Sumit Sambhal Lega actor Namit Das gives in to his dark side with Kaushiki

Namit Das

That comedy comes naturally to Namit Das is evident in his choice of roles over the years. After playing a string of happy-go-lucky characters, including the lead role in Sumit Sambhal Lega - the Indian adaptation of Everybody Loves Raymond - the actor is experimenting with his dark side in Viu's latest offering, Kaushiki. Ask him what prompted him to take on a negative role and he says the decision was driven by a simple impulse, "To tell the world I can do more than comedy".

Also featuring Sayani Gupta, Rannvijay Singha and Omkar Kapoor, the thriller sees Namit Das as DK, a stand-up comedian who is willing to go to any length to satisfy his need for power and money. "I took up the character to broaden my horizon and challenge myself," says Das, adding that it is exacting for an artiste to slip into a character that he may not identify with.

"Essaying a negative role is tough. I have to play it with conviction, even if I don't align with the character. I don't believe in this character at all. But then, it's an actor's job to play different roles. Sometimes, you have roles within you and some are inspired from those outside." Interestingly, the actor picked up nuances from the show's director, Suparn Verma, to breathe life into DK. "This character is totally modelled on Suparn. I copied the way he talks and his other mannerisms."

Besides acting, music is another creative outlet for the artiste. During the press conference of Kaushiki, Kapoor and Singha mentioned how Das often broke into a song between shots. "I am the lead singer and composer of my band [Namit Das + Anurag Shanker]. We have performed across festivals and at underground shows in Mumbai," he says.

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