The combination of thrill and humour was intriguing enough for Sunil Grover to sign Blackout, directed by Devang Shashin Bhavsar. Sharing screen space with Vikrant Massey was a bonus. Grover says that he learnt more than a few things while performing with the actor.

“Vikrant was simultaneously shooting for another project. Yet, he was fresh on set. Also, he was very sure of what he was doing. I liked that about him. I also saw a sense of detachment in him—after he had performed a scene, he’d switch off, and then was back in the mood as we started another scene,” he says.

The comedy thriller, which plays out over one night, is Grover’s first Hindi film release since the Shah Rukh Khan-led blockbuster, Jawan (2023). The actor, who burst on the scene with his Gutthi act, says the Atlee-directed action fare has taken his career in a new direction.

“I was surprised with the way my negative character was received in Jawan. Since then, people have started looking at me differently,” he says, adding that he is happy to go beyond the image of a funnyman.

“Now, I am getting offers that challenge me as an actor. I want to be a part of stories where my character has his own journey.”