Vinod Rawat, who is renowned for his roles in various films and his contributions as a casting director and acting coach, took the helm as the maker for Sushmita Sen’s OTT debut series, Aarya. He co-directed both the first and second seasons alongside Sandeep Modi. In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Vinod Rawat delved into his recent project, Pushtaini, which premiered at the MAMI Film Festival. He also shared insights into his experiences of working with actors such as Hrithik Roshan and Sushmita Sen as their acting coach.
Regarding his absence from the third season of Aarya, Vinod explained that his commitments to other projects, necessary for his livelihood, prevented his involvement in the latest installment.
Coming back to Pushtaini, he explained that it is a film that was shot in his ancestral village in Uttarakhand and featured some of his immediate family members in the cast.
When asked about the film’s personal connections, Vinod explained, “Migration comes from my real life. (Father migrated from Uttarakhand to Delhi, and Vinod migrated from Delhi to Mumbai). About the sexual and child abuse part in the film, I lived in Kidwai Nagar (Delhi) where we would often hear such stories. No one talked openly, but we knew the people involved. Most boys have a phase between the ages of 19 and 25 when they believe their father is their biggest enemy. After that age, you feel like you can do anything for the father. That happened to me as well, and I picked that emotion from my own experience.”
Vinod further revealed that the actors who portrayed his sister, aunt, and brother-in-law in the film were indeed his real-life family members, including his aunt, who was not fluent in Hindi, and they had to teach her the language.
The friendship between Vinod and actor Rajkummar Rao reportedly goes back to their theatre days in Delhi. When asked about what Rajkummar asked for, in compensation for his appearance in Pushtaini, Vinod humorously responded, “Fees? Oh yes, he did. He asked for two or three hearty hugs.”
Apart from Rajkummar Rao, Vinod also lauded former Miss Universe and actress Sushmita Sen as one of the most disciplined individuals. “You can learn about life from her. She is a real star. As a human being, her values and self-respect, and not just acting that you may learn life from her. I am trying (to follow her), but she is so disciplined! She respects time so much. I do not think anyone else respects time as much as that woman does. She is so focused. It was so good to talk to her. Season one and two were shot with fun, without corrupting the discipline. That is her best part,” he said.
Vinod disclosed that he has been Hrithik Roshan’s coach for eight years, a partnership that began with the film Kaabil. He emphasised Hrithik’s unwavering commitment and passion for not just acting but the entire filmmaking process.
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