Almost 13 years after Taare Zameen Par, then-child actor Darsheel Safary says he is struggling to shed on-screen image as he kicks off two plays
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; February 10, 2020)

As the 22-year-old actor talks about his brush with theatre, one can see flashes of the buck-toothed kid who, 13 years ago, had become an overnight star with Taare Zameen Par. "Kaise Karenge? and Two Adorable Losers are comic capers. So, people are telling me, 'Thank God you will make the audience laugh now, after you made them sob in Taare Zameen Par,'" grins Darsheel Safary, talking about his two plays lined up this month.

All of nine when he shared screen space with Aamir Khan in the drama, Safary knew that he wanted to pursue acting thereon. One would imagine that the raging success of the 2008 film would have eased his way into the industry, but the youngster says that, over a decade on, he is still struggling to shed that image. "Years have passed, but to everyone, I am still that child. They [continue to] associate me with the role. They are shocked to see how I look today."

When not rehearsing for his plays, the young actor does the rounds of auditions for "cool, out-of-the-box" roles. "I have been having a series of meetings and narrations. But until everything is finalised, there is no point talking about them," says Safary, who burnt his fingers in 2017 with Quickie. The coming-of-age film was touted to be his debut vehicle as a leading hero but did not take off. Wiser after the episode, he states, "I am focussing on theatre now. It is helping me as an actor; it has made me more confident and alert."

MID-DAY (May 29, 2017)

Popular television actress Shweta Tiwari might be on a break, but managed to stay in news over the past weekend. Hours after rumours of her death circulated, news poured in about her teenage daughter, Palak, gearing up for her Bollywood debut. She is said to have been paired opposite Taare Zameen Par’s (2007) child actor Darsheel Safary in a film titled Quickie.

“Yes, Palak is making her film debut. She is in talks for a film with Darsheel too. The official statement will be out soon,” Shweta told PTI. Palak, 17, is Shweta’s daughter with Bhojpuri actor Raja Chaudhary, who she divorced in 2007 after nine years of marriage following domestic abuse. Shweta then tied the knot with actor Abhinav Kohli in 2013. The couple had a baby boy last November.