Published By: Alfaraz Laique

Method actors of black and white era in cinema

Method acting is a form of acting which requires keen focus and absolute determination to the art. It was founded in the 1930s at the Moscow Art Theatre by Konstantin Stanislavski and it exploded the screens after its inception. Some actors deny that there is such thing while some swear by it. Nowadays, there are many award winning actors who dedicate their life to acting but in the earlier time, there were only few who are the pioneers of method acting.

Here are the method actors of black and white era in cinema who have changed the game.

Dilip Kumar

Dilip Kumar was perhaps the most talented and arguably the best actor Bollywood has ever seen. He is claimed to be the first method actor of the world by many critics due to his commitment to his art. Dilip Kumar was greatly influenced by Ashok Kumar and he invented his own style of realistic acting. He remained committed to serious and realistic roles and was the first ever star who went to great length to bring realism in his characters. Even today, you cannot be a great actor if you do not have some qualities of Dilip Kumar in your acting style. He was not known worldwide at that time, according to Javed Akhtar, who thinks that before Marlon Brando became the pioneer of the art, there was Dilip Kumar who was constantly giving beautiful and nuanced performances.

Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando is one of the most famous actors of the Hollywood who is known worldwide for his mesmerizing performances. Marlon is quite famous for portraying the character of an underworld don in the cult classic The Godfather and he has achieved several accolades in his career. Marlon Brando invented his own method and own art of acting. During a theatre performance in 1947, Brando outdone himself and innovated an altogether new style of acting. The critics at that time claimed that they have never seen someone playing a character with such conviction. Brando’s mimetic brilliance, body language, voice modulation and vibrant on screen presence made him a great actor.

Konstantin Stanislavsky

Konstantin was not a film actor but he is said to be the inventor of the art of method acting. He used to run a theatre where different roles were performed. He got an idea to indulge his mind and body into a character by applying his features and habits in real life. He soon realized that the technique helped him in understanding the psyche of the character and made him a better actor.