Prejudice runs deep in Bollywood. Like television actors, YouTubers also face this bigotry. “They feel we can only make funny videos,” says Sahil Khattar, who made his web film debut with 200 Halla Ho and runs the YouTube channel, Khattarnaak. Determined to prove that they can act, and as more YouTubers, including Prajakta Koli, Ajey Nagar, and Bhuvan Bam, cross over, Khattar hopes to break the bias.

He makes his Bollywood debut in Kabir Khan’s Christmas release, '83. “Things are changing with film folk now realising that YouTubers can do all sorts of roles. I remember during the auditions for another project, the producer had reservations and told me, ‘But you are a YouTuber’.”

Khattar plays Syed Kirmani in the Ranveer Singh-starrer based on India’s cricket World Cup victory in 1983. He admits that he initially had reservations about choosing it as his Bollywood launchpad as “there were too many leading actors”. But his uncanny resemblance to the legendary wicket-keeper clinched the deal. He describes the months of cricket training under veteran Balwinder Singh Sandhu as full of “sweat blood and tears”.

Khattar has played roller hockey so, “athleticism and agility came naturally to me. I spent time with Kirmani sir to observe his mannerisms. When I am put at the deep end, I can rise above”.

On sharing screen space with Singh, who plays Kapil Dev, Khattar says, “He is a bundle of energy and so am I. When we met it was a volcano meeting a tornado. Ranveer was not just a reel captain but also a real-life mentor. He helped me get rid of my inhibitions of acting with a star.” Khattar recalls his encounter with Deepika Padukone who essays Romi, Dev’s wife.

“One day unannounced, she walked in on the set. We made small talk and I called her Bhabhi, but she kept telling me to call her Deepika, and refer to Ranveer as jiju. Now that would make her my sister, there was no way I would accept that. That joke broke the ice and I got relaxed,” concludes Khattar.

-----------------------

Looks matter a lot to actors but Sahil Khattar feels that it’s not an actor’s good looks but his overall personality and talent that matter.

The 200: Halla Ho actor elaborates, “If you are a good actor then you will automatically look good in a character. The difference between a good looking actor and a bad looking one is just good and bad acting. Some people look damn good but can’t act to save their lives, and some people are not that great looking yet are the biggest superstars in the world.”

He reasons that every time you see an actor on-screen, it’s a character and not the real person that one sees. “That’s the difference. And yes, there is some pressure to look good off-screen too,” says Khattar, who believes in being himself because it’s the personality that matters the most to him.

“On social media, if guys post something out of the world, they gain followers, if girls show skin, they gain followers, but people also gain followers if talented. For me, a person’s nature is more important than their looks. I don’t feel the pressure of looking good on social media,” he confesses, adding, “Having said that, to each their own. It’s fine to experiment but one shouldn’t go overboard and lose their identity.”

Khattar admits that he loves Ranveer Singh’s experimental choices and style. “In women, Sonam Kapoor is stylish and often experiments and reinvents. Deepika Padukone too looks damn good in whatever she wears,” says the actor, who will be seen in the sports biopic '83.