If the Almighty bundled up zeal, humility, humour, wit and talent, the outcome is the creation of a star- Hemang Dave.
Having hailed from an influential wealthy family in Ahmedabad, Hemang recalls his childhood being a bed of roses with every wish and even beyond coming to fulfilment.
Singing and acting would always be his preference rather than studying. The character of “Ishan” from “Taare Zameen Par” is what he identifies himself with during his school days. He furthered his passion by being an active participant in various youth festivals in college.
The urge of being self-made is what made him pick a rather challenging path than settling into the comfort of his established family business. His rocky start was a brief period of travelling 35 kilometres to work. His climb was however short-lived with an opportunity to work for a Toyota branch and gradually worked his way up to becoming a manager.
With his professional life being in full swing, his personal life saw quite a setback with the infamous non-alignment of stars being a deciding factor of the fate of two lovers. Hemang eventually did find love again in an arranged marriage setting with his now-wife, who happens to be his strength and mother to their charming 11-year-old son.
“What is meant for you will eventually find its way” is a perfectly stated line come true especially when it comes to Hemang. He was randomly offered a part in a Gujarati theatre play by his college buddy to which he eventually relented.
Having given 3 years to prove his acting skills, his initial juggle between office and theatre eventually bore fruit and offers started pouring in which included his first Gujarati movie titled “Kevi Rite Jaish” based on the struggles of the Gujarati community in the USA.
Hemang balanced between theatre and movies, emphasizing on the importance of theatre being an actor’s gym where talent is honed.
Having acted in nearly 25 theatre plays that perform in various countries too, he remembers the play “Kasturba” being the most challenging part he took up. To perfect the character of Harilal, son of Mahatma Gandhi, he had to shed 14 kilos and break the mould from comic to pensive for the play.
The Gujarati play was well-received but what he forever cherishes is the applaud he received from Harilal Gandhi’s granddaughter who praised him for his power pact performance. Acting, he believes fails to do its job if it doesn’t touch the hearts of people.
Hemang has acted in about 20 movies which include Gujarati fun entertainers like ‘Bey Yaar’ starring veteran actor Manoj Joshi, a handful of short movies showcased at various film festivals and Bollywood movies which include a cameo in 2 States, Made in China and D-Day and a few Web Series.
Having been known as the Govinda of Gujarati cinema, he looks up to the actor for inspiration and considers the ace Bollywood actor the King of Expression. Hemang believes in keeping the connection with his audience alive by indulging in Live interactions on social media platforms like Instagram. He uses this medium to guide aspiring actors and imparts lessons of life that helped him reach the place he is today.
He encourages the up-coming talent to be passionate, realistic, and prepared to face the uncertainty of the film industry. Success, he believes, will come sooner if one is focused and doesn’t sway with just the glam lifestyle the industry has to offer, but with energy being channelized in the right direction.
