Exclusive | Yash Soni on his Maaran role: ‘I used to feel disgusted with myself’

Yash Soni (Picture via Special Arrangement)

Gujarati film Maaran, starring Yash Soni and Deeksha Joshi, has earned national recognition after winning the National Award for Best Gujarati Feature Film. Directed by Abhishek Jain, the film explores the disturbing themes of gender-based violence and trafficking. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, Soni opened up about playing a challenging character, his preparation process and the surprise of the National Award.

Yash Soni talks about his character in Maaran

Soni said he has consciously tried to avoid repetition in his career. "I always wanted to play different characters. And this is my comfort zone and I want to do such kind of films. And I want to explore every different kind of characters," he said. He added that watching accomplished actors experiment with their roles motivates him to push himself. "When you watch movies and watch great actors doing such great characters, and also experimenting with their characters, so it also kind of feels that, you know, I also want to explore as an actor."

For Maaran, however, his usual preparation process had to change. "The world in which Maaran is established, the way that character deals, that was so different that my process for every film in the future was completely broken because I didn't know much about that world," he explained.

Soni began researching the environment portrayed in the film. "I started watching documentaries, I started researching about those highway villages where this kind of stuff happens, this kind of scene happens in real life." Usually, he develops a character's backstory towards the end of his preparation. But for Maaran, "I started my process with developing backstory first."

The research helped him understand the character's world and influenced his physical and vocal choices. "I want to approach this character's body language like this, I want to approach his voice like this," he recalled, describing the process as "a liberating experience" as an actor.

On bagging the national award

The role was emotionally disturbing too. Soni revealed that after shooting some scenes, he would look in the mirror and feel uncomfortable with what he had portrayed. "I used to feel disgusted with myself, which was very strange for me because consciously, I know I'm Yash, I know what I'm doing," he said. Yet, he hoped that this discomfort would reach viewers. "I was hoping that the audience would feel the same way."

The National Award came as an unexpected surprise. "I was not expecting because I didn't even know that we had submitted to the Nationals," he said. Since the film had been shot four years earlier, Soni had almost stopped thinking about its release.

The news reached him while he was travelling to Manali for the second schedule of his next film, Gaud-dhana. "As soon as I entered the valleys, I heard this news. So, that day was a little special," he recalled.