'I Was Waiting Ki Sabka Time Aata Hai'

'I will never ever forget Paatal Lok 2 because I left for the shoot the night I got married!

"My name means 'praiseworthy," says Bendang Walling.

"And your performance in Paatal Lok 2 was just that," I reply over the phone.

"Oh, thank you very much," he says with a warm laugh from his home in Dimapur, Nagaland.

Walling, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, plays Sub-Inspector Isaac Longkumer in the OTT series that stands out for the ensemble cast drawn from Nagaland and other parts of the North East.

"All actors want to be on screen and in the mainstream. I was hoping one day sabka time aata hai, and waiting for mine."

"After the auditions, it was overwhelming when they told me I was locked for Isaac."

"It was wow!" he says laughing.

As Sub-Inspector Isaac, he shares most of his screen time with SP Meghna Barua [Tillotama Shome] whose debut film Monsoon Wedding was part of his NSD curriculum.

"After having admired her craft through the years, it was surreal to work with her."

"The entire cast and crew of Paatal Lok 2 was an acting master class," he says in a conversation sprinkled with generous interludes of laughter with Rediff.com's Archana Masih.

How did you get this role in Paatal Lok 2?

The audition started pre-Covid and has been a two-and-a-half year casting journey. Casting Director Nikita Grover did a fabulous job and is such a lovely person.

I actually auditioned for 4-5 characters. She would give me a different character each time she came to Nagaland.

I was an experiment and I enjoyed the process.

I was finally selected as Isaac Longkumer and shot from December 2022 to February 2023.

Paatal Lok 2 is a highpoint in your career. What has this journey been for you?

All actors want to be on screen and in mainstream platforms. Every actor waits for that role and I was waiting for my time -- ki sabka time aata hai.

For 2-3 years I had stopped giving auditions because I was busy with my own theatre work, the Hill Tree Theatre in Nagaland.

Art for us theatre folks is like an addiction.

Then the Paatal Lok 2 audition came. I did not have much expectation. The mantra of my life is that I don't expect a lot.

And then you landed the role?

It was overwhelming when they told me that I was locked for Isaac.

It was such a big break for me.

I was told that my shoot would be for 25-28 days; otherwise it is mostly for 4-5 days only.

It was wow! I am so glad for all that has happened.

I will never ever forget Paatal Lok 2 because I left for the shoot in Darjeeling the night I got married on January 19, 2023.

Paatal Lok 2 is special in so many ways.

What was the first scene you did?

When Tillotama ma'am and me receive Hathiram Chaudhury and ACP Imran Ansari at the airport.

Since most of your screen time is with Tillotama Shome, what was the experience of working with her?

Ah, it is still very surreal because when I joined NSD in 2009 I saw Monsoon Wedding and I thought what a crafted actor she is!

And after so many years of admiration, I got a chance to act with her. It was such a beautiful feeling and at the same time I have learnt a lot by observing, listening -- before, after and in between the shoot from her.

She was calm, focused and clear. She became a different person in front of the camera and got the Nagamese accent so right.

Once I even started practicing like that (laughs).

I was star struck.

The whole set and the actors was an acting master class. I was learning all along from them.

What were some of those learnings?

I believe that you have to be a beautiful human being to be a good actor -- accepting of the environment and other actors.

Jaideep sir is something different. He was so warm. He used to be exuberant, full of joy and be completely different when shooting began and I would wonder 'Yeh kya ho raha hai?'

I was so fortunate to be with them, see them and work with them.

I have always admired Irfaan Khan sir and saw his craft in Jaideep sir. In India there are few actors one can really learn from.

They do so much internal work.

Ishwak Singh is very cool and friendly. I just had 2-3 scenes with him, but we used to talk a lot. They are such big stars and all of a sudden they were in a Naga village, they spoke a lot with us.

What recognition has Paatal Lok 2 brought you?

It is such a big platform. It is still fresh and recent so I don't know what lies ahead. I am enjoying the laurels at present.

When I saw Paatal Lok I said, 'wow what a beautiful way of story telling' and then to be a part of it -- wow!

In two months or so maybe I will come to know what changes it will bring for me.

There are lots of people from outside the North East who are sending DMs saying they really like my character. People seem to have really liked Issac Longkumer. I never thought it would be so.

What was it being directed by Avinash Dhaware in his second series?

I don't know how people who know so many things in the world remain so humble?

Avinash sir is very sweet and knows how to handle his crew. He gives his instructions in 2-3 lines and walks away. If we deliver according to his expectations, he gives a very sweet smile.

He does not talk much.

And writer Sudip Sharma who grew up in Assam?

Being a big fan of Paatal Lok and Kohrra, it was amazing to work with him. He understands us and the North East because he has been a part of it.

He is friendly, welcoming, adjusting, and like us Naga people he is angry when angry, and laughs heartily when happy. He is simply brilliant.

Whenever I went to Sudip sir, Assistant Director Faisal Rahman, Creative Supervisor Paulami Bhattacharya and asked if they got what they wanted, they said did you feel it or not? I said yes and that was the end of the discussion most of the time.

When did you see the whole series?

At home with my wife after it was released. The cast and crew are planning to meet and maybe we will watch it again together.

Nikita and Paulami are planning to come to Nagaland to meet all of us.