What Sushant Singh Rajput Had Wanted

‘I
never
want
to
play
a
character
that
sends
out
the
wrong
message.’
As
Sushant
Singh
Rajput’s
Kedarnath
turns
six,
we
#throwback
to
his
golden
words.

Sushant
Singh
Rajput’s
character
in
Abhishek
Kapoor’s

Kedarnath
is
so
noble,
it’s
tough
not
to
like
him.

The
actor
gives
his
all
to
his
role,
and
then
some
more,
leaving
no
room
for
his
character
Mansoor
to
be
defined
by
his
religious
beliefs.

There
are
some
moments
of
greatness
peeking
out
of
the
storytelling,
like
the
sequence
where
Mansoor
tells
Mukku
(Sara
Ali
Khan)
how
his
father
once
wrote
a
fan
letter
to
Lata
Mangeshkar,
telling
her
how
the
Valley
resonated
with
her
voice
when
she
sang.
Mansoor
then
sings

Lag
Ja
Gale
for
Mukku.

Time
stands
still.
Sushant
brings
a
certain
magic
to
this
moment.

At
the
end
when
Mukku
sits
to
hear
the
radio,
the
same
song
is
announced.

Sushant
was
excited
about

Kedarnath
for
many
reasons.

It
brought
him
back
together
with
director
Abhishek
Kapoor
with
whom
Sushant’s
cinematic
journey
started
after

Kai
Po
Che.

Thereafter,
the
two
had
a
massive
fall-out.

But
Sushant
and
Abhishek
Kapoor
reconciled
for

Kedarnath,
a
Hindu-Muslim
love
story.

When

Subhash
K
Jha
brought
up
Sushant’s
differences
with
his

Kedarnath
director
just
before
the
film’s
release,
he
had
laughed.

“Arrey,
sir,

jaane
dijiye
na.
Chhoro
kal
ki
baatein,
kal
ki
baat
purani.
What
is
important
is
that
Gattu
(Abhishek
Kapoor)
and
I
are
back
together.

Kedarnath
will
be
a
turning
point
for
both
of
us.
It
is
about
God
and
the
oneness
of
humanity.
Gattu
is
a

bhakt
of
Shiv,
so
am
I.”

“I
play
a

pithoo
in
Kedarnath.
I
am
a
Muslim
character
but
carry
Hindu
pilgrims
on
my
back
to
the
temple.
Isn’t
this
true
secularism?”
Sushant
asked.

Is

Kedarnath
Sushant’s
most
secular
film?

“I
don’t
know
about
most
secular
but
I
want
my
films
to
convey
a
message
of
universal
brotherhood,”
he
replied.

“We
live
in
stressful
times.
Cinema
should
do
the
healing.
Being
an
actor
is
a
responsibility.
I
never
want
to
play
a
character
that
sends
out
the
wrong
message.

“There
is
another
reason
why

Kedarnath
is
very
special
to
me:
I
get
to
sing
Lataji‘s

Lag
Ja
Gale.
I
know
how
much
you
worship
Lataji.
My
mother
was
also
a
big
fan
of
hers,
especially
this
song.
So
this
one
is
for
you,
Ma.”