Theatre has been a great training ground: Neil

Mumbai: Actor Neil Bhoopalam is glad that though he is just two films-old in the industry, he likes the way his acting career is progressing. Despite a busy schedule that includes reading film scripts and auditioning for movies, he still manages to grab any opportunity that comes his way to exhibit his acting skills on the theatre stage - the platform that first honed his talent.

After making a mark in Bollywood with films like No One Killed Jessica and Shaitan, Neil recently performed at the NCPA in Mumbai in a play titled The Real Inspector Hound. The play also starred fellow Bollywood actor Kalki Koechlin. While Kalki and Neil acted together in Shaitan, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, he admits that he and the actress have shared an excellent rapport while interacting with each other on the stage.

"I have known her for a long time, even before she did Dev.D. We have done plays together. However the wonderful work relationship doesn't change when the medium changes. Yes, there is a difference in technique between the two fields. We worked together in Hamlet, The Clown Prince on the stage) and it has been great knowing her as a fellow actor."

His work on the stage, has not only let him explore the finer points of acting but also brought Bollywood work his way. He recalls, "Bejoy came to see the rehearsals of Hamlet. He called me for an audition. For No One Killed Jessica as well, I was spotted on the stage while doing a play. Performing on the stage is a great training ground for an actor. And the more you do is better."

Neil might have done just two films till date, but according to him, he has already learnt one important lesson about the industry. He points out, "You can't afford to just look good and become famous. You need to be able to act as well." The actors adds, "It is a good trend that actors like me now have a platform. For us, earlier it was only art house films. But now, Indian cinema is falling into the bracket."

Neil is happy that a film like No One Killed Jessica came to him at an important juncture in his career. He says, "The film for me was indeed a milestone. It was a huge platform. I was the last one to get cast for the film. Both Jessica and Shaitan did way better than I expected. Stories like that becoming a part of mainstream cinema just shows that a big change is being brought into Bollywood."