Within a year of graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Rohan Gurbaxani, 23, bagged over seven feature films in 2019, including four acting roles in Chick Fight, alongside Alec Baldwin and Bella Thorne; Knuckledust, alongside Moe Dunford; Red 48, alongside John Malkovich; and Confession, alongside Sarah Hay.
Q\ Without any family background or connections in the film industry, what made you take up acting as a profession? When did you first know you wanted to become an actor?
A\ I definitely did not have an epiphany moment. I always say, for me, acting is a cultivated passion, a gradual realisation. From the very beginning I used to perform as a dancer.Looking back, I guess I unknowingly always had a knack for performance, but no inclination towards acting at all. Fast forward to when I was a teenager and my mother randomly enrolled me in the Jagriti Theatre in Whitefield. I would not say that was the turning point, but perhaps that was when the seed was planted.
Q\You have worked with a host of Hollywood A-listers. Who has been your favourite co-star?
A\They were all fascinating in their own, unique way. I would not be able to pick one. I am just grateful and blessed I was able to be in their presence and learn from them.
Q\Would you like to work in Bollywood?
A\Definitely. I look up to many directors in the Hindi film industry like Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap, to name a few. My favourite films change with time, but currently, I would say Rockstar and The Lunchbox are high up on my list.
Q\What is your dream role and why? Who would you like to act opposite you in that film?
A\Rather than a specific role, I dream about being a part of stories that explore the human condition. If a role reveals something about me, perhaps a secret that I was not conscious of, that is gold.
I would say Shia LaBeouf would be a fascinating person to work with. I think we would connect spiritually and artistically.