Be it plays, TV shows like Nukkad, acclaimed movies like Bagh Bahadur, Pardes, Black Friday and Rustom, or OTT projects, Pavan Raj Malhotra has aced every medium in his nearly four-decade long career. The veteran actor, who was in Ahmedabad to attend the Karnavati Literature and Film Festival 2023 as a speaker, was at his candid best during the session and spoke at length about his journey in showbiz. Excerpts:

I used to do a lot of theatre, but I never thought that I would get a chance to do films. I would think, Mumbai mein kaun mujhe kaam dega? My dad would always tell me, ‘Theatre kar ke kuch nahi hone wala, you must join our family business.’

In Mumbai, right from Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai and Chetan Anand to Govind Nihalani, I met all big directors, but nobody gave me work. But eventually, I worked with many of them and I have learnt that jo aap ke hisse mein hoga, woh aap ko right time pe milega. Most of the work I did after that fell into my lap. I never thought that I would become so successful and I am grateful for all the love I have received.

Also, one important lesson that I have learnt over the years is that no matter how successful you become, you must remain grounded. The beauty of our profession is that it always keeps you on your toes and every role comes with a new challenge. There’s no such thing as going beyond the script, sab kuch script mein hi hota hai.

Also, it’s always a delight to work with filmmakers who have an eye for talent. For instance, who other than Satyajit Ray could have thought of Amjad Khan as Wajid Ali Shah in Shatranj Ke Khilari, especially after he had played Gabbar? I am also happy to see realistic cinema getting its due. So, the exposure that OTT has ensured for our audience has brought about a welcome change.