After I Slowed Down Is When I Really Started Seeing A Better Life, A Better Career: Actor Sudeep on Stepping Into His 25th Year in Cinema

In an industry where one's life could change every Friday, you're still one of our biggest stars. What explains your longevity?

Nothing… except to be honest with your work. There are definitely going to be phases in life that make you react badly… or react in a way you never expected. Then, you come to terms with it. See, we can never plan this journey. Nobody can say that if I am around for 20-25 years, it's because of my hard work. I think time needs to be kind too. You need to get lucky with everything. You definitely feel like the chosen one by the end of it. 

There's always this question that comes to me: Why me? I look at someone else, they're good-looking, they perform well too… so this is where you start feeling lucky, you start feeling gratitude towards all the people who still come to the theatre. And, you feel less arrogant about your stardom, and learn to be happy with what you have. There's been a lot of hard work and sacrifice too. How do I decide what has given me longevity? I don't want to analyse. I just enjoy what is coming my way.

Do you have the time to sit back and appreciate what life has given you?

Today, I have the time. I never used to have it before, because I was always chasing something or someone. I lost most of my time chasing. One day, you realise you're chasing something that is running away from you. What was beside me or following me had lost momentum because I was running ahead. So, you slow down, to allow people and things you left behind to catch up with you. 

It might sound philosophical, but after I slowed down is when I really started seeing a better life, a better career… 

Is it important for an artist to be aware of current political developments?

Being aware of what is happening is different. But, speaking about issues every time just because you're an actor might go wrong. When you don't speak, it doesn't mean you are running away from a situation; maybe, it is better you don't speak. Because people already know what they want. And, sometimes, the situation might be such that politicians are doing their best. My popularity as an actor should not be misused. Why speak about something when you're not really aware of the matter?

I don't want to tweet about something just because everyone else is. I might be worried too, but I may not know the matter completely. You should never look like an idiot. I will speak if I know the matter and if I'm interested in speaking about it. Otherwise, I'm a layman who will go with the flow, just like the public, merely wanting to understand what is happening.