Meet Sagar Surana | Actor and Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sagar Surana and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sagar, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
It’s weird to answer this question because I almost feel like I had two lives growing up. I grew up in a smaller town called Indore in India until I was 18. I went to a good school and grew up with a very loving, supportive family. I’m still extremely close to my childhood friends; we have all known each other for over a decade now and hold each other real close. Throughout my formative years and my time in India, I was super involved in creative avenues including theatre, art, and debate. I had a great childhood!
But on the other hand, I struggled with being bullied for a few years and went through a long period of undiagnosed depression. I hid every bit of the bullying, the anxiety, and the stress from people around me. Then, it was as if I went on autopilot for the next few years, trying to get through each day. It sucks because I can’t seem to remember a lot from those five-odd years. I wish I could clearly tell you the how, why, and when but at some point, I decided to follow convention and applied to universities in the United States which brought me to Seattle. As the years went by, I started understanding the complexities of mental health and recognizing that I wasn’t healthy. Working on my mental health has been a work in progress since, but I started making some changes. I decided to throw myself back into art and theatre and soon worked in a play called ‘Stories From The Payphone’ with the Undergraduate Theatre Society at the University of Washington. I think that snowballed into a very long journey of self-discovery and gave me an entirely new perspective on myself, my career, and life. And… now a few projects later here I am talking to you!

To go back to your question, I think my upbringing, my challenges, and where I come from have had a huge influence on who I am today and where I want to be tomorrow: I am extremely connected and expressive with my family today and hold their opinion in huge regard. I consider kindness to be the most important virtue today and I try my best to embody it at all times, although I wish I learned that much earlier. I like to spend time doing anything that makes me happy to be alive today whether that’s acting, painting, writing, walking, crying, or sleeping. I love India and it’s almost as if I carry it with me at all times and it’s evident in everything I do; my reaction to things, my body language, my acting, my understanding of relationships, and my politics. Seattle and LA are where I feel most comfortable today, they almost gave me a new life and taught me to appreciate myself. I’ve found some of my closest friends here, but I think coming from a smaller town, the most important thing these cities have taught me is that it is okay to not fit into conventions, that it is okay to fail a LOT and that it’s not just okay but very, very cool to have dreams that scare the sh*t out of you.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think acting is a constant learning process for me. Starting with script reading and character prep, then, a lot of standing in front of the mirror and figuring out what works best, followed by reiterations of experimenting with voice and body language. After all of that, it’s just being present in the moment and performing. And it all always ends with me feeling like I could have done better. It’s just a cycle of that, hahaha. But, for me, step one of becoming a better actor is being comfortable in your skin and that’s also a constant process. Step two is `riyaaz`; sharpening of your skill through consistent practice. I’m only a few years into this industry and it’s definitely not been easy trying to find my place. Like many others, I moved to the US alone from India to be an engineer. Building a whole new life here, finding new friends, and assimilating into an entirely foreign culture when you’ve just about turned eighteen is already tough. On top of that, I decided to transition from tech into this industry which has, of course, been a struggle. But I think it is these previous experiences and my relationship with and reflection on them, that give me a lot of fodder for my art.
Fortunately, I had a job in hand which allowed me to up and move to LA overnight but I had no idea what to do once I landed here. At the time, I knew exactly zero people in the movie industry. Although, it has been a journey that has seen many rejections, stereotyping, and cold shoulders, it has been one abundant with so many people who’ve supported me, who have become my navigators and guides, and such encouraging friends who have been extremely resourceful when I needed help. A lesson I’ve learnt is to support your tribe and use whatever access you have to uplift talented and deserving people around you, always.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There’d be so many places I would want to go! I’ve spent a lot of time sitting at Griffith and Barnsdall so those would definitely be on the list. Maybe some Thai food in Thai Town right after. I also love Mazal near Elysian Park, they’ve got some great vegetarian food!
Drinks at Gold Diggers and then maybe hit up more bars in Koreatown and end up in Break Room. You could fit all of that in a day.
If I have another day, I’d definitely push for a beach day somewhere further from the city or go watch the sunset at El Matador beach or maybe go to Smorgasburg and eat, drink and vibe if it’s a Sunday.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are too many names and not enough time! Definitely my parents, Sanjay and Anjali, and my sister, Shreya, they’ve been so supportive throughout. Big, huge shoutout to my friends back in Seattle and in India who were the first ones I confessed my dreams to, they have been so encouraging ever since, and I’ll forever be grateful. Also, a huge shoutout to my closest ones in LA, they help me get through every rough day and celebrate every good one. The whole team of `Stories from the Payphone`, for a great experience acting in my first play in the States which put me on the trajectory I am on today. Director Myles Ross and producer Melynda Mervang for their continued confidence in me, the opportunities they’ve given me, and for being amazing people throughout.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13331694/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagarssurana/

Image Credits
Srashti Jain