Early on in rehearsals for “A Fine Balance,” which opened Crow’s Theatre’s season earlier this week, actor Siddharth Sharma quietly addressed director Chris Abraham and some of his co-stars.
As the least experienced stage actor in the show — this is only his second professional play, after a small role in last winter’s “The Surrogate” at the Crow’s Studio — Sharma wanted to know if he was doing anything wrong.
“I told them to speak up about any unusual things,” he said. “I have no ego about the process. I’m here to learn, and I genuinely want to do justice to the story.”
The “story,” in this case, is a massive one, and loved by hundreds of thousands of readers: Rohinton Mistry’s epic novel about four very different people sharing a cramped flat in Bombay in the mid-1970s, during the period in India’s history known as the Emergency, when Indira Gandhi’s government suspended democratic rights for 21 months.
Sharma plays Maneck, an idealistic young man from an idyllic mountain village who comes to the big city to go to college and boards with his mother’s childhood friend, Dina (Zorana Sadiq). Working in the flat during the day are two tailors, Ishvar (Anand Rajaram) and his nephew Om (Ben Yoganathan), who live in a shack and are the most vulnerable to the Emergency rule.
Sharma may not have much theatre experience, but in just over five years he’s amassed an impressive film and TV resumé. He’s also directed several short films, and is the co-founder of a production company called HoldTheSauceFilms — the sauce refers to “ego.”
In this summer’s breakout hit TV series “Sterling Point,” he plays Lincoln, the best friend of one of the show’s romantic leads.
“I play the bro-iest bro possible,” said Sharma, laughing. “Lincoln is so far removed from Maneck. I get to say some funny lines, and the show’s creator Megan Park allowed us to improvise many of them. People are saying that this show is one of the few on air where kids sound like how they actually talk, rather than what a 45-year-old thinks Gen Z sounds like.”
He’s also a recurring character in “Late Bloomer,” the terrific comedy series by Jasmeet Raina — aka YouTube star Jas Reign. In his Canadian Screen Award-nominated performance in season two, Sharma played a food-delivery cyclist who gets his bicycle stolen.
“That was such an intense story, and it’s so relevant,” he said. “A lot of people tell me now when they see Uber delivery guys, they understand their lives a bit more, and that’s honestly all you can ask for. They’re not invisible, or merely taking up space on the road or in line.”
He’s also got a small role in the latest season of another buzzy show, “Adults.”
“Keep an eye out for it,” he said. “It’s very quick. I have one line. But it’s a fun one.”
Raised by his mother and grandmother in Chandigarh in northwest India, Sharma didn’t grow up with dreams of becoming an actor. In high school, he enrolled in the non-medical science program. But after he received some poor Grade 11 exam results, his mother sat him down.
“I remember that moment clearly,” recalled Sharma. “We were in a restaurant after getting the results and my mom said, ‘I’m down with you pursuing whatever you want, but my only condition is that whatever you choose, you can’t switch. You have to make a freaking decision.’ Before then, I aspired to be everything from an NBA star to a cricket player to a pilot.”
His interest in photography and modelling led him to apply to the Toronto Film School, where he went in 2017. While in school, he found an agent, booked some commercials, and began acting and directing. On camera, his mix of strength and vulnerability shines through.
But for now he’s focused on bringing “A Fine Balance” to life. With the help of director Abraham, adapter Anosh Irani and the all-South Asian cast of actors, he’s been soaking up stage tips.
“Chris has been teaching me the difference between feeling something as a character and telling a story,” he said. “He told me not to get caught up with wanting to feel things for a scene. You can’t depend on that eight shows a week. I have to tell the story. And actor Sugith Varughese has been saying that authenticity is secondary to truth. One of the main differences between the mediums is that with film and TV you can edit a scene, whereas in the theatre the editing happens live every night.”
Earlier this year, in addition to the CSA nomination, he was nominated for an ACTRA award for his “Late Bloomer” performance.
“That was pretty surreal,” he said. “But it’s a reminder that I’m still in the game. As an actor you’re always thinking, ‘Am I going to book anything ever again?’ In this business, you never know what’s going to happen next.”
“A Fine Balance” continues at Crow’s Theatre’s Guloien Theatre, 345 Carlaw, until Oct. 18. Ticket details at crowstheatre.com
Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request.
There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again.
You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply.
Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
