Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication (SIMC-PG), Pune hosted an event called ‘The Cinema Story’ on August 12, 2016 as a part of its ongoing silver jubilee celebrations. Cinema Story was a memorable event for the students as it included the veteran Bollywood actor turned politician, Mr. Shatrughan Sinha narrating the highs and lows of his inspirational journey in the film industry.
Apart from being member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha twice, Mr. Sinha was also Union Cabinet Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Shipping. He was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. In 2016, a biography on him, Anything but Khamosh, was released.
Mr. Sinha was felicitated by the Vice Chancellor of Symbiosis International University; Dr. Rajani Gupte and the Director of SIMC, Prof. Ruchi Jaggi. The event commenced with an exquisite performance by the eloquent students of SIMC for Mr Sinha as part of the event. Following the performance, he addressed the audience of SIMC.
The chief guest, Mr Shatrughan Sinha was transfixed by the ardent audience and the zest of the performers on stage. Reminiscing about his early days in the film industry, he spoke about the first leg of his acting career when he graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India. Growing up in Patna and not seeing much of the world, the shift was a big deal for him. He explained, “My confidence has been my main strength. It is your wealth. Don’t ever let go of your confidence and perseverance.”
He went on to speak about understanding and acceptance, factors that motivated him in his career. Mr Sinha confessed that he wanted to become a doctor before becoming an actor. According to him, one must understand and be well aware of their strengths. He suggests, “Prioritize your time, and use it effectively in other areas if you are not able to reach your goals. Don’t lose your confidence and conviction.”
When asked about his inspirations in the film industry, he named maestros like Raj Kapoor, Suchitra Sen, Madhabi Mukherjee, Nargis Dutt, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Marlon Brando. He also mentions the significance of the theatre industry. “The best of actors have come from the stage. The practice and discipline an individual acquires from theatre cannot be achieved from anywhere else. An actor always returns to the stage,” he added.
Mr Shatrughan Sinha insisted that the students need to find a source of inspiration in their lives. He said, “Prove yourself better than the best, and if you fail to do that, prove yourself different from the rest. Style can give a new face to anything; otherwise there would not be anything new in this world.” He concluded by saying that he might not be a role model to the students today, but he hopes to be a source of inspiration in some way.