Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 24, 2018)

A few weeks ago, actor Anupam Kher celebrated his 37-year-long journey in Mumbai with a local train ride from CSMT station to Bandra. Today, his son, actor Sikandar Kher has a reason to rejoice. The actor is back in the reckoning. Last week, he joined John Abraham and the team of Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW), on a set that has recreated the milieu of 1971. The espionage thriller is currently being shot in the city and will soon travel to Gujarat and Nepal.

Sikandar, who plays John’s nemesis in the film, says, “I’ve only shot for two days and it has been great. I got a chance to work with John, which is awesome, because he’s cool and has so much experience in getting this far on his own. His experience will definitely teach me a thing or two. Robbie Grewal (director) is damn good to work with.”

He adds, “The prep for this film has been more mental than physical. Though preps fill you with confidence, you’re still nervous while facing the camera on the first day. Yes, you’re armed to take on your part, but there is a degree of excitement and anxiety.”

Ask him how it feels to be part of a reasonably big-ticket project, and the actor says, “Today, my priority is to get more work. That is the energy I send out into the universe when I go out there and ask for work. I audition, I reach out to people and when I get the work, I tell my parents about it. They have never made calls for me and I’d be really embarrassed if they did. It feels great to tell friends, ‘Yaar, I’m not available, I am caught up with work today’.”

Sikandar believes that there is no better teacher than failure. After trying hard to find his feet in the industry, facing numerous box-office duds and dabbling in television, the actor seems to have turned wiser and stronger. He elaborates, “I have not had hits; none of my films have done well which is great because you learn the most from failure and it makes you stronger. It has taught me never to get very excited about anything. It’s detachment in a good way, which is taught in the Bhagavad Gita.”