Ashrut Jain on Ranveer Singh’s nude photoshoot: It was aesthetically brilliant; suited his personality – Times of India

After playing some impactful roles in films, young actor Ashrut Jain has come up with a short film, ‘The Two Thought Theorem’ on MX Player which has been garnering rave reviews. ETimes got in touch with the actor for an exclusive interview where he spilled the beans on the short film, his experience of dating in the digital world, Ranveer Singh’s nude photoshoot, his journey in Bollywood and more. Excerpts…

What kind of reaction have you been getting for ‘The Two Thought Theorem’?
The first reaction that I got for this film is, ‘Man, you did it’! It is very difficult for any creative person to visualise a concept and turn it into a celluloid product. I think the main thing that surprised everyone was that I managed to write a story, pull a team, make a product and release it respectfully on a very well-known OTT platform. I think it will inspire a lot of people who are trying to tell stories in any format.

I have also been getting positive reviews for the music. The cinematography is amazing. I had a really cool team. There is a girl from Los Angeles who did the music for me. The guitars were done by a man from Ukraine. And this was during the war. I had an amazing team, director and co-stars. Everything came together and we were able to pull it off. It was a beautiful feeling.

What inspired you to come up with the story?
There are so many dating apps coming up in the market. It is either swiping right or swiping left. It is as easy as that. So how do you decide if it is true love or you are just taking a chance? When you go on a date, you think about how you are going to take the relationship forward. So this story has come from my personal life experience.

What has been your personal experience of dating in this digital world?
It has both good and bad flavours. Most of my online dating didn’t go very well. It is like choosing from a catalogue. The traditional way where you meet people at your workplace or at a party or through a common friend and you talk and know each other, I think that way sustains more. That way you get a first-hand account of the person and not a shown or projected personality of a person. Everyone projects themselves well on social media, but the reality is not that.

You have mentioned in your earlier interviews that the first actor you worked with was Ranveer Singh in an ad. His nude photoshoot has evoked mixed reactions from all sides. What are your thoughts on the same as an actor?
I know Ranveer Singh personally and it suits his personality. It was a good photoshoot. It was aesthetically brilliant. It is done now. People should move ahead. The world is 40 years ahead of us in terms of cinema. We need to have discussions on the quality of cinema we are producing and not on a photoshoot. Let’s talk about things that keep our industry going, which will bring big honour to us on a global platform. Let’s put all our energy into making our cinema brilliant and not waste time on things that are not important.

Were you a movie buff growing up? Whom did you idolise?
I was a movie buff but my father was a bigger movie buff than me. We had about four thousand cassettes and he used to listen to some amazing music from around the world, especially Michael Jackson. ‘Gali Mein Aaj Chand Nikla’ was one of his favourite songs. I was born and brought up in that environment. I have seen world cinema because of him.

I really idolise Amitabh Bachchan sir, Naseeruddin Shah and Satyajit Ray sahab. I was recently in Kolkata for a shoot and I was listening to ‘Pather Panchali’ while walking on Howrah bridge and that gave me goosebumps. In Hollywood, I really idolise Annie Lulu and Martin Scorsese. These are the kinds of people I really admire and I am inspired to be like them.

How do you look back at your journey so far?
It has been a good journey. I have faced a lot of rejections too. However, being a part of this industry, you need to accept that rejection is a part of life. You have to move on and be ready again with more delight, potential and charm. That is one of the reasons I want to make my own content. When you create the content, you call the shots. At the end of the day, it is all about telling good stories.