Never Be Defeated — Season 2 by ICS
“If you allow yourself to be defeated, you only feel miserable. If you try but don’t succeed, you still feel good about having tried.”
Event Report By: Ms Sanchita Dwivedi
With his heart-warming honesty and humility, actor Sharman Joshi wowed audience from six countries during the ‘Never Be Defeated’ webinar organised by Institute for Career Studies (ICS), recently.
His simplicity elicited rich praise from Prof TS Powdyel, former education minister of Bhutan, who attended the session as a teacher, and Dr Amrita Dass, Founder-Director, ICS. Dr Dass said Sharman responded to student queries like a “true mentor”, while Prof Powdyel lauded him for his “genuine and humane” approach.
Here are some highlights from the interaction:
Early Career Planning & Parental Support
Sharman recounted his experiences as an “average student” who had a happy childhood.
“My father was connected to the theatre and Gujarati films, which gave me a lot of exposure to the world of acting.”
Describing himself as a thoughtful person who always weighed the pros and cons of any situation, Sharman said he was blessed to have the support of his parents.
“In Class 9–10, I started thinking seriously about a career in acting. By Class 11, I had decided to give acting a go. My parents were supportive but they also wanted me to have a fall-back option. So, I decided to choose Law as a safety net.”
To convince his parents about his career goals, Sharman said, he started participating in college plays.
“Being in Mumbai was an advantage, as the theatre scene was very active. When I was in Class 12, the college management invited celebrated alumnus and famous Gujarati Director Mahendra Joshi to stage a play. I was eager to direct it but my father advised me to work under Mahendra Joshi instead. I’m glad I did that, as I learnt a lot about acting and the discipline, attitude and approach needed for the art.”
Films, the Ultimate Goal
“I took up theatre as ‘Ranji Trophy’, getting as many ‘wickets’ as possible. I started performing in plays fervently, hoping that someday a film director would notice me. That is how director Vinay Shukla spotted me and I got ‘Godmother’ (Sharman’s debut film), which performed well.”
On Success and Failure
Talking about dealing with success and failure, Sharman highlighted the power of the virtues of honesty, hard work, sincerity and trustworthiness.
“If you follow these values in your life, you will be happy and peaceful. What matters is the sincerity of your efforts. Just put your best foot forward and then even if you don’t get the desired result, you will not have any regret.”
“For any decision I take, I always consider the best-and-worst-case scenarios. If I am ready to face the worst, I go ahead with it.”
‘God has Plans for You’
Quoting celebrated poet, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Sharman told students to not get disheartened if their plans didn’t work out.
“If what you wished for didn’t happen, it means that God has some other plan for you. You’ll be surprised.”
The actor also asked students to not be too hard on themselves.
“It’s good to be focused and give your very best to your goals but also remember to be gentle to yourself.”
‘Be True to Yourself’
Sharman said it was important to be true to one’s core.
“Extroverts will go out and make things happen. Introverts will not feel comfortable doing so. To each his own. It is important to be at peace with yourself. Taking on a personality trait that is not yours will cause unrest within.”
‘Your parents have your best interests at heart’
Addressing students’ concern about coping with parental pressure, Sharman asked them to be patient.
“Your parents want the best for you. Also, we need to understand that often there are multiple ‘right’ perspectives. You can demonstrate your sincerity towards your goals to your parents with your hard work. In time, they may be happy with your decision.”
‘Parents, let your children fly’
Addressing parents, Sharman, who is also a father of three, said, “We are only a means to bring our children into this world. It is our duty to nurture them and give them a good education and values. Then, we should let them fly. If they are lost or broken, we should be there for them. But we have to trust them and hope for the best.”
Peer Pressure and Self-Doubt
“Some students can handle peer pressure, some can’t. That’s okay. Just go deep within and ask yourself if what you are doing is right. If the answer is yes, keep moving in that direction. At times, you may crumble under peer pressure. Collect yourself, get up and start walking. Work to strengthen yourself and prepare. Seek the answers within.”
Speakingabout self-doubt, he said it was good.
“Self-doubt is very important. It helps a person improve. If you have self-doubt, it means you are not prepared yet. So, work hard.”
Dealing with Covid
Sharman reiterated the importance of positive thinking while talking about the pandemic, lockdown and resulting stress.
“A positive approach to life brings calmness and a sense of well-being. Fear only drags you down. Be thankful for being in this world, for the people around you, and smile.”
Sharman’s Stress Busters
Sharman said he started his day with early morning workout, which also served as his ‘me time’.
“The first two hours every day are just for myself,” he said, adding that he also loved watching movies / television and travelling to unwind.
‘All is Well’ Mantra
Talking about his own version of the ‘All is Well’ mantra, Sharman said, “I tell myself this every time I go up on the stage for a performance. I also shared this mantra with my son. There are three steps to it: Relax, have faith in your hard work, and then just enjoy yourself!”
Got Stage Fright? Just Practise!
“Some can easily speak to a large audience, while some struggle to do so. Look within and check if you have that skill. For instance, after seeing my comedy movies, people used to think that I could be a great stand-up comedian, but I can’t do that. It’s alright not to have a certain skill. Just practise to improve yourself.”
Impact of his Movies
“This role impacted people so much. Many changed their careers after years of pursuing something that they didn’t enjoy. Even parents changed their approach towards their children, becoming more accepting of their choices.”
“This film showed us how much cinema can influence the audience. It led to silent candle marches, as people protested for the causes that they identified with.”
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‘Never Be Defeated’ is an annual motivational interaction organised by ICS for the benefit of students. Ever since it was established in 1985 by leading career counsellor Dr Amrita Dass, ICS has benefited lakhs of students in India and abroad through its robust career counselling, guidance and mentoring programmes.
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