We first heard of Pittsburgh born singer, actor and musician, Manu Narayan about six years ago when he took the lead of hero ‘Akaash’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber/A.R. Rahman’s hit musical on Broadway, Bombay Dreams. Little known to most, this multi-talented artist sings lead vocals with his band, Darunam, is an award-winning classical saxophone player, has sung with Cyndi Lauper, and performed for George Bush and Queen Elizabeth to boot. ANOKHI caught up with him at his apartment in New York to chat about bagging this summer’s most anticipated comedy, The Love Guru, and what it was like to work with comedic genius Mike Myers.

Read On…

PERFORMING. . .

Was acting always in the cards for you?

Something in the performing arts was, as acting and singing have always been a great love of mine.

Venturing into a career in the performing arts, was this something you planned for or fell into?

Something that life planned for me. The story goes that when I was two-years-old, I used to walk around the house with a pretend microphone in my hand singing the Brady Bunch theme tune. (Laughs) My parents saw and fostered my talent from a very early age.

You’ve taken acting to a very serious and professional level by going to college to hone a passion and turn it into a possible profession by learning the craft of acting. I remember in the early days, South Asian actors in the West were foraying into acting more as a hobby, but now, more and more actors from our community are understanding that the key to making it in Hollywood is to do what mainstream actors do and go to school so that they have a more realistic chance of really making it. Hopefully, this trend will broaden the horizon for South Asian actors in the West to be given roles that are role defined instead of culturally defined — like Kal Penn did with the Whitecastle movies.

That’s the thing. Because it’s so easy for us to see stars everyday on TV and film and we aspire to be discovered just like them, but you wouldn’t expect a doctor to do surgeries without having learned how to do them. In my opinion, you need to give acting the same amount of respect as you would any other profession. I don’t deny that some aspiring actors, singers and performers who have not honed their skills this way have and do get breaks but if you’re talking about actually building a career from it, you need the tools to give you the versatility to go the long haul.

It seems that since we were first introduced to you during your successful stint with Broadway’s Bombay Dreams, this is the first time that there has been a buzz about you. Between then and now, what have you been up to?

I’ve been doing a lot of theatre off Broadway. What’s interesting about New York is that there is so much good theatre going on all the time. I’ve done two shows with a theatre company called Second Stage which is a very prestigious theatre company off Broadway here in New York. I also started a band called Darunam, which is a neo-world music band. Eastern melody in a western pop genre of music is what we do. We have a music video out which MTV World’s Nussrat Durrani directed for us. We’re just starting to promote it now.

Where can we catch it?

You can hear the song on iTunes and see the video on our website daranum.com.

THE LOVE GURU & MIKE MYERS. . .

What was it about this particular movie that made you want to be a part of it? Was it the script, the big banner cast or something else?

I auditioned for The Love Guru without knowing that I was audit­ioning for a Mike Myers movie because the script was top secret. The casting director called a bunch of actors in, some of which were my friends and people I’m always competing against for roles. So the way it worked was  I read for the casting director just like everyone else did and then about a week later, I got a call back to meet with the director. That’s the first time I heard Mike Myers’ name and got to see the actual script.

So what did you think at the point when you discovered that The Love Guru was a Mike Myers film?

I thought, “Well hey, it’s just another audition” as it wasn’t like I had been offered a role or anything. During the audition with the director, they wanted me to read the script so this was my first exposure to it. Little did I know that I was going to be reading the script alongside Mike himself! During the reading, I felt that there was great chemistry and I think Mike thought so too because they offered me the role of Rajneesh shortly thereafter. For me, what was really awesome about that read through was that not only did I get to see Mike Myers in all his brilliance but that the script had real gems of wisdom throughout it. That was the first thing that really struck me. I thought, as funny as Mike’s movies are, this particular script had so many really great spiritual gems in it. That aside, this is a Mike Myers movie and he’s a huge hero of mine and always has been, so the experience was quite surreal.

Who is Rajneesh?

To understand who Rajneesh is in the movie, you have to understand the relevance of his role. Let me explain it to you this way. I don’t know if you knew this about me but I’m a saxophone player and I had gone to India to learn music the old fashioned way where I lived with my teacher (or guru) for eight months. In India, to learn any art form is to learn it teacher-apprentice style where you live with the teacher and go from being a second class servant/apprentice to learning the music and then being a student, then being the prize student and finally taking over the mantel of your guru. This typically takes 14 to 15 years to accomplish. In the same way, Rajneesh is the love guru’s or Mike’s apprentice/man servant/moral compass as Mike’s character, Pikta says. He keeps Pikta, on track but also learns his guru’s philosophy and way of life at the same time.

From receiving an inanimate script to filming it, an actor has a huge responsibility to convince the audience that he/she really is the character being played. Breathing life into a character is no walk in the park. Breathing life into a Mike Myers character must be like a trek through the jungle bearing in mind that his characters are part pre-prep and part on-set improv. How did you tackle your role?

For me, how to create the character is based on the world of the play or in this case, the film. In this film or in the world of Mike to be more specific, there is a reality and then there is a heightened sense of reality because it is in essence, a comedy. For me, preparation was learning my lines and controlling what I needed to prepare for and then being open to whatever came my way. What most people don’t know about Mike, and what I didn’t realize until I did this movie with him, is how meticulous he is with his preparation. In every sense of the word, he is an amazing artist. He makes sure that the script is so specific and then he’ll also add improvisation when on set. He’s so giving to his actors both on and off the set that you want to go there, and you want to go on this fun ride that he takes you on.

Would you say that he’s kind of like the guru with his actors and his production staff?

For me, he was absolutely. He’s someone I look up to. Here’s this guy that wears many, many different hats. He’s a writer, he’s the producer and he’s also the lead actor. He’s like the leader of this huge ship and with all this responsibility and potential stress, he’s still kind and generous and funny and willing to play no matter if it’s four in the morning and we’re on our hundredth take. Every time he’s brilliant, and I don’t know how the guy does it. I definitely look up to him in that way.

So Mike was like a mentor to you then?

Yes he was and is.

What did you take away from working with him?

As moviegoers, we look at movies and we say, “Oh it looks like so much fun to be in movies” and “It’s so glamorous to be a movie star”. What I took away from working with Mike was that number one, it’s hard work to be a great performer and number two, success is not luck. I learned that Mike is a hard worker in every great sense of the word. What people don’t know is that he is unbelievably meticulous about the script and that he rehearsed the character of Pikta for a few years before even thinking of doing a movie with him. He does readings for specific invited audiences and charts what works from a humour perspective and what doesn’t. He wants to know what jokes are landing and which ones are not and then the re-writes of the script follow. Much like a playwright, this exercise adds so much depth to a character and to a scene. He has honed his craft and that’s what I take away from working with him.

Actors sometimes say that although they’ve trained and worked their way up the pipeline, no matter how confident they feel about their skill set, they always feel a little insecure when doing a movie with actors that are legendary. In Hollywood’s comedic world, it doesn’t get bigger than Mike Myers. Did you feel any pressure to hit the mark knowing his huge stature and creative genius coupled with the fact that this is Myer’s first original character since Austin Powers?

It’s definitely something that every actor would be worried about and something that I was also worried about because at least in the theatre, which up until this point is what I was used to, you have a live audience to tell you instantly what’s funny and what’s not so you know what you’re up against and you have a chance to do it better the next time around. In a movie on the other hand, the audience is behind the scenes and doesn’t get to watch until the movie is already packaged for the mass cinema, and by that time it’s too late to do it better or change anything. In this sense, it’s really nerve-wracking but what was so great about filming this movie was that the director, producers and Mike created a space that was so giving so any fears anyone may have come on set with, just went away.

What was your favourite scene during filming?

For me, it was the experience of working with such accomplished artists that was so enriching and because this was such an all round wonderful experience, all the scenes were great for me so I would be hard pressed to pick out just one. But I will tell you that my favourite part of doing this movie is best described by comparing it to a painter who creates a masterpiece from paint and canvas.

So you got to watch each and every brush stroke the artist added to his canvas until the painting was complete, which is what most of us get to see — the finished masterpiece.

Yes and to further that analogy, I got to be one of the colours he used to create his masterpiece. I got to be shaped by a true artist.

When you’re filming, you’re so caught up in the creative process that you don’t have time to sit back and revel in the magnitude of it all as you’re there to do a job and you’re so focused on giving it your best shot. Now that things are moving into the promotions aspect of the film, I’m starting to realize just how big the whole thing is.

And how does that make you feel?

I’m still trying to figure that one out, but I will say that I feel extremely fortunate to have been given such a massive opportunity so early on in my film career because most actors don’t get to do a big banner movie until much later on in their careers. I’m really thankful to all who helped make this happen for me, from my parents for supporting my career path in the early days, to my agent, manager and even for Mike, for believing that I have something of value to offer.

What was it like for you to work alongside such notable names such as Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and even Sir Ben Kingsley?

All of these guys are such huge artists in their own right and I’m like the rookie in comparison so for me, it was such a great learning experience to work with them all. One of my favourite moments was when I was doing one of my scenes, Ben Kingsley was on set and I got a chance to talk to him for about five minutes about his career. To actually meet the actor who played Gandhi and conveyed him so brilliantly was a truly amazing experience for me and to think, I would never have gotten that opportunity if I had not been chosen to do this movie.

ETHNICITY. . .

What would you say would be the key insight that you took away with you when you met and had a conversation with Sir Ben Kingsley?

He said something very poignant that is something that I will always remember. He said that you should not judge yourself as an actor based on race. What I understood from this was that as an actor, one should not put themselves inside a box because you’re restricting yourself and what’s worse, you’re telling the world that this is all you have the ability to do. This goes against the philosophy and training of an actor who is taught the skills to be able to be any character.

Race is a part of your personal identity but your profession is a part of your public identity and there is or at least should be a distinct line between the two. That’s not to say that you cannot pool from the personal to enrich the professional or vice versa.

Yes and when you look at actors playing a role, like Daniel Day Lewis playing a Texan, we never question his personal identity do we?

But when you factor in the colour of our skin versus the colour of Lewis’ skin, you have to admit that his ability to be a convincing Texan versus ours is a lot easier for the public to believe. Let’s not forget that most roles in Hollywood are made for white skin tones because it’s what the movie goer is used to despite today’s world, including the western world, having more colour in it than not.

I agree but what we have to remember, as actors, we should be taken on our merit to portray characters’ universal human experiences as opposed to those bound by visual appearances. I feel this type of cinema makes for better quality viewing in terms of what we can get out of watching the film.

But don’t you feel that there is great merit in doing movies with a cultural slant like The Love Guru does by borrowing from our culture? It opens up people’s minds to an element of our culture and also tells the viewer that even someone like a Mike Myers attaches value to the growing profile of today’s South Asian community. Moreover, of all the characters he could have chosen to do after a decade-long hiatus, he chose to create a character that borrows from our culture.

Yes, and it makes me feel really proud that one of the biggest movie stars in the world has a love and appreciation for our culture and wants to bring that to the big screen. I’ve seen a small cut of the film, and it’s really awesome in that not only does it profile Mike’s comedic genius but that it has some real key gems of wisdom threaded through the script that become apparent as the movie progresses. It’s brilliant!

As an aside, you didn’t anglicize your name or change it into a “cooler” Indian name like the Bollywood stars do, albeit you’re not a Bollywood actor. You kept your authentic, undeniably Brahmin name. Did you ever think about changing it to something more ‘studly’ in order to increase your profile in the public eye, especially with the female audience?

(Laughs) No, I think my studliness comes out through my acting (Laughs again). But seriously, I have no reason to feel that my name is any less ‘cool’ or ‘studly’ than George Clooneys or Salman Khan’s because like them, I hope that my name will become synonymous with who the public perceives me to be as opposed to the other way around.

And case in point:  if someone with a name like Barack Obama can potentially run for the presidency of the United States, I think it’s safe to say that today’s world has a respectable IQ for cultural recognition.

Absolutely!

FINAL WORDS. . .

Why should anyone want to watch The Love Guru?

Everyone likes to laugh and be entertained and this movie succeeds in offering both in abundance.

If someone just met you and needed to figure out who you are in a hurry, what five words best describe you?

Optimist, generous, respectful, too serious (two words) and green.

What’s next for you?

I want to ensure to make decisions that are the right next steps for me but that are also artistically fulfilling. Let’s see what’s in the cards for me.

First published in the Spring 2008 issue, www.AnokhiMagazine.com.

Photos courtesy o Paramount Pictures, The Love Guru

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