Vikas Kumar is set to reprise his role of a cop in Aarya 2, the trailer of which dropped online yesterday. Discussing showcasing a gay cop on screen, he says, “It is refreshing to see such a character, and that is why I took it up. The character [has been written] as one who belongs to a minority group, and has [different] sexual [preferences]. Season one was about my occupation, but season two will also highlight other factors.”

As ACP Khan, a cop in the narcotics department who is in search of a pen-drive that is linked to a drug racket, Kumar shares screen space with Sushmita Sen in the Ram Madhvani-helmed venture. It will air on Disney+ Hotstar.

Talking about the portrayal of homosexual characters in Hindi films, he says, “It puts me off when I see [some portrayals], and that’s why we decided to showcase it differently. I hope Aarya sets a benchmark on that front. In a bid to create sensationalism, and add shock value, [filmmakers] make such roles caricaturish. But, in Aarya, we treated his relationship, like a relationship. We showcased the role with sensitivity. Some dialogues were improvised by me.”

Kumar acknowledges the fear of being easily typecast in the industry, but says it doesn’t keep him from green-lighting roles that he can showcase with deft. “I am open to exploring the different kind of roles [I am offered]. As actors, we always try to [avoid] being typecast. As long as I can treat the part with sensitivity, I am  happy to be part of it.”