MyBindi interviews Vik Sahay May 2002

EXPERIENCE UNDER THAT EXTERIOR

I have to admit: talking to Vik Sahay, who recently portrayed Anish Das in CanStage's April production of "Indian Ink," is a little unsettling.

In person, he has the sprit and boyish looks that have made him perfect for both his most recent teenage roles on Canadian television, either as "Radio Active's" cocky troublemaker Kevin (Fridays, 4:30 pm on CBC) or for the more philosophical and poetic Dalal of the teen dramedy "Our Hero" (Tuesdays, 8:30 PM on W). At the same time, he's quite calm and collected, with this sagaciously mature and down-to-earth outlook on the entertainment industry.

One could deduce this contradiction exists because Vik has constantly been working in the biz. Starting as a teen on the 1986 season of "You Can't Do That On Television," this Ottawa native built up his high school resume through roles such as the voice of Michael on "For Better or For Worse," an animated series based on the comic strip of the same name. During and after university he acted in many professional theatre shows in the Ottawa and Montreal area. Though still picking up more roles like "Tybalt" in CanStage's production of "Romeo and Juliet" after his move to Toronto, he started focusing more on film and television. There, he amassed many screen credits on both sides of the border, acting alongside John Lithgow, Bob Hoskins and Donald Sutherland. But in his recent return to stage, Vik played a young man who, in search of his father's 1930's portrait of a famous deceased English poet, discovered a more intimate relationship that existed between the two in British-ruled India.

And it appears Vik's experience has given him the wisdom to realize he's been extremely lucky in this field. "Yes, I work hard at my craft, but there are a lot of great actors waiting tables. I don't know why I've been lucky and I don't question it. All I keep doing is making sure that I'm keeping at the top of my game."

He's also one of the few South Asian actors who has made it in the mainstream, but maybe factors other than luck account for that. "I've been told by industry insiders that I don't look 'quintessentially South Asian,' whatever that means." That phrase really bothers him for its several implications, one being that even now race is still a major limitation in casting. However, it could explain why he's been able to portray people of different ethnic backgrounds, as well as score the role of Radio Active's Kevin, a character with no discernible ethnicity, but with a last name of "Calvin."

Even though his own appearance hasn't been as much of an obstacle compared to others, he still has something to say about the lack of South Asian actors on Canadian stage and screen. "There have been a lot of recent steps made to include South Asians, like 'DaVinci's Inquest' and 'Our Hero.' But overall I've found that many Canadian plays and shows exclude South Asian characters, like those set in a rural community or in Canada's past. And how can you cast a South Asian as part of a [white] family? You could go for colour-blind casting, but in film and television, there has to be an element of realism."

So then does Vik support how the Canadian film and television actors union has made it easier for minority performers to gain professional status (bringing increased access to higher-paid parts)? Sort of. When he earned his membership there were no special provisions for minorities, so he does think it's commendable that the union currently recognizes the racial inequality in acting. But there's also a part of him that thinks, "I don't want your special treatment." Similar with the issues raised in other types of affirmative action, he says that the best solution would be to increase the opportunities by, "writing more meaningful roles that could be played by actors of colour." Whether that's currently a realistic solution remains to be seen.

While he's looked at both sides of the minority casting issue, this rising star is also looking at both sides of the border. Although he loves living in Toronto and the success he has enjoyed here, he sometimes feels that there is a limit to what an actor can achieve north of the 44th. "I remember doing a play with a brilliant and very prominent Canadian stage actor. He was one of my idols, and one day while I was looking at another play I was asked to audition for, he asked what I was reading. When I told him what it was, he responded, 'Is there anything in there for me?' I couldn't believe that he was still in a situation where he'd have to try out for roles or even ask me for possible leads. In Canada, everyone is scrambling for their next gig. Even people with big bodies of work are still in the audition rooms with the rest of us."

To follow up on the southern angle, during the month of February Vik was in LA solidifying his relationship with his American agent. In the fall, he's pretty sure he'll be going down again for a prolonged period. "While I was there, I did a couple of auditions, got some callbacks and some very positive feedback. It felt, smelt, and reeked of possibilities there...Though there are hints of Canada getting better, the U.S. still seems to be the land of opportunity."

Despite his clear insights on the industry and some of its harsh realities, Vik has some difficulty explaining his reasons for staying in it. "Acting is just something I really love...No, love isn't even the right word. It comes from deep within me. It's draws me in and eats at me. It pushes me to the sometimes torturous investigation of other people's and ultimately my own life…Acting is not just what I do. It's who I am."