Emoting with ease
November 2011
Oorvazi Irani, an acting trainer, film educationist, film-maker and a pioneer in the Michael Chekhov acting technique in India, recently introduced this highly expressive art form in India.
Oorvazi Irani: The art of emoting According to Oorvazi, the Michael Chekhov acting technique is revolutionary in using a psycho-physical process which frees the actor from his limited personality. The actor does not have to rely on memory recall and past experiences to act. “Whilst following a regular acting style, when asked to depict his mother dying, an actor would try to find a reference point from a death in his family to emote. This acting style is therefore regressive and limiting. But in the Chekhov technique, the actor relies solely on his concentration skills and allows the mind and body to take over. He uses his body to emote in a free flowing style, according to the images popping up in his mind, thereby transforming himself easily into various characters.”
Though a certain amount of preparation goes into this style too, the technique being free flowing, places no limitation on an actor’s personality. It, however, demands high levels of concentration skills and a sharp memory.
Oorvazi, who incidentally enjoyed a brief stint as Life Positive’s photo editor, has grown up with film-making, having been associated with her father’s film-making firm, SDI. Acting, according to her, was a natural extension of her various other skills, mostly related to film-making, including photography.
Oorvazi decided to pursue the Michael Chekhov style of acting in New York and now teaches the technique at the famous Kishore Namit acting school in Mumbai.
Internationally renowned actors and directors such as Anthony Hopkins, Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman, Clint Eastwood, Johnny Depp and many others have benefitted from this technique.
For details visit http://www.oorvazichekhovindia.com/
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