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The son of a zamindar from Gadarwada in Madhya Pradesh, he is the youngest of seven brothers and five sisters. He passed out from the National School of Drama in Delhi in 1994 and come to Mumbai to pursue his dreams. With 1997 came Mahesh Bhatt's Dushman and recognition. Ashutosh Rana was slated for big things. But something went awry. click for larger view
Four years later, Ashutosh is still looking to consolidate his status in the Hindi film industry. But he's not disheartened. "I believe in destiny. Things happen only when they have to. As long as the process is on," he muses. Rana is a strange mix of piercing ambition and native wisdom. He does nothing without the guidance and approval of his guru, Shri Dev Prabhakar Shastri. "Limelight without enlightenment can bring in profits but no pleasures, at least not for me. I don't want to get caught up in the 'becoming' so much that I stop 'being', he tells Smashits in a tete-a-tete. From television to films and back, why did you suddenly decide to take on 'Baazi Kiski'?
I believe that if you are an actor, the medium you adopt is immaterial. Every medium is an opportunity to evolve and add more to your knowledge. Moreover, I am anchoring Baazi Kiski, which is different from doing a television serial.
At one time after 'Dushman' and 'Sanghursh', it looked like you had taken off. What happened midway?
If I truly deserve it, I will get it. I won't if I don't. There are people more talented than I who haven't got what I have got. So why get involved at all in what I have and what I don't. I have plenty of good work, which is fine by me.
Visibility is one of the key aspects of show business but you prefer to keep a low profile. Maybe you should work a little more on your public relations.
I am not too good at it. Like I said earlier, I don't want success I don't deserve. And what I deserve will come to me. Promotion and marketing may make people aware of your existence but not your capabilities. Your work is the only true showcase of your talent.
Is it true that you do nothing without the approval of your guruji, Shri Dev Prabhakar Shastri?
He's God for me. I have complete devotion for him.
That's blind faith?
Faith is never blind. One can have faith only when one's eyes are open.
When and where did you meet guruji?
I met him in 1984 in Sagar, where my sister lives with my brother-in-law. I had gone there after I passed out from school. I met guruji through my brother-in-law.
Is your ultimate moksha in receiving or relinquishing? Are you ambitious?
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Yes I am very ambitious. I want everything but before I fulfil my desires I want to increase the capacity to attain them. I want to increase my capabilities. I want to be able to hold my desires when I fulfil them, whether it is fame, money or success, my ambitions are loftier than that. Profession is only a by-product of your personality. Personality should be multi-dimensional. Like life. Life is limitless. I don't want to lessen the beauty of life by limiting it to just one definition. Definition causes denial. I don't want to deny myself the vastness of life. So you see my ambitions are big. Some day I hope I can get there. Why has your wife Renuka stopped acting after marriage? Is it your doing?
There is no question of rok-tok in our marriage. I haven't stopped her from doing anything, neither will I ever do so. She doesn't want to act for the time being, it is her decision. She's writing a film, which she wants to produce and direct. Right now she wants to put all her energies in that direction.
Are you happy with the work you have in hand right now?
Yes I am. I have Vikram Bhatt's Raaz, Govind Nihalani's Danger, Suresh Sharma's Ansh, Harry Baweja's Karz, Ravi Dewan's Anarth, Pardesi and J.P Dutta's Loc. That's a good lot of work to keep me happy I think.
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