Two sides of the same coin

Aadil Khan

Starting off as an assistant director on films and series, including 'Mohenjo Daro' (2016), 'Kedarnath' (2018), 'The Test Case', and 'Made in Heaven', Aadil Khan climbed the ladder of showbiz step-by-step. He got his first break as an actor in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 'Shikara' and then made his web debut with 'Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story'. Basking in the glory of his latest, 'Shoorveer', Khan says that the Disney+ Hotstar series got people to notice him. "People from the industry have been appreciating the show. It is a good feeling when your hard work translates on screen," says the actor, who plays a fighter pilot and a single father in the show.

Also Read: Do you know how Makarand Deshpande prepared for his role in Shoorveer?

"As a person from the force, I wanted to showcase his winning attitude and strong personality. I also wanted to make him relatable and exhibit his [vulnerable side] as a single father who dotes on his child. Interestingly, both personas brought some amount of challenge, but I am glad we achieved it," says Khan. He trained rigorously for months to get into the psyche and physicality of the character. The icing on the cake for the actor was when he got the opportunity to hobnob with real-life heroes. "I was training with French martial artiste Cyril Raffaelli even before the shoot for 'Shoorveer' began. Along with that, I trained with my trainer in India. Apart from the physical transformation, I got to interact with real-life heroes for the role. Those moments were special and gave me more insight [into the character]."

The actor, who also dabbled as a radio jockey, believes that along with hard work, luck plays a huge role in this nepotistic industry. "I knew what I was getting into when I joined the industry. No matter what camp or family one belongs to, eventually hard work will pay off; and luck will follow. Everybody has their own journey and this is mine," he concludes.