After nearly 18 years, Arjan Bajwa has reunited with filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for The Wives, which marks their first collaboration since Fashion (2008), a turning point in his career.

He says, “My association with Madhur sir has been beyond films. He treats me like a younger brother. We socialize, party and travel together. After Fashion, our professional relationship turned into a longstanding friendship. Being part of a successful film opposite Priyanka Chopra, with a National Award-winning director like him, was a defining experience. And here we are, collaborating again after many years because he believes in my talent, sincerity and ability to carry out his vision. I also have complete faith in his commitment to his craft as a filmmaker.”

Another filmmaker he holds in equally high regard is Mani Ratnam, with whom he worked in Guru early in his career, an experience that shaped his understanding of cinema.

Arjan shares, “I consider myself fortunate to have worked with Mani Ratnam sir on one of his most ambitious projects, Guru. At that stage, I had limited understanding of cinema beyond my role. These are things you learn over time, especially if you don’t come from a film background. I did not have that environment, so whatever I learnt came through the films I worked on. Having said that, it is always work in progress for any actor at any stage of their career. While Madhur sir keeps a very light-hearted approach on set, everyone used to be on their toes with Mani sir.”

Speaking about the challenges of navigating the industry without backing, he admits that the lack of guidance has had a direct impact on his journey. He says, “When you are an outsider without any support system, PR machinery or a mentor, opportunities are often missed or delayed. It affects your trajectory as an actor and can sometimes lead to signing the wrong films as well. I have been through all of that because there was no one to guide me about the workings of the film business.”

He adds, “While my filmography includes several landmark films and collaborations with big directors, there have been instances when I did not feel accomplished or content. It matters who is backing you and giving you multiple films even when things are not going your way. In spite of all the odds, I know I am here for the long run, having completed 29 films in different languages and made my international debut with the India-Taiwan collaboration Demon Hunters. I can only depend on my craft, sincerity, professionalism, and capability as an actor and hope for the best results. The rest is a matter of time.”

After testing the waters in Bollywood and south Indian films, Arjan Bajwa is heading for greener pastures. The actor is set to feature in his first international project — Demon Hunters, an Indo-Taiwanese co-production. Directed by Mei-Juin Chen, this action-horror comedy is currently in post-production and is slated to release later this year.

“The story and subject are both interesting, and offer a fresh take on two cultures coming together in one film,” shares the actor, who took it upon himself to learn the language before the shoot.

As the only Indian actor on set, Bajwa says the cast and crew made him feel at home, but he was determined to overcome the language barrier. “I went to Taiwan 15 days before the shoot started, as we had a lot of action rehearsals to do. At the same time, I took one hour of Mandarin lessons every day. Even though I spoke mostly in English in the film, it was important to get familiar with the language,” explained the actor. He hopes that being well-versed in the language will open more doors for him.

Heavy on action and VFX, Demon Hunters is produced by Lighthouse Productions (Taiwan) and Kleos Entertainment (India). Bajwa is confident that playing the lead in an Indo-Taiwanese film will make people sit up and take notice.

“Taiwanese films are high on emotions and action. Demon Hunters has a lot of elements that are new and different for the audience to watch and experience. It’s a VFX-heavy project, and includes more than 600 VFX shots,” says the actor. Bajwa will next be seen in the crime thriller Second Chance, directed by Sachin Karande.