Building a futuristic world from scratch, fuelled by ideas and imagination, can be a rewarding experience. Creator Anand Gandhi’s conviction in the imaginative universe that he was creating for OK Computer made Vijay Varma give his nod to the project. “We sat down for five months and understood their vision, which they had crafted over the last few years. This is a satire, and the pursuit was to ensure it’s consistently funny. Anand is brimming with ideas. He spots potential, and his faith in me was inspiring,” begins Varma, who along with Radhika Apte, leads the sci-fi web series that is set in 2031.

At a time when we are heavily dependent on our gadgets, the Disney+ Hotstar offering points out how technology has started ruling mankind. “The narrative unfolds like a debate, weighing in the pros and cons of technology. It also offers a perspective on how to navigate when technology misfires. Since we haven’t seen a sci-fi film in a while, this show is a stepping stone to building the genre. The genre is begging to be done justice to.”

Interestingly, Varma’s cop character is named Saajan, inspired by Irrfan’s memorable turn in The Lunchbox (2013). He remembers that the late actor was battling cancer when they shot the show. “Now that we are in the midst of promotions, the reality of his untimely departure is hitting home. He created a quiet, melancholic character, and using his name is a tribute to the man who taught me the most.”

Besides web show Mirzapur, the actor has a big-ticket film in Darlings that sees him play husband to Alia Bhatt. What’s his modus operandi to juggle OTT and movies? “To say no a lot,” laughs Varma, who burst on the scene with Gully Boy (2019). “But once you say yes, you go all in. I’ve been a fan of their [Bhatt and Shefali Shah] works. I can’t wait to create this husband-wife chemistry, with a sprinkling of mother-in-law drama [from Shah].”

Director Anand Gandhi serves a generous dose of quirk with OK Computer, the Vijay Varma and Radhika Apte-led sci-fi comedy that is set in the year 2031. Interestingly, the web series sees Jackie Shroff essay the role of Pushpak, a cult leader who abhors the materialistic way of life and believes in going au naturel. 

Sharing his look from the show with mid-day, the senior actor says he lent an air of abandon to the part. “Playing a character who is practically not wearing any clothes throughout the show comes with its challenges, but one can overcome them by lending a personal touch to the role. I feel my personal eccentricity worked well for the character and the story,” he says.

In a particularly tricky scene of the Disney+ Hotstar series, Varma’s character is seen carrying Pushpak on his back. Discussing the sequence, Shroff says, “My brief was simple — to not give a damn about anything. It was Vijay who had to portray the complex feeling of seeing a naked man standing in front of him, and then arrest him. Both of us tried to make it as hilarious as possible.”