When it comes to Bollywood, one can choose to be either a good actor or a commercially viable hero. Guess the only one who has struck a balance between the two is Aamir Khan. No, that’s also not true. There is one more name, Shreyas Talpade. Yes, yes, before you say the two cannot be compared, we are not comparing either. Just driving home the point that Shreyas can be a great actor and at the same time a commercially viable hero too.

Iqbal, Dor, Dil Dosti Etc, Welcome to Sajjanpur… Films that you couldn’t particularly call big budget films; neither did these have the crème de la crème of Bollywood as their star cast. Shreyas was critically appreciated for his performance and Shreyas won Zee Cine Critics - Best Actor - Award for Iqbal in 2006 and Star Screen Award - Best Comedian for Dor in 2007.

And then he started appealing to the masses along with classes and critics all the more with films like Om Shanti Om, Apna Sapna Money Money and Golmaal Returns. And the best part about Sheyas’ career is the fact that he has won so much critical accolade right when he started, when most actors first make a name commercially and then go for the critical appreciation. One can’t say that Shreyas has gone the other way round because he is still getting the best of both the worlds. And you know what he has to thank that to… his own malleability that has him playing to the multiplex goers as much as for the front benchers.

Given his impressive body of work, it wouldn’t be surprising to know that he is being sought after by the makers, big time. But the actor has chosen to be extremely selective. Ever read a review panning his performance or even the film that has not been worth his salt? Carefully picking films has given him media respectability that has eluded many of his contemporaries and seniors.

And Shreyas is still picking up films judiciously; only those that will take him a step further in the race and at the same time do justice to his name as a good actor. His forthcoming films are *Hook ya crook, Aashayein, Paying Guest, Aage Se Right, Season’s Greetings and Click, *all a mixed bag of big and small, commercial and critical films. Guess Shreyas likes playing the quicksilver of the silver screen. And why not, it’s this perfect balance that will see him to the finish line, after all! -Sampurn Media