Renowned actor Adhyayan Suman has never failed to grab headlines. He has been the media's favourite controversy child. Despite being the son of veteran actor Shekar Suman, Adhyayan went through lots and lots of hardships personally as well as professionally, to the extent that he was known for his link-ups and break ups more than his work and performance as an actor.
But now it seems Adhyayan's hard work, patience and persistence have paid off. The young and vibrant actor is garnering accolades for his portals as Tinka Singh in Prakash Jha's recently released web series Aashram that is streaming on MX Player.
Adhyayan can't thank his stars and Prakash Jha enough for all the love that is coming his way. And now people, fans and critics are lauding his work.
In a candid conversation with International Business Times, India, Adhyayan Suman poured his heart out and shared how delighted he is after tasting success, how he battled depression and anxiety, why he felt low, how someone took him to a self-proclaimed Godman at the darkest phase of life and more.
Read on to know how Adhyayan struggled against all the odds to get back on his feet.
How does success feel after 11 long years of wait?
After Raaz 2, I have tasted success after 11 long years in the form of Ashram. I am happy for all everyone. Prakash (Jha) sir gave everyone a very good arc, each and every actor has worked extremely well. And only a director like Prakash Jha could have done this. My first job was given to me by Prakash sir when I came back from New York film Academy, he gave me an opportunity to be an assistant director and now I got to work with him in Aashram. I am truly blessed and grateful to him for believing in me.
Speaking further, he said...
Earlier they didn't get to see more of my work and with Aashram they got to see me as an actor. Bobby Deol sir is like an elder brother, he is such a grounded and selfless actor. I am not saying this because I have worked with him. I am saying this genuinely he is so disconnected with his stardom. He has worked so hard in the show, as he portrays the role of a Baba in the series, so he had to work on diction and he did all of it with so much ease.
As a person, how have you changed over the years personally and professionally?
In life, failure is important and necessary. What failure teaches you success can never teach you. I have learnt a lot from my failure, whatever I have experienced in life be it personally or professionally. I have become wiser, grounded. I don't take success or failure both seriously one thing that I have learnt is its success or failure Duniya kuch na kuch toh kahegi chahe accha karo ya bura , ek opinion toh form Hoga. (Whatever you do, people are bond to criticise you).
What I believe in is just do your work diligently. Never backstab anyone or say bad to anyone. Be sincere, and people will love you. I don't have this I don't care attitude. I have become thick-skinned. I care about people and I try to understand where it is coming from and why.? During the dark years of my life, I got a self-refection. When things were not working for me and when I was frustrated, I went through depression and anxiety.
Opens up on battling depression
The perception that is formed that just because you come from a filmy family or you are a star kid and you have money, bank balance, bungalow, car and you wear good clothes, then you can't be depressed. Aap kyun depressed honge bhai? Is what people feel.
I'm a bright example, that despite being a star son, I have also done a decent amount of work, and my father (Shekar Suman) has given me the best education, ghar, Gadi, Bangla sab kuch hai, then how can I get depressed? Why didn't I get work in the industry for six long years? Depression can happen to anyone and everyone, be it Hindu, Muslim or rich or poor. This is mental illness and there are times when there are reasons for this, and at times there is no reason for it. We keep thinking about why we are feeling so low.
When I was out of depression, I got anxiety attacks, I thought I will die, I used to feel breathlessness, I would wonder why my heart rate is fluctuating. From the last three years, I'm battling with anxiety. There is nothing to hide in this. There is this stigma that oh mein kaise batau, I'm depressed and I have anxiety attacks. Recently I came to know that people are scared of saying that they are COVID-19 positive. Yeh Kaise Baat hai? if you have something then please come out in open and share your experience this can help save many lives.
He went on to say...
There are people who are perplexed whether it's a depression or what.
When I talk about my life or share my fears and talk about what I go through, I feel good that I am not the only one who is going through this, there are many people who are going through this. This way you support each other. Talking and sharing is humanity.
If as an actor I have this leverage to share things with people, I won't just share selfies, ya girlfriend ki pics dalu or I put my dog's pictures. Life is beyond all this. You need to make people aware of certain things. I want to share my experience with people whether they believe it or not it's their propagative.
Have you gone to Babas, and do you believe in saints and sadhus?
We belong to a culture where going to babas and pandits are not bad. We perform puja so that we get good vibes and positive energy. As you are asking me about my personal experience, I have dealt with both. I have also been to a Baba and I'm not lying. When you are at the toughest phase of life you seek help from everyone and knock every possible door.
When things were not working well for me someone took me to a self-proclaimed Godman, the person told me yeh baba se milo yeh tumhari zindagi hamesha hamesha ke liye badal denge (Meet this baba he will help you get rid of all the worldly issues) and like anybody who is perplexed and distorted in life will go, so I went there.
Written as said by Adhyayan
Unhone mere saar par haath ghumaya and said yeh lo Ganpatiji ka locket dia hai. Yeh dhongi Baba's play with your emotions, yeh aapke daar se khelte hai.
(He waved his fingers on my head and gave me Lord Ganesha's locket. These Baba's play with your emotions as they know that you are scared and therefore they take undue advantage of your trust and faith).
He called me to Ahmedabad for a havan and I went for the havan too. Rath ko dhaie baje he said woh kund (Havan kund) mein paani daalte daalte aag laga denge aur unhone kund mein pani dalte dalte aag laga bhi dia. Aag lagane ke badh he said ab tum bade star banoge. Uske badh six years tak I didn't get any work. Aap samjho what experience I'm talking about.
(The same Baba told me to come to Ahmedabad and I went there, upon reaching there at wee hours he performed havan ( Havan is a sacred purifying ritual (yajna) in Hinduism that involves a fire ceremony. It is a ritual of the sacrifice made to the fire God Agni). And told me that while the pious havan is lit, I will keep pouring water in the Havan Kund and he kept doing so. After a few minutes the baba said, that now you (I ) will become a superstar and after this incident, I was jobless for six years. You can understand what kind of experience I have had in the past with these so-called saints and babas.)
On meeting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Uske badh three months ago, Sri Sri Ravishankar Ji ka phone aya, (Guru Sri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar called me ) whom I follow in life, who is intelligent and full of wisdom. He didn't tell me that I will ghumao a magic wand and you will become a star overnight. He gave me positivity in life and taught me Kriyas, he taught me breathing exercise, which helped me curb my anxiety and helped me centre and channelise myself. I started doing meditation. The right gurus share their wisdom with you and help you heal mentally. They don't give you false promises saying, meine tumhare sar pe haath rakh diya beta tum bangaye superstar.
To become a superstar, actor, you have to work hard, you have to struggle, get out of your house, Darwaza khat khatna padte hai only then you get there. Agar pandit ya baba ke pass jake insaan ko success milta toh is desh ka haar insaan successful hota.
(To become a superstar or an actor, you have to get out of your house, work hard, knock at people's door. Had it been so easy for us to become superstars merely by going to a Pandit or saint, every single person out there could be a star).
On believing in the supreme power of God
It' not that I don't believe in God, I do perform puja, I worship the almighty I offer him prasad. But isliye nai ki bhagwan impress hoke mujhe star bana denge. (I don't offer prayer to almighty thinking God will get impressed and will make me a superstar). Being religious is okay, but being superstitious is not okay.
On forthcoming projects
Aashram 2 is coming and I have a bigger and larger role in the sequel. By God's grace. I have two more films coming soon. I will be back to the grind. After seeing Aashram a lot of people have started to approach me. They are calling me for work and I feel blessed. Aashram has played a vital role in my comeback, I am so humbled with all the love and support that I am being showered each day I want to do good work now. I want to do character-driven roles and till the time I don't get more work, mein sahi kaam nai kar paunga. I will not be able to reach to the audience. The way Prakash sir has given me work. I hope other directors give me work too.
On music albums
I have given a tribute to Sushant Singh Rajput via a song. I urge everyone to spread the song. And also my new song will be out in 10 days that talks about my journey, in a nutshell, the hardships that I went through in my personal and professional life. As of now, for me, it's all about one step at a time. People have welcomed me with open arms and I'm grateful.
Father Shekar Suman's reaction to his son Adhyan Suman's role in Aashram
My dad loved it. He is super happy, my parents were waiting for this moment since a very long time that people will appreciate their son's work too someday. My parents always wished that people will talk about my work and not talk about other things, and the moment has come now. My dad's phone hasn't stopped ringing, he is getting messages for me as well. I can't thank God enough for this.
