After nearly three years, 'Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein' has returned with its much-awaited second season, this time with a darker and more intense storyline. Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin, who plays Vikrant in the series, spoke about how the new season portrays the evolution of his character and compared it to the growing trend of "anti-heroes" as seen in films including 'Salaar' and 'Animal'. Speaking to ANI, the actor shared, "It's a fantastically challenging shift and trend for me as an actor because, you know, moral complexity and when you're morally subjective is when, as an actor, you have to look at the character and then see, okay, this is what the character's objective is in the story, and these are the choices that he makes and the reasons for his choices." "Season two is about him taking action in his own hands. That is where there is a similarity to the actors and to the characters that you've mentioned (Salaar, Animal). The audience knows his heart is in the right place, but in order to take control, he has to fight fire with fire," he added. While speaking on how fans expectations pushed him to prepare deeply for the role, Tahir shared, "Those high expectations from fans are always what motivates me. For me, season two was about reconnecting with Vikrant's past and understanding his core motivations. At the bottom of his heart, what he wants is to protect his family and the love of his life." Apart from Tahir, the series stars Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi, Anchal Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Arunoday Singh, Varun Badola, and Gurmeet Choudhary, among others. Directed by Sidharth Sengupta and produced by Edgestorm Ventures Pvt Ltd, the series revolves around the themes of obsession, survival, and moral ambiguity. The second season is currently streaming on Netflix. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 November,2024 08:26 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIIt has been a whirlwind tour, from Brazil to London to Mumbai, for Indian-origin American actor Paras Patel as he promotes his hit series, The Chosen. “The show blew up during the pandemic,” says Patel of the historical drama, the fifth season of which is due next summer. In the Dallas Jenkins-created show, the actor plays Matthew, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. Does he feel the pressure of bringing alive a character that is prominently mentioned in the religious texts? “When playing Matthew, I wanted to honour not only the text but also the character and the way the show is [depicting him]. Matthew is neuro-divergent on the show, which was very important for the creator. I saw the challenge as a motivation to work harder,” shares the actor. Patel’s 10-year-plus career may be filled with international projects, but he had always set his sights on Bollywood. Watching Hindi movies shaped his idea of cinema as well as identity. He says, “I grew up watching more Hindi films than American ones; I watched a lot of Akshay Kumar and Govinda movies. I wanted to work in the Hindi film industry first. I am still open to working in Hindi films.”
29 November,2024 07:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaThe highly anticipated return of the web series 'Tanaav 2' is around the corner as the trailer for Vol 2 drops. This season, the stakes are higher than ever, with the nation’s security hanging by a thread. 'Tanaav 2' intensifies its gripping narrative of bravery, deception, greed, love, and revenge. The Special Task Group (STG), led by Kabir, faces a terrifying new adversary - Al-Damishq, a vengeful young man bent on wreaking havoc in Kashmir. The trailer promises a nail-biting thriller that will keep the viewers guessing at the edge. Summary of 'Tanaav' Season 1 The first season of the series came out in November 2022 and after two years, the makers are back with another round of thrill and action. The first season starred Manav Vij, Arbaaz Khan, Danish Hussain, Ekta Kaul, M.K Raina, Rajat Kapoor, and others. A special task force was made as a deadly terrorist Umar, who was assumed to be dead, makes a return to plan something big and disastrous in Kashmir. Following this, a retired officer is called back on duty to fight this situation. Produced by Applause Entertainment, Tanaav is the official remake of Israel's Fauda, created by Avi Issacharoff & Lior Raz and distributed by Yes Studios. Directed by the award-winning Sudhir Mishra and E. Niwas, the show boasts an exceptional cast, including Manav Vij, Gaurav Arora, Satyadeep Misra, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Kabir Bedi, Sahiba Bali, Ekta Kaul, Soni Razdan, and Sukhmani Sadana. 'Tanaav 2' Vol 2 will stream exclusively on Sony LIV from December 6th. Director Sudhir Mishra shares his thoughts on 'Tanaav' Volume 2 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sony LIV (@sonylivindia) Acclaimed director Sudhir Mishra shares his thoughts on the new season: “With Tanaav 2 Vol 2, we’ve embraced the challenge of exceeding the high expectations set by the first part. I’m proud of our team for crafting a narrative that is even more intense, action-packed, and thought-provoking. This season, we focus on the theme of the nation coming first, exploring the complexities of the human condition, the blurred lines between good and evil, and the resilience of the human spirit. 'Tanaav 2' Vol 2 is not just a continuation of the story—it’s a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made for the greater good, and I can’t wait to see how audiences respond." The second season will feature 12 episodes same as the first season which will stream on Sony LIV.
28 November,2024 05:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEven after 20 years in the television industry, writer-director Sidharth Sengupta often feels like he doesn’t know enough about the craft. This feeling of humility, he says, pushes him to do better. The result? In 2021, he delivered a sleeper hit in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein. Three years on, he has returned with the second season of the Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi and Aanchal Singgh-led web series. In a chat with mid-day, Sengupta discusses why it took him three years to craft the next season, and how he maintains objectivity in his writing. Edited excerpts from the interview. Why did it take you three years to return with the second season of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein?The second season was a little more difficult to write. I wrote various versions, but was not happy. I was ashamed that it took so long. There was a lot of to and fro. I was not enjoying some of the versions, or some drafts were brilliant, but were high on budget or impractical. When I started writing this, I had to think, where am I ending this? So, by the end of collaborative effort and with a lot of feedback, we finally came to this version. Sidharth Sengupta How do you know a certain draft is the right balance of romance, intrigue and twists?There is no certain way to know that. I remember sitting with Varun Badola [writer-actor] where we thought it was a great episode, but halfway through, we both got bored. So, you keep discovering as you write. The idea is that you shouldn’t get bored. I’m an impatient viewer and filmmaker; I get bored very soon. If you don’t catch my attention in the first 30 seconds, I’ll get bored. That is something I practice in my writing also. For a person who gets bored so easily, how did you survive the pace of television for 20 years?While I was working in television for 20 years, I had these stories in my mind and no outlet for them. TV is a writer’s medium. When I stepped out of the TV industry, I realised I did not know anything. This is after 20 years of winning a lot of awards. When I started writing, I realised it’s such a beautiful art that it keeps reminding you that you don’t know anything and keeps humbling you. That pushes me to explore a lot of things. How do you ensure that you don’t fall in love with your work so much that you don’t see the flaws?Firstly, I’m not in love with my work, actually I hate it sometimes. Then I have Umesh Padalkar and Saurabh Shukla, who keep reminding me that I have to be objective about the script. I push myself in writing, and then I run to them saying I screwed up somehow. They are both great writer-directors. I keep taking their help, we write together. They keep me in check ki main zyaada na phail jaau. Did you feel the pressure of making the second season after the first edition’s success?I kept the pressure away from my head. I didn’t even know that my show had become a hit. I just keep doing whatever I can. The good part is that everyone at Netflix has always been [supportive]. There were times when I wondered if it would work or not, but they were confident, so was my team. They all believed in me. I’m not a writer by profession; I started writing very late in my life. So, for me, it’s a hit and miss. That’s why it takes a little more time. The second season seems gorier than the first, especially with the body hacking scenes.The stakes have to go higher in the second season. A boy has committed a crime, so he has to face the consequences. Do you practise self-censorship when making the project?I do, but sometimes we need to go a little beyond. I had to put [the hacking] scene because you are seeing an ordinary man doing something so heinous. His ethos or ordinariness has to go out. Having said that, I’m not too fond of gore, unless it’s needed in the story. But there are no sex scenes, which has become a lot on OTT shows these days. What made you cast Gurmeet Choudhary this season?When I was looking for this character, he fit the bill. I wanted somebody who could pull off action as well as drama. [The team] had a discussion and was charged to have him on board. My cast is very passionate and I wanted somebody equally passionate. He shouldn’t be a dharti pe bhoj on the set [laughs].
26 November,2024 07:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam AbrahamBarely a week after the grand announcement of his directorial debut, Aryan Khan has stepped on the campus of Whistling Woods International to shoot the final leg of his series, tentatively titled Stardom. Sources say that the first-time director has a seven-day schedule lined up in the film institute located in Goregaon, after which the unit will move to another venue for a brief period before calling it a wrap. The show is led by Mona Singh and Lakshya. A source reveals, “On Sunday, Aryan kicked off the patch schedule, in which he will largely take some location shots and can some scenes. While Mona and the leading man were not required on Sunday, they are expected to join the shoot later this week. After the Goregaon shoot, the team will head to an office in Worli where they will film some entry scenes. Stardom, which is gearing up for an early 2025 release, is being edited simultaneously.” Last week, as part of its 2025 slate, Netflix officially announced the project, describing it as “an entertaining ride through the adventures of a charming, ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood”. It has star-studded cameos by Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, and of course, Aryan’s superstar-father Shah Rukh Khan.
25 November,2024 07:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuAmong the contributing factors behind the success of the Prime Video show Bandish Bandits was its intricately designed music, crafted by composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. However, for the upcoming second season that will release on December 13, a bevy of musicians take on the reins from the trio to serve as the musical backbone of the 17-song series. Two among them, however, will carry the legacy of the original trio ahead owing to their connection with Shankar Mahadevan. The ace composer’s son, Siddharth, and nephew Souumil Shringarpure have crafted two of the songs, with the latter also continuing his work as the show’s background score composer. “We [repeatedly listened] to the music of season one because it was clearly iconic when one considers the way it was received by people. The only discussion we had with dad revolved around how we could adhere to what we could bring to the table, in terms of retaining our identity, while also retaining the purity of the Indian classical touch that the show required. As we would compose, we would play the songs for dad, and, for one of the songs, we knew we needed his voice because it was for the same character for whom he had also sung in season one. Once he came on board, he took the song to another level,” says Siddharth of the track titled Sur hi Parmaatma. The track, Saawan mohe tarasaaye, reveals Souumil, was based on a concept called Jasrangi, introduced by Pandit Jasraj. “When two classical singers, one male and another female, who have different pitches, need to be brought together, [this concept] helps them sing at a pitch that’s comfortable to both, and one that helps both represent their [skills]. The same composition is sung in two ragas, each of which suits their [respective] keys. We attempted to do that. While we had to bear in mind that the song needed to fit a requirement, we also wanted the improvisations that are always part of classical music to be reflected. That was both a challenge and enjoyable.” That the duo had singers Ankita Joshi and Krishna Bongane hop aboard the song served to be beneficial. “They’ve previously performed a concept similar to Jasrangi on stage.” Other artistes who are part of the show, featuring Ritwik Bhowmik and Shreya Chaudhry, include Digvijay Singh Pariyar, OAFF, Savera, Pratika Gopinath, Shloke Lal, Swaroop Khan, Poorvi Koutish, and Ankkit Singh, among others.
25 November,2024 07:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia LullaActor Tusshar Kapoor, who can be seen in the series ‘10 June Ki Raat’, has opened up about his status as a single parent, and societal pressure. The actor landed in Chandigarh for the ongoing edition of the Chandigarh Literary Festival, and spoke with IANS. Talking about being in Chandigarh, the actor said, “It was a very good experience. Our session with Sohail Muathar, my agent, was very good. We talked about my book ‘Bachelor Dad’. I have come to Chandigarh after 12 years. I am enjoying it a lot. The ambience is beautiful. The weather is pleasant. I am going back tomorrow. It’s a trip that’s worth it”. Talking about the pressure from the society of being a single parent, he told IANS, “There have been different families in our religion for centuries. It is not that there is only one type of family. Even in our mythology. There are different aspects of society. But you should do what you feel is right. So that no one is harmed. So that no one is hurt. So that a new life is happy. There is no problem in that. I did what my inner voice told me to do”. He also spoke about his upcoming projects with IANS. He said, “Chapter 2 of ‘10 June Ki Raat’ is already on air, chapter 3 will also come. It is on Jio Cinema. After that, there is a film called ‘Kanpkapi’ which is completed. ‘Welcome 3’ shooting is half done. There is a film called ‘Dunk’ which will start in January. I am also doing ‘Masti 4’. ‘Golmaal 5’ will also be done. Everything is in line”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 10:38 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSRJ-turned-actor Malishka Mendonsa, who essays the role of Indian political activist and poet Sarojini Naidu in the web series ‘Freedom at Midnight’, speaks exclusively to mid-day.com about embarking on a journey of prosthetics, and a mammoth amount of history lessons to ace the character of The Nightingale of India in the Nikkhil Advani directorial. Malishka Mendonsa played Sarojini Naidu as a child Malishka recalls that when she was offered this role, she went back to her notes and reminisced about playing Sarojini Naidu as a child. “I dressed up as her for a freedom fighter meet. That particular kind of hair, that bindi, the saree. I loved her anyway. I probably read a few of her poems. First of all, we haven't seen her being represented at all in any of the historicals that we've seen. And so apparently, stature-wise also, and size-wise, etc, I kind of looked like her,” she says. Malishka was told she might not get the role She went to the audition, clearly telling her casting agent that this was her, but it took the makers a long time to get back. “I was like, ‘Just let me audition’. And they were like, ‘You still may not get it because we're probably looking at someone who has a little bit of a Bengali accent’. So I was like, ‘How much time do you have? Is it a month or a week?’ I was pretty determined. I said, ‘I'll learn it’.” ‘Sarojini Naidu was not demure’ Malishka adds, “Nikkhil would keep walking me through what he thought Sarojini would be like because she's not a demure person. She was a modern feminist even back then, in the time leading up to independence, she was at the forefront of things. She was the governor of the United Provinces, and the first Indian woman to be the president of the INC. So these are large roles, and she was part of it in a largely male-dominated political scenario. So I was like, ‘I'll do this’. And then the prosthetics came into play. The excitement was important because the hard work was incredible.” When we told Malishka about not imagining her in the role of Sarojini Naidu, she explained how Nikkhil likened her to the political icon who was also a social disruptor. “I think in my past life I was her,” she concludes with a jest.
23 November,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Oshin FernandesAmid much anticipation, Prime Video premiered the debut episode of its first-ever Telugu Original talk show, 'The Rana Daggubati Show' at the prestigious 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on November 21. Kicking off the show with ‘Natural Star’ Nani, Priyanka Mohan, and Teja Sajja which will stream exclusively on Prime Video November 23 onwards. It will be available in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide, with new episodes every Saturday. Boasting a distinctive format that redefines the conventional talk-show experience, the episode showcased a never-seen-before side of host Rana Daggubati as well as his guests Nani, Priyanka, and Teja, who indulged in candid conversations brimming with lighthearted banter, heartwarming moments, and deep reflections. During their unfiltered chat, the celebrities discussed family, love, hobbies, and their latest stint at IIFA, among other things, making the episode an exciting watch for viewers. Nani talks about his married life and convincing Anjana's parents on 'The Rana Daggubati Show' The interaction took an endearing turn when Rana curiously asked Nani about his married life with Anjana Yelavarthy. A blushing Nani revealed how his wife Anjana’s family, comprising highly qualified individuals in technical fields, was starkly different from his background. He said, “She is the granddaughter of the famous and celebrated scientist, Mr. Yelavarthy Nayudamma. Anjana has a diary—his diary. On one of its pages, he's written, “I met Mrs. Indira Gandhi today.” A few pages later, he writes, “After my breakfast with NTR Sir!” “I honestly didn’t think our wedding plans would materialize. It was back when I had just started in the film industry. As actors, we don’t know what the future has in store for us. They (Anjana’s family) were all brilliant in academics.” When Rana questioned how he convinced his wife's family of their marriage, Nani cheekily quipped, “Once you meet me, all such doubts get cleared. Those doubts stay only until you meet me.” Details about the 'The Rana Daggubati Show' Created and hosted by the charismatic Rana Daggubati and executively produced by him under the banner of Spirit Media, the unscripted Telugu Original eight-episode series features a dazzling line-up of guests, including Dulquer Salmaan, Naga Chaitanya Akkineni, Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Sreeleela, Nani, S.S. Rajamouli and Ram Gopal Varma, and many more, as they indulge in entertaining conversations peppered with intimate repartee and engaging activities that bring out a never-seen-before side of Rana’s guests. 'The Rana Daggubati Show' will stream exclusively on Prime Video from November 23, available in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide, with new episodes every Saturday.
22 November,2024 06:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentGuru, the new entrant into the Purva/Vikrant/Shikha universe has been flooring fans and audiences with his action sequences in the trailer of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2. Actor Gurmeet Choudhary, who is known for playing diverse roles, will now be seen as Guru, Purva’s friend who is on a mission to protect her. He will go to any lengths for it, even if that means jumping off a mountain with guns in both hands. When asked about his experience on the show and playing his namesake Guru, Gurmeet shared, "I am so excited to be doing a project with Netflix and that too on a show I loved watching when it first came out. Siddharth Sengupta thought I would fit the role of Guru well and had faith in my ability to do justice to the character." Gurmeet's Mission Impossible moment The actor says he shot daring scenes without a stunt double. "The first day when we shot the scene of me jumping off of a cliff, I was 500 feet in the air, held by a harness and had to jump off and land on my feet while holding two guns. It almost felt like my Mission Impossible moment. The stunt turned out well because I knew everyone was worried as there was no stunt double, it was just me and we had a long schedule of shoot left. But it went great and every body has been talking about that scene once they saw it in the trailer." On Instagram, he wrote, "Yes,I did the impossible stunt one that many wouldn’t even attempt. And guess what? I did it all on my own! As a long lifelong fan of Tom Cruise, this moment felt like a dream come true. Tom Cruise has always inspired me with how he performs all his stunts on his own. Taking a page out office book, iam doing the same -doing all my stunts myself! Truly inspired and always a big fan of the legend Tom Cruise .When we pulled off this impossible scenes , it was truly surreal." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2: What to expect Following last season’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger, where Purva was kidnapped, the ransom amount became a whopping 100 crore bounty and Vikrant (Tahir) put many lives on the line, this season asks: "How pulpier can pulpy get?" Revenge, betrayal, and fatal passion take center stage, serving up nail-biting drama at every turn. Vikrant sets out to kill Purva, but now his own fate hangs in the balance — will he survive her grasp, or is he trapped in this twisted love story forever? It’s a deadly game of survival, and with Gurmeet Choudhary’s powerful entry this season, the stakes have only gotten higher. He’s vowed to bring Purva back, but no one knows who’ll make it out alive. Directed, written and showrun by Sidharth Sengupta and produced by Edgestorm Ventures Pvt Ltd, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2 features a powerhouse cast including Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi, Anchal Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Arunoday Singh, Varun Badola, Gurmeet Choudhary, Brijendra Kala, Anant Joshi, Surya Sharma, Shashi Verma, Anjuman Saxena, and Hetal Gada, keeping audiences at the edge of their seat with every twist and turn. With the new season, Sengupta aims to push boundaries, delivering a story that dives straight into the heart of darkness - where every look, every silence, and every betrayal leaves a mark. Season 2 is a salute to the genre we grew up loving, capturing the thrills, chills, and intensity of stories that explore just how far one will go for love... or revenge.
22 November,2024 02:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIt has been two weeks since Citadel: Honey Bunny dropped online. While the Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu-led spy thriller has received mixed reviews, the audience largely agrees on one thing – that Saqib Saleem is impressive as the antagonist KD. “It’s a little overwhelming when you don’t think of something too much and then that starts giving you love,” starts the actor, when we sit across from him for a chat. He continues, "This is like a proper massy binge show. Which is why we started watching OTT, right? I had the most fun with the action. The action. Because as young boys, we've all grown up wanting to be action heroes, right? So when you get to do cool stuff, you really feel cool when you come back to your vanity van after you've done a scene. You feel exhausted, of course. But also just feeling like, ‘oh, I've done something awesome’. That child in you gets very happy.” To him, joining the Prime Video series was a no-brainer as it gave him the opportunity to team up with director duo Raj-DK, who also co-wrote it with Sita Menon. “What I really enjoyed about them is that they're very collaborative people. They give actors the respect that, hey, we've cast you for a part. You exactly know what you're supposed to do. We've cast you because you're good. And they're not one of those directors who tell you how you should act. They just set the scene for you well. And whenever you give some feedback to them, they're not very reactive people. So when you give them feedback, it may just feel like, did I say the right thing or did I make sense at all? But when the material comes back to you, you see traces of your discussion. This is why they are people who've done so much quality work. It's very heartening to see that even after having such success, you're so collaborative and wanting to hear what the other person has to say. We were an eclectic bunch. Kay Kay Menon is a masterclass. You will read a line on script and you're like, okay, we'll do it like this. But he just finds this new, organic way to do it. And he would surprise you so much with his performance. Both me and Varun, in fact, we used to just keep looking at him. He is so much in sync with himself and his craft. The beauty of Varun is his excitement and the fact that he is still the same man. He still committed. He still wants to do one more take and do better. You enjoy when people really want to work. He feels like if you're taking one more shot, he could do better. And that attitude, I really love it. Because he's also had an interesting body of work behind him. And he's had his share of successes. But that thing hasn't diminished in him. That he really wants to give his best. Then we had Samantha. Who I've met for the first time she's a firecracker. I have so much love and respect for her. Because of course she was going through what she was otherwise. But at no point that became an excuse. It was like this big set is here to do this action piece and we'll pull it off. So I genuinely learned that about her and how to just keep going. I made good friends with Sikandar on this. To a point that I asked him to act in a film that I was producing. Everybody came in with that mindset: let's have fun, let’s do good.” (From left) Saqib Saleem with Raj Nidimoru, Varun Dhawan and Krishna DK We quote to him a video that’s going viral of him and Kay Kay. “I get at least 10 tags a day on social media somewhere. But I'm very happy, yaar, this is what I hear, right? Ki agar memes banne lag jaye toh somewhere the shows hit home.” Clearly, shooting the series was a creatively satisfying experience for Saleem. Yet, things took a different turn when it came to the show’s promotions. The actor was absent from all the events, beginning with the trailer launch to pre-release promotions. It got the internet talking about the 2020 episode when Disney+ Hotstar announced its seven-film slate, but did not invite two of the films’ leading heroes Kunal Kemmu and Vidyut Jammwal for the virtual event. At the time, the two actors had spoken about the lack of level-playing field in the industry. Evidently, things haven’t improved despite the discourse. Saleem explains, “If you talk about my absence from the trailer launch to the premiere, I'm a very simple guy. So when you see the trailer you see that, of course, there's a certain narrative that these guys - the makers and the creators want to take. And they feel like it's in the betterment of the show. When I saw the trailer, I'm like, okay, this is the narrative you want to take. I would like to clarify it's not like I wasn't invited for the trailer launch. I decided, okay, I'll only talk when you show the impact of my character. I can only talk there. I love myself and respect myself. And I've worked really hard to be in the position that I am. So I really respect that position. So it's okay if there's a narrative you want to follow. I don't want to come walk in there and be detrimental to that narrative. I want the show to fare well. I also don't want people to ask me, what are you doing in this? So I'm like, okay, whenever the show's out, it's better to talk then. So there's no grouse or bad blood or animosity or anything of that sort. Yeah, they took a narrative that they wanted to take. And whether I agree or don't agree, it doesn't matter because the team wanted to take it. I thought, okay, let's wait this one out. I'm very sure of what the impact of my part is. Let the show come out. And today, the show's release has been two weeks and I have been on calls since 8.30 am. Usually people disappear after the release happens, right? So I just thought, okay, let's try this route. Do I blame the world for it or I crib about it and say, oh, how unfair? Not really. I don't take things like that. I've moved on. I'm starting to do my next now. I don't try and be like, oh, the industry's such a bad place. It's unfair for the outsiders. It's unfair for everybody." We bring up the nature of the systemic disadvantage at play here. It’s widely believed that the industry has its cliques, and if you don’t belong to one of them, you get sidelined. Saleem reflects, “It's the way things work. A lot of people think about me that he's just a lazy actor. He doesn't work a lot. But to get each opportunity, you have to work really hard. So when things don't go as per plan as you thought that they would go with this opportunity. Does it feel bad? 100%. But it's just, I feel like there are two ways to look at life. One is to keep crying about how wrong I was. Like, okay, this happened to me. I tried this and this happened. Let me prepare better or do something different so that this doesn't happen to me again. I'm okay faltering. It’s not my mistake, but being in a situation. But can I avoid this going forward? Because it's going to be difficult. It's going to be very difficult with what you want to do.You want the whole country to love you. That's what you're aiming for, right? To make that happen, you'll cross several of these speed breakers. For the sake of your mental health, you say - nothing is easy in the world and see the positive side of it and start thinking about what to do next. I feel like everybody knows what they've signed up for. With the advent of OTT at least more voices are coming to the fore. Before this, when I came to Bombay in 2011, there was - either you did TV or films. And films were only options for theatrical films. Now, as an actor who's come from the outside, he's getting a chance to show his work to people, if the industry is still not wanting to see it. Do such work that the common man is saying, it's good. And if the common man is saying it's good, then somehow that will translate for more work. That's the only way. I don't wish this journey on anyone. I came here when I was 20. Right now I'm 36. It's been 16 years since I have reached this place. It's a very difficult road. On some days you feel am I doing the right thing? Because how you see yourself, a lot of people here don't see you. People always want to try to undercut you. That is the line of work we're in. They are always figuring, if he had this much last Friday, then he's worth this much right now. After a point, talent doesn't do much. No matter how good you are, it is a numbers game. So you focus on doing your bit and hoping people find you." And people have. The actor cites the example of director Sudhir Mishra, with whom he is collaborating on a series. “It was therapeutic to work with Sudhir Mishra. He knocks on some interesting doors inside of you as an actor. He takes you to places and gives you the confidence the industry erodes from you,” says Saleem. He is also producing films under the banner that he has rolled out with his actor-sister Huma Qureshi. “We’ve put together a couple of films that should release next year. I’m also developing a film for myself.”
22 November,2024 07:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuADVERTISEMENT
