Gurmeet Choudhary recalls gruelling training for 'Shubho Bijoya'

For Gurmeet Choudhary, every performance is a means to push the envelope. Every project that he takes up, he does it with unmatched dedication, absolute honesty and utmost sincerity, and his work in the recent short film 'Shubho Bijoya' is an extension of this.

The actor plays the character of 'Shubho' in the film which demanded more out of him with regards to the mental and physical training.

Although the character is considered as a much sought after fashion photographer in the film, we see him undergoing a huge transformation in the latter half. From wearing stylish blazers, flaunting six pack abs to having an unshakeable confidence, the character slips into a downward spiral as he becomes a visually impaired person. While one may train themselves physically to get into shape as per the demand of the role, playing someone with visual impairment requires intense mental training too that can put a person under a lot of emotional stress. It was quite an emotionally taxing experience for the actor as he had to change his body language and mould the senses to play the part.

And, for this Gurmeet turned to his specially-abled trainer Hemendra Pratap Singh, who had also trained Ayushmann Khurrana for the film 'Andhadun'.

Hemendra, who is visually impaired himself, helped the actor get the things in place in terms of subduing his visual senses and using his other senses to their full potential. The two spent a lot of time together, working on things like Gurmeet's walk, how he lifts certain objects, his response to sound.

Speaking on this, Gurmeet told IANS, "I have new found respect, admiration and awe for every person who does not have their sight. I feel no pity whatsoever, because they are so empowered within their own selves. They have 4 other senses and these senses enable them to do anything and everything."

"Working alongside Hemendra and my director, Ram Kamal Mukherjee and also my Bijoya, my wife Debina, this film showed me how emotionally fragile one can be. It required me to go into my soul, find that visually impaired person and play it with perfection and conviction. The film is now out and the reaction is truly humbling for me," he added.

Since its release on OTT platform Big Bang, 'Shubho Bijoya' has been receiving love from fans across the world. Ram Kamal Mukherjee's direction has brought Gurmeet and Debina together onscreen as a couple after 11 years, making 'Shubho Bijoya' a film that was truly awaited by one and all.