I would have staged a coup if I had joined military – Antar Laniyan

Laniyan

Actor and movie director, Antar Laniyan, has opened up that he is presently thankful to God he didn’t later join the military, which was his first love while growing up.

He told Sunday Scoop that if he had ignored the advice of his principal and followed his heart, he would have participated in a coup and perhaps got himself killed in the process.

He said, “I had the desire to become a soldier at some point in my life because I’m a disciplined person. I think the desire to be a soldier made me who I am today. To be honest, I think I would have taken part in a coup if I had joined the military, and I would have been arrested and punished accordingly.”

According to him, he doesn’t tolerate indiscipline and if someone is doing something bad, there is a tendency for him to get angry.

“You know once you are armed with a gun, it is easier to plan a coup. And in the military, you know the implication of planning a coup, especially if it is an unsuccessful one,” he said.

Explaining the circumstances that made him abandon the military for acting, he stated, “When I was in secondary school, my principal called me and asked me what I wanted to become in the future. I told him I wanted to become a soldier. The old man shook his head and advised me to study theatre arts. He showed me all the awards in his office and said I won for them for the school. He said if as a little boy I could win all these for the school, it meant I had a bright future in the theatre.

“Though the man is not alive today to see what he had predicted for me, he was instrumental in my decision to pursue a career in acting. I thank God I listened to him. I am not rich, but I am fulfilled that I have done what I love to do.”

He, however, urged people not to judge him by the wicked or tough roles in movies, saying that he was not different from a politician and he would only say what he had been paid to say.

He explained further, “I follow the guidance of a director; I don’t just stand in front of the camera to say rubbish. You cannot expect me to play a big man like a gateman. Also, the fact that I play the role of a big man doesn’t mean I am wealthy. If I am a rich man, I will not be using the car I am using presently.”

One thing that has helped him in his career is the understanding of his wife. Laniyan maintained that his wife always encouraged him to be real while playing romantic scenes.

“My wife knows who I am. Whenever I play a romantic role and I don’t do it well, she would criticise me. I get good support from her and it gives me the peace of mind to go any length while playing a romantic scene.

“My wife is a very shy person and she avoids the limelight. The only thing that can bring about a fight is when I don’t remember her and the children at home. But that will never happen because I am always with them at home. I hardly go out; I don’t go to parties. I just go to my office, home and locations. Anytime I attend a function, she knows it is very important to me.”