Rinky Kumar (DNA; February 5, 2018)

With his boy-next-door looks, toothy grin and candid demeanour, it’s hard to imagine Amit Sadh as an alcoholic cop who is battling his own demons. But the actor has managed to infuse life in his role of Kabir Sawant in Amazon Prime Video’s new show Breathe. The 34-year-old’s performance as an inspector, who is caught between grappling with the accidental death of his daughter and solving a series of murders, has been appreciated.

It has been a long and arduous journey for the actor, who started off from television with shows such as Kyun Hota Hai Pyarr (2002-2004), Bigg Boss (2006), Guns & Roses (2005) and transitioned into cinema. Though he shot into the limelight with Kai Po Che (2013) and was seen in one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema, Sultan (2016), his other films such as Guddu Rangeela, Akira, Running Shaadi and Sarkar 3 failed to make an impact at the box office. 

Ask the actor if Breathe has been a redemption of sorts and he jokes, “Der aaye durust aaye, main toh apna bag pack karke gaon wapas jaanewala tha.” In a freewheeling chat, Amit talks about venturing into the digital space, his film choices, and how he has bounced back from failures.

How tough was it for you to play a scarred man in Breathe?
This has been one of my most difficult roles till date. Kabir is a protector, a saviour but ends up losing his daughter when she is playing with his revolver and gets killed accidentally. This guilt haunts him consistently. He lives in darkness but he’s not a dark guy. And that’s what makes him endearing and compels you to root for him.

I too have had a challenging past. So, I understood his pain. While filming the series, I didn’t socialise for almost three months. Before the shoot, I didn’t sleep for days together, so that my eyes looked red and swollen. When we were shooting, I felt Kabir’s pain every day.

What prompted you to take up this role? The fact that you would play such a complex character or you were getting an opportunity to foray into the digital space?
I react to stories and Kabir’s story is powerful. Today, we have more compassion and empathy for people who are damaged. Ten years ago, if anyone would commit a mistake, we would discard that person so he/she would be apprehensive about coming out into the open with their true emotions. Having said that, when I learnt that the series would be presented in over 200 countries and people would watch an Indian story, I was blown away. And that is the power of the digital platform. When you are watching a show on a streaming channel, the effect is immediate. It affects your psyche and the relationship that you share with a character on screen is much deeper and intense.

Kai Po Che had won such great reviews but somehow it didn’t materialise into lucrative roles for you later on...
Everyone had liked my acting in the film but no one was upfront about it. I was upset at that time. Also, I realised that in this industry, there are people who have already made up their minds that they will endorse you. There have been instances when they have told me that they’ve liked my performance but haven’t tweeted or endorsed me on social media. Behind my back, they would say, ‘Amit is a theek-thaak actor but not hero material.’ Now, these things no longer affect me. My funda is, ‘If you don’t like me, I don’t have to hate you.’ I don’t want anyone’s endorsement. If the public likes my work, they will support me. I have immense confidence in myself. I consider myself lucky that I have had a slow journey and there have been ups and downs in it.

You must have had high expectations from Sarkar 3, as you had an important role in it and were sharing screen space with Amitabh Bachchan. How difficult was it for you to come to terms with the fact that it didn’t do well at the BO?
It all depends on how you perceive things. For me, it was an honour to get to do a film with Mr Bachchan, stand in the same frame as him and play his grandson on screen. Today, when I meet him, he recognizes me. What more can I ask for?

After featuring in multi-hero projects like Kai Po Che and Guddu Rangeela, Running Shaadi had you in a solo lead. Did its dismal box office performance upset you?
If it would have fared well at the box office, then you would have called me ‘a hero’. Unfortunately in Bollywood, if your film is a flop, your acting is considered flop too. I don’t think my performance was bad in it. Also, the movie was stuck for four years. It was shot in 2013 and was slated to release on April 14, but it finally opened in cinemas in 2017. By then, the audience was already exposed to a diverse content on various platforms. Moreover, it wasn’t promoted too well before it finally hit the marquee. But you know what? I don’t want to make any excuses.

How do you deal with failure?
Mr Bachchan often recites a line by his father Harivanshrai Bachchan which is, ‘Mann ka ho toh accha…na ho toh zyaada achcha.’ I follow this saying to the T. When a film doesn’t do too well at the box office, I just get up the next day and work harder. I know that as a human being, all of us will get our due. Pondering about your past isn’t going to take you anywhere. It will only make you less fruitful towards what you have in your hands currently.

What is your take on nepotism? Do you feel star kids have it much easier as compared to others who have to make a mark on their own? 
Whether it’s Bollywood or politics, nepotism is rampant in India. Now, there should be fair trade. People who are talented should get their work and due. And it’s happening gradually. The proof lies in the fact that I’m doing such an important role in Gold. I auditioned for it and got it. Unfortunately, I can’t talk much about the part right now. 

Will we see you on television again? You started off your career with it…
I don’t think that kind of content is being made on television right now which I would like to be a part of. Having said that, I don’t look down at television. After all, that’s where I started off from.

You have worked in TV, cinema and digital. They are different yet alike in many ways…
It’s good to be part of different mediums so that you are engaging with different kinds of audience. As an artiste, I’m happy that I have the ability and opportunity to be a part of all these three mediums. Now, I also want to do theatre.