The Creative and Worldly Path of Ary Satish
Ary Satish has lived in many parts of the world, informing him about how the global population is alike and differs. He has channeled much of this into his work as an actor in films, theater, music videos and commercials to cultivate characters who are immensely authentic whether that be as part of a horror film, modern romance, or dancing in a musical production in front of a live audience. In contrast to those who might presume that an acting career is simply built upon charisma, attractiveness, and the ability to deliver a line, Ary’s personal and professional journey reinforces the concept that experience and empathy are the keystones of any actor. When augmented with talent, dedication, and vision; it is possible to achieve the remarkable. Those who have seen his work such as in Take Care (winner of Best Drama Award and a Best Picture Nomination at the New York Film Awards as well as a Best Actor Award for Ary at the New York Film Awards and the Cult Movies International Film Festival), Model Minority (which was awarded Best International Short Film at the renowned Berlin Shorts Awards), and numerous other films, can corroborate that “remarkable” is an ideal description of Ary in any production he lends his talents to. Mr. Satish deflects that this trait is the result of a lifelong pursuit rather than an inherent “star” quality. His story confirms this, at least in part.
The great Mark Twain once said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” It’s obvious from the choice of roles which Ary has taken on that he is intent on using his talent to confront social ignorance. As a world-traveler and resident of different countries and cultures, he is well prepared to project from an informed state. India, the United States, and Sri Lanka are just some of the locations in which he has resided to absorb varied ideas. Ary remarks, “I think the biggest impact of living in different countries and among different cultures on me has been in the awareness I now have for the importance of bringing an international perspective to storytelling. What I mean by this is that now, because of my travels, I understand that you need to push for diversity within the arts; the importance in diversifying the kinds of roles that actors of a minority cultural subsection play and also to advocate for myself. Needless to say, the appreciation I have for different parts of the world has led me to meet a great variety of people in my life already, many which present different viewpoints, different attitudes, and different perspectives on anything under the sun. Life, politics, the arts, you name it. It has fostered my ability to listen more than to speak, which in acting, is a deeply important skill, especially when working with the scene partner. It is said that one of the marks of a great actor is that you believe that they are truly listening to the other characters, because they actually are, just as humans do in real life, instead of just delivering their own lines.” Whether Ary is seen in a New York Rangers commercial on their social media channels (which boasts over 1.2 million followers and 50,000 likes on Instagram) or on the world stage in Times Square’s Laura Pels Theatre for his performance in a reading of award-winning play Chaos Theory, he seems to belong perfectly.
Travel and experience are a springboard to Ary but his astonishing ability to become different characters is something he credits immensely to his work with different dialects and the Meisner technique. The number and variety of accents mastered by Satish is nothing short of astonishing. These include both Northern and Southern Indian, Middle Eastern, numerous American accents, as well as various British accents. From the Off-Broadway theater production of Le Bijou de Paris to performance in the reading of Chaos Theory with the Roundabout Theatre Company in NYC, Ary seemingly reinvents himself with every project, both verbally and physically. According to Mr. Satish, this ability rests in the previously mentioned Meisner technique. He describes, “The quintessential part of being a Meisner trained actor is that you follow the principle that an actor must behave genuinely and organically under imaginary circumstances. This is something that is essential to my skillset as an actor because it provides the overarching principle of what I focus on. Within the Meisner technique, there are several exercises which I adopt, depending on the character and project, and what is required of me in order to bring this character to life. Some techniques are called paraphrasing, emotional preparation and even the use of an activity or repetition. Depending on the project, I will switch out on which exercise I choose to use when developing my character in the pre-production stage.”
The third pillar that supports the foundation of Ary’s career is his adventurous nature and willingness to take on projects that force him into unfamiliar areas. While films have been the focus for much of his recent work, the aforementioned Le Bijou de Paris combines his dance experience with acting. A recent performance in the Roundabout Theater Company’s (a company known for their numerous Tony, Obie and Oliver Award wins) reading of Chaos Theory at the Laura Pels Theatre at the prestigious Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in Times Square displays his respect for writers and the challenge of bringing something unique to text. As producer and co-lead of the award-winning film Take Care, Ary’s skill behind as well as in front of the camera was proven. Working with the DDO Artists Agency and talent management team at JHA Management, Ary Satish has a host of exciting productions in the future, providing more opportunities for American audiences to witness this latest iteration of this great modern actor.
