Antar Laniyan
Actor and movie director, Antar Laniyan, has
opened up that he is presently thankful to God he didn’t later join the
military, which was his first love while growing up.
He told Sunday Scoop that if he
had ignored the advice of his principal and followed his heart, he would have
participated in a coup and perhaps got himself killed in the process.
He said, “I had the desire to become a soldier at
some point in my life because I’m a disciplined person. I think the desire to
be a soldier made me who I am today. To be honest, I think I would have taken
part in a coup if I had joined the military, and I would have been arrested and
punished accordingly.”
According to him, he doesn’t tolerate
indiscipline and if someone is doing something bad, there is a tendency for him
to get angry.
“You know once you are armed with a gun, it is
easier to plan a coup. And in the military, you know the implication of
planning a coup, especially if it is an unsuccessful one,” he said.
Explaining the circumstances that made him
abandon the military for acting, he stated, “When I was in secondary school, my
principal called me and asked me what I wanted to become in the future. I told
him I wanted to become a soldier. The old man shook his head and advised me to
study theatre arts. He showed me all the awards in his office and said I won
for them for the school. He said if as a little boy I could win all these for
the school, it meant I had a bright future in the theatre.
“Though the man is not alive today to see what he
had predicted for me, he was instrumental in my decision to pursue a career in
acting. I thank God I listened to him. I am not rich, but I am fulfilled that I
have done what I love to do.”
He, however, urged people not to judge him by the
wicked or tough roles in movies, saying that he was not different from a
politician and he would only say what he had been paid to say.
He explained further, “I follow the guidance of a
director; I don’t just stand in front of the camera to say rubbish. You cannot
expect me to play a big man like a gateman. Also, the fact that I play the role
of a big man doesn’t mean I am wealthy. If I am a rich man, I will not be using
the car I am using presently.”
One thing that has helped him in his career is the
understanding of his wife. Laniyan maintained that his wife always encouraged
him to be real while playing romantic scenes.
“My wife knows who I am. Whenever I play a
romantic role and I don’t do it well, she would criticise me. I get good
support from her and it gives me the peace of mind to go any length while
playing a romantic scene.
“My wife is a very shy person and she avoids the
limelight. The only thing that can bring about a fight is when I don’t remember
her and the children at home. But that will never happen because I am always
with them at home. I hardly go out; I don’t go to parties. I just go to my
office, home and locations. Anytime I attend a function, she knows it is very
important to me.”
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