“There were moments when I thought I wouldn’t live,” Adhyayan Suman shares about a difficult period in his professional life

About the “dark phase” of his career, which he hopes will come to an end with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, actor Adhyayan Suman remembers that there were days he broke down, days he wanted to simply quit up and go away from home.

 

Adhyayan said he was inspired by people like Amitabh Bachchan as he thought back on the highs and lows of his life. “If you don’t learn from Mr. Bachchan’s journey from the beginning to the very bottom and back to the top, then what else are you supposed to learn? Thus, I took what I had learnt from it, and this is where I am now,” the 36-year-old said to PTI.

Adhyayan, the seasoned actor Shekhar Suman’s son, made his feature debut in 2008 with Haal-e-dil. He then went on to star in Raaz: The Mystery Continues and Jashnn, which came out in 2009. Thereafter, he had a protracted downturn during which he seldom made an appearance in movies. Actually, his private life garnered media attention, particularly because of his turbulent relationship with star Kangana Ranaut.

According to Adhyayan, the 15 years from 2009 to 2024 were difficult. “There were times when I wanted to quit up and change careers, as well as times when I broke down. There were undoubtedly days when I simply wanted to flee my house rather than remain here, I’m not sure. I was searching for answers, but I wasn’t finding any, such as why it’s happening to me and why me. “I don’t believe anyone can respond to that,” he remarked.

His parents’ love and confidence in him was what kept him going. “I am extremely honest about who I am and the abilities I possess in my life when I look in the mirror every day. ‘You know what, it’s difficult, but you just want to do what you need to do,’ I remarked. You then turn to face the other individuals.”

With the extravagantly staged Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, in which his father also appears, Adhyayan seeks to end the difficult period. After the historical drama series premieres on Netflix on May 1, the actor expressed optimism that things would improve for him. But I’d want to maintain equilibrium. I don’t want to assume too much or overthink things. I wish to stop working in this manner. I don’t believe I’m still from there. I believe all I want is to be impartial. I simply want to express my gratitude that a master like Bhansali restored my faith in myself, gave me a fresh lease on life, and acknowledged that I do have some knowledge of my art. And because I’ve been becoming real with my job, I’m looking for the rest,” he said.

The actor said, “Heeramandi feels like he is still in a beautiful dream and will wake up any time now.” “I thank God that this is not a nightmare. For now, this is my reality. Heeramandi is what you get when you get anything from God. The actor said, “I sincerely hope that people give me the chance and opportunity this time.”

Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Sanjeeda Shaikh play the key characters in Heeramandi. The series, which is billed as an epic tale of love, power, retribution, and liberation, uses the accounts of courtesans and their clients to examine the cultural realities of Heeramandi against the turbulent background of the 1940s Indian independence movement.

Adhyayan portrays both the younger Nawab Zulfiqar and the youthful Nawab Zorawar, the latter being the figure of his father. Shekhar Suman related how his son was cast in the program, saying that when Adhyayan was returning from Shimla and they were walking through a tunnel, he got a call from Bhansali.

Traveling in separate automobiles, the father-son team pulled off on the side of the road, where Adhyayan conducted his audition for the part of Zorawar. Adhyayan insisted on trying out right away, even though Shekhar, who was unaware at the time that he would also be cast in the program, had advised him to wait until they got to the hotel.

“With his hair all messed up and no makeup on, he just stands by the side of the road and conducts an audition. And he is selected in accordance with it. I explain to him that, in a metaphorical sense, the black tunnel through which he receives the call represents the dark period of his life, and that Mr. Bhansali and Heeramandi were waiting at the end of the tunnel “explained Shekhar Suman.

Adhyayan compared working on Heeramandi and with Bhansali to attending film school. He is the hardest taskmaster an actor could want to meet, and I’ve learnt a lot on this set. He’s the greatest film school an actor could ever hope to attend. It’s his artistry, his obsession with excellence, and the subtleties he has with performers. Being able to perform in front of 500 people at a large set with several cameras and Mr. Bhansali monitoring is not simple for an actor. The actor said, “I feel like you can handle and be in any film set if you go through that and are able to deliver.”