Overcoming Hurdles | SANDEEP BHARDWAJ | TEDxSTS Dwarka Youth

Quick Overview

Sandeep Bhardwaj frames hurdles as subjective perceptions, illustrating this through his journey from rural Haryana, through various jobs and artistic pursuits like painting and theatre, to ultimately securing the role of Veerappan by choosing not to perceive the rejection for a smaller film role as a significant obstacle, emphasizing that competition should always be directed inward against one's own limitations.

Key Points: Bhardwaj asserts that hurdles only exist if one acknowledges them, stating, "You observe your breath for 1 minute... if you don't feel it, then there is no hurdle." His career path shifted from early life in Haryana, involving physical games and watching movies, to working at Pizza Hut for two years after moving to Delhi post-12th grade. He started theatre while studying painting at the College of Art in Agra, leading to performing in 80-90 shows of 'Mahim Junction' across international locations like Dubai, Malaysia, and London, redirecting his career toward acting from painting. Bhardwaj experienced significant disappointment when he lost a role he heavily desired, but quickly moved past it, noting, "It was only for a short time... That's why I never take hurdles very seriously." His selection for the role of Veerappan began immediately after losing the previous role, and he committed deeply by stopping wearing shoes the day he was selected, learning that Veerappan did not wear them. To prepare for Veerappan, he studied articles, including '14 Days with the Bandit', and created the character's body language based on only five or six seconds of found walking footage on YouTube. He concludes that true competition lies within oneself, quoting an old saying that in the current Kali Yuga, the fight between 'gods and demons' is inside the individual: "Your competition is with yourself."

Context: Sandeep Bhardwaj presents his personal narrative at a TEDx event, focusing on overcoming perceived obstacles, which he introduces by contrasting the idea of external hurdles with internal perception, using his own diverse career trajectory as evidence. His background includes growing up in Haryana, developing interests in sports and film, unsuccessfully navigating initial job searches after moving to Delhi, pursuing painting, and eventually finding success in stage acting before landing a major film role.