfortable to work with. She is gentle and respects all her actors. For me, it has always been more about the people I work with than the script. So, after meeting Meghna, it didn’t take me long to say yes to the film.
Do you think Rajesh and Nupur Talwar are guilty?
It is very difficult for me to comment on this. During my research for the character, my mind kept wavering here and there but the conclusion is that I am still confused. It is not about whether or not they are guilty. Whatever the case may be, the point is that they are alive and suffering in jail after losing their only daughter who died such an unimaginable death. Just imagine the kind of circumstances that the parents must have been put through. It is a human tragedy.
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READ: ​The 'Talvar' questions
How did you prepare to be the on-screen Rajesh Talwar?
It’s a huge responsibility to play someone who is alive. During my preparation for the role, I lay more emphasis on playing the mind and soul of Rajesh Talwar rather than playing his body. If you notice, he is far healthier than I am. Somehow, I couldn’t gain weight for the film, but if it were possible, I would have done that too. I understood the case right from scratch. I had watched a lot of interviews and documentaries. For a subject like this, the research has to be perfect and our idea was to present every point-of-view while taking a neutral stance.
What impression has the film left on your mind?
It has remained with me even today. Even after having performed this character, I still cannot feel the kind of pain that Rajesh Talwar must have been through. The tragedy of losing your only daughter and that too, under such horrible circumstances, is something that only those two can understand.
How was it working with Konkona Sen Sharma?
Our working methodologies are completely different from each other. While she was an instinctive performer, I did a lot of homework to prepare for this role. She would be chatting with people on the sets and I would be alone, preparing. But when the shot would be ready, she would pull it off with ease. It was a great experience to witness the magic that multiple acting techniques can create.
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Listen to Talvar songs on Gaana.com
WATCH: ‘Talvar’ Official Trailer | Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Sohum Shah, Atul Kumar