Mithun Chakraborty says he started 'acting like Al Pacino' after winning National Award: 'Aisa lag raha tha...'

Mithun Chakraborty recently won the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The veteran actor opened up on being honoured with India’s highest recognition in cinema and also recalled his beginnings when he became arrogant after winning National Award. 

In a conversation with India Today, Mithun Chakraborty talked about his early struggles in Bollywood and said, “Yeh safar bahut katheen tha. Many tell me why I don’t make a biography. Main kehta hoon nahi kyunki meri story logo ko inspire nahi karega, unko morally down kar dega. Jo young ladke struggle karte hai unka himmat tod dega. It’s so hard, so traumatic, so painful. I came from a blind lane in Kolkata and Bombay was also so hard. Some day I wouldn’t get food and I would sometimes sleep on footpaths. (This journey was very difficult. Many people tell me to make a biography. I say no, because my story won’t inspire people; it will bring them down morally. It would break the spirits of young boys who are struggling).”

He added, “For that boy to win India’s biggest award in films, I still can’t digest it. Abhi tak hosh sambhala nah (I am still in daze). Such a big award. Main khushi se hass bhi nahi sakta, khushi se ro bhi nahi sakta. (I am totally stunned and I am not out of it yet).”

He further recalled how he became arrogant after winning National Award for Mirgayaa and producer asked him to 'get out' and said, "After Mrigayaa, I got my first National Award. Jo hota hai, I started acting like Al Pacino. Aisa lag raha tha that I am the greatest actor. Mera attitude change ho gaya toh producer ne dekh ke bola ‘get out.’ (As it happens, I started acting like Al Pacino. It felt like I was the greatest actor. My attitude changed, so the producer saw this and said, ‘get out’). Then I realised my mistake.”

The actor added that he then made a decision that changed the trajectory of his life and said, "I decided main art film tab tak nahi karunga jab tak main star na ban jaoon. Isiliye from Mrigayaa to Tahader Katha so many years ka gap hai (I decided I wouldn’t do art films until I became a star. That’s why there’s such a long gap between Mrigayaa and Tahader Katha)." 

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