Be aware of weaknesses & capitalise on strengths: Dhairya Karwa
By Sunita Vijay
Dhairya Karwa as Captain Sartaj Singh in Uri made his presence felt in the role of a special force commando. He was the crucial part of the surgical strike team in the film along with Vicky Kaushal. It wasn’t as if this role just fell into his lap. He had been preparing himself as an actor for about two years plus. In order to be a part of a big film, the intention to cover all the bases for an opportune moment is important, otherwise one laments later over the unpreparedness; this is the guru mantra of Dhairya, an alumnus of Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun.
Dhariya studied in WBS from Class 2 to 12 and then graduated in BCom (Hons) from SRCC, Delhi University. He worked in a multi-national firm for a couple of years but his appealing looks and inclination towards modelling and films took him to Mumbai. There he could respond to his heart’s voice that he was meant for the film industry. He started preparing himself for films, first by pursuing a course in acting and then incessantly auditioning for various roles to gain confidence. “Although, I never felt nervous in front of the camera as I had been shooting for numerous commercials, earlier, but giving auditions increased my belief in myself. The ease to face the camera in the right way was conspicuous after this exercise.” Talking about how he got the prominent role of an army officer in Uri, he replies, “I appeared for the audition and was selected. I was trained along with the other cast by Army personnel – a regiment in Mumbai – who prepared us aptly for this role that required the physique, skills and attitude of an army officer for a special task.”
He gives full credit to his school for forging a disciplined personality in him with major credit to his teachers and the game of basketball. “As a sportsperson, I learnt most of my life’s lessons there on the basketball field itself, i.e., to be focussed, disciplined, how to work under pressure, as part of a team and above all to be a good sport. “As a young person, one doesn’t realise the importance of discipline one learns in school. The boarding school sculpted me into a better person who is organised and disciplined in many ways. When I retrospect, all the values and life skills I gathered during school days came in handy. I am extremely thankful to my teachers for whatever I am today,” avers Dhairya.
Presently he is working on a few projects, the names, he is bound as a policy not to disclose.
Gunmeet Bindra, the current Principal of WBS, when contacted for her comments on Dhairya’s success, revealed, “Dhairya keeps visiting Doon and was here for the Platinum Jubilee of the school. His love for Doon and the bond with our town remains infrangible and he keeps it alive by coming here whenever he has time to meet his schoolmates and teachers.”
She further added, “It was a pleasure to watch Dhairya, batch of 2007 from Welham Boys’ School who has played the role of Captain Sartaj Singh Chandok in Uri, which has been a hit at the box office. Karwa was a keen basketball player and had an aptitude for acting from an early age. Those who worked with him on Welham Newz say he always had an eye for detail which seems to have stood him in good stead. Welham Newz functions as CCA at Welham where students are taught skills of acting, shooting, editing and then sequencing to produce interesting short films. May God bless him abundantly”.
