A dinner with Ashmit Patel aka Soham

On thursday night, Ashmit and I met up for dinner. We discussed a number of things and among them figured Banaras, an obvious bond between us.

We started sharing our experiences about how many people seem to be connecting with the movie and their responses. Some of them are already posted on this blog but many names have been kept private.

I showed him his very ardent fan “Meeta’s Blog (http://banaras-meeta.blogspot.com/) where she has put just his eyes.



Ashmit gave his usual very humble smile, when he read “Ashmit : good looking ???? Before this movie I wouldn’t have agreed, now I can’t stop at thinking him anything less than DIVINE.. lol

We sat on the dinner table as the food was served. After taking a glance at the laid out dishes, Ashmit looked at me and remarked.. “Sir Kaddu… again...”.

Let me relate to the story of “kaddu” before proceeding further. Being a minimalist simple vegetarian, most of the days during the shoot in Banaras, I used to have Kaddus (White Pumpkin) at the Taj. In the early days, once Ashmit came to the dinner table and asked me if he could share my dinner. For the next 40 days that sharing became a routine, so much so that even when I go to Taj-Ganges today, chef remembers to cook our favorite Kaddu dish.

After the dinner, I asked him the question that many of the viewers have asked me often, “ Will you please describe as to what did you really experience while shooting at Sarnath during the enlightenment scene?”


In Ashmit’s own words: (in quotes)

“I still find it difficult to explain and articulate what I experienced at Sarnath (sounded more like his own dialogue in the movie), but I have given it a lot of thought and have been trying to put some logic to it. For me it seemed like a natural progression that soham went through in his life and not unlike that, I too have progressed, though in my own little way. I say this because just before traveling to shoot for Banaras, I had been going through some very bad patch in my personal life, which had made me to question the purpose of life. And who I am?

While shooting for the film, the Soham’s character started resonating so well with my own inner self that I truly became “Soham” even though temporarily. I am not saying that I am enlightened like Soham was, but certainly I went through a “moment” at Sarnath which yet lingers.

As a child I have always been an introvert, reflective and loving, and would easily empathize with people so much that it would I would seem weak to others. The trait still lives in me, though I masquerade to look tough and independent in order to project a brave image. Today I am still a very soft compassionate and a connected human being and people who are close to me easily experience that. However there are people who have made up their mind to see me in a particular light and they continue to see me in their own image, irrespective what I am today.

Every movie that I have acted in, barring one or two, there have been a shade of me in all those characters, however with Soham I had a complete identification and also that I am influenced by what happened to me in Banaras and has huge bearing on my future. However I prefer to not to talk about those at this time but yes coming to the original question, Banaras did change me.

I believe that if Banaras the movie, can bring about change even in handful of people, which I know has already done so to more than that, it would have achieved its meaning and purpose much more than all the mega blockbusters combined have been able to.

In short, true Ashmit is much close to Soham than the image that people may have of me in their minds.

I have been lacking in use of simple technology like email, and I would like to apologize to my fans, but if you have questions for me, please post it on Mr. Singh’s blog here, and he has promised to send them to me using other means.

All the best and love you all.


Ashmit”

In the end, I asked a question as to which song was his favorite, as he replied "kitna pyar", though earlier it used to be "Ishq mein dil ko paagal".

He also related an incident when he travelled to US recently. A number of elderly people came to him and blessed him for his divine role as Soham.