Physical transformation for The Disciple required a great deal of effort, says Aditya Modak

In his film debut, Aditya Modak undergoes a harrowing journey both as a performer and actor. He plays a Hindustani classical vocalist, Sharad Nerulkar, in Chaitanya Tamhane’s award-winning Marathi film The Disciple.

The Disciple review: Quiet, masterful study of passion and ability

Like Nerulkar, Modak is also classically trained and playing the part of Sharad wasn’t too much of a stretch for him. He was even awarded Best Actor at the 18th International Cinephile Awards 2021 in February for his performance.

Speaking about his process, Modak said, “I am a passionate musician by profession and thus slipping into the thoughts and mentality of Sharad Nerulkar on the screen came easy to me. Though I would say I am completely different from the character. While the character was challenging and complex, I could relate to the themes, the thoughts, and the subtext underlining his mind in this impactful story.”

Playing Sharad at different stages of his life was a more challenging feat. Modak had to lose weight to play Sharad in his 20s, and gain weight again to portray Sharad in middle-age. Once the shooting was over, he had to shed the weight again. The actor-singer shared his transformation journey online.

“I largely resonated with the musical aspects of Sharad’s character but the physical transformation required a great deal of effort,” he added. “I attended workshops, resorted to physical training, music rehearsals and am elated to be associated with a film like The Disciple. It was undeniably one of the best experiences of my life.”

The Disciple, which also features Dr Arun Dravid, Kiran Yadnyopavit and the voice of the late filmmaker Sumitra Bhave, is now being streamed on Netflix.