Raghubir Yadav On Playing Retired Cop In Minus 31: 'The Film Was Out of My Comfort Zone' | Exclusive

After spending almost four decades in the industry, Raghubir Yadav still surprises us. The actor’s latest release is Minus 31 – The Nagpur Files, a thriller movie directed by Pratik Moitro. Yadav plays the role of a former police officer, whose daughter, also a police officer essayed by Rucha Inamdar, is investigating a murder.

The actor mentions that he was drawn to the film because of his character and the interesting plot, “I really had to work hard on my character in Minus 31 – The Nagpur Files. It’s a complex character which I haven’t attempted before. Primarily the film is a father-daughter relationship and how they have differences of opinions due to their principles. The love and banter between these two individuals is the highlight of the film. I have not really attempted something like this earlier. My role should challenge me and allow me to get out of my comfort zone and attempt something that I haven’t done earlier. The film challenged me as a performer and allowed me to add another experience in my life.”

The Panchayat actor says that he analyses scripts attentively and is mostly drawn to those that “come straight from the heart.” He is very much a ‘director’s actor.’ If he decides not to be a part of a movie, it can be because it didn’t ‘move’ him. “The most important consideration [in making a decision] is the subject. When necessary, you must gently decline an offer because you may not agree with the proposal, the dates may not work, the money may not be acceptable, or you may be uncertain of the director’s abilities.” But after boarding, his commitment and focus are total. “I’m interested in the entire movie, not just my part of it. Typically, my director and I have conversations. We talk about how he perceives things and how I perceive them and we come to a point where we are on the same page.”

Recently, in an interview, the The National School of Drama (NSD) graduate mentioned that he dislikes the term ‘acting.’ Elaborating on the topic Yadav says, “If you love this term then whatever you do will be acting and not performance. I have always decided to play characters rather than do acting. For example, In Minus 31 – The Nagpur Files if the director would have simply told me that you need to play a father, I don’t think I would have been able to live the character. I always try to work to find something in my character, and in this film too our director Pratik Moitro allowed me to improvise and discover this role that I played in the film.”

It is unexpected to hear Yadav, who has been acting for almost four decades describe to himself as an ‘obedient student,’ feeling uncomfortable when referred to as a ‘veteran’ or a ‘legendary.’ “When I hear people say, ‘Oh, it was a perfect performance’, I ask myself: ‘Can perfection be achieved in this imperfect world?’ Can you fully master anything? Creativity is an endless journey and I would like to embark on the journey till my last breath.”