The Dhadak actress talks about the lessons she has learnt during this phase and her biggest fears and insecurities
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2020)

The lockdown has impacted all of us in many ways. How has it affected you and what changes do you see in yourself today?
The lockdown has made me realise that the human mind has an astonishing ability to adapt to or normalise any routine that you follow long enough. Before the lockdown, my life was hectic and that was normal for me. So, the first few days of the lockdown were tough, but then, this became normal. This phase has taught me patience and made me reevaluate my priorities. I am happier when I work, but I have managed to stay happy and positive through the lockdown. This phase has been a revelation to me because I always thought that I need to be on a film set to be happy. We visualise our future in our head, but when things don’t go according to our plans, we need to accept that there are bigger things at play. Happiness actually lies in little things.

Initially, people were worried about how we’d adjust to the long lockdown period. After the lockdown, do you think we will struggle to get back to our normal life as well?
At least for me, I’ll be rejuvenated post the lockdown. People like me, who have been lucky to stay at home and have the resources that we need to survive, should ideally approach life post lockdown with more vigour and passion. There’s so much pent-up energy in all of us that if we channel it in the right direction, it will give us a fresh perspective and momentum.

Your recent social media post on minimalism — how little we actually need in life and valuing the things we take for granted — was touching. What triggered that thought?
I enjoy writing. I hadn’t written for a long time, but once the lockdown started, I got back to it. I had no intention of posting what I had written. I shared it with a friend and he suggested that I post it. There was a period during the lockdown when I had become inactive on social media. With everything that’s happening around, I didn’t feel like saying anything except for sharing that note on Instagram.

What is your biggest fear or insecurity?
My biggest fear is losing someone I love. I also fear that people who I love might not know how much they mean to me. I feel the need to constantly reassure them that I love them, because I don’t think I did that for a while with the people that I should have. At this stage of my life and career, I want to learn. So, I get anxious when I am not on a film set. I am agitated when I am not working creatively.

The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown everyone’s timetable off the chart, including film releases. Your movie, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, was scheduled to release, too...
My film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (a biopic on Gunjan Saxena, the first female Indian Air Force pilot in combat) was scheduled to release in April, and Roohi-Afza (horror comedy with Rajkummar Rao), late this summer. We were supposed to finish the shoot of Dostana 2 and release it this year and then, start shooting for Takht. But, right now, our main priority is to recover as a nation. You can’t worry about these things as there are bigger issues to deal with for all of us.

Starting 2020 on a high note with her web debut, Janhvi Kapoor is excited to have four film releases this year
Monika Rawal Kukreja (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 3, 2020)

It has been over a year-and-a-half that Janhvi Kapoor has had a release since her debut film, Dhadak. And, the actor is set to cover up for this gap in 2020. In fact, she has started that right in the beginning of the year with her web anthology film, Ghost Stories, that’s already out. She has four more films — Rooohi Afza, Dostana 2, Gunjan Saxena and Takht — lined up. In a freewheeling conversation, Janhvi talks about her digital debut, how it’s exciting to be a part of films that offer variety but at the same time, why she’s not a fan of putting them into any box.

Has it been a conscious call to experiment with extreme genres in your upcoming films?
People like to divide cinema into commercial or art, but I think it’s stupid to put labels on films. Every good film that has resonated with people has had something honest or fresh to say. If a film follows a specific criteria but is hollow and made with wrong intentions, it’s not going to touch anyone’s lives. So, all the films I’m doing, aspire to say something in whatever way — comedy, horror or drama.

How easy or tough was it to be part of a horror comedy, Roohi-Afza?
It’s one of the most exciting, challenging, complicated, physically demanding and emotionally taxing roles that I’ve had the privilege of doing.

With Dostana 2, do you fear there would be comparisons with the first instalment?
Dostana (2009) became a cult classic and I hope we match that standard, fun, energy and glamour. But the story, characters and the sets are completely different and what we’ve to say is a little more emotional.

Next is a period drama, Takht. Have you already started prepping for your role?
Full-fledged prep will start soon. But when I signed the film, I immediately started learning kathak and Urdu. Although I knew we’ll shoot it almost a year later, I’ve been so fascinated by this era.

At such a young age, with a period drama like Takht, do you think there’s too much at stake?
I guess so, but I feel it’s something that might come more naturally to me than contemporary roles because I’ve subscribed to that cinema more. I prefer watching older films. Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Pakeezah (1972), Umrao Jaan (1981)… I’ve been obsessed with them and can relate to them.

You’ve just made your digital debut on Netflix with Ghost Stories. Was it more of a challenge to pick up this risky genre?
Today, I get asked a lot of technical questions about what went through my head while choosing this film, but for me it was just about working with Zoya Akhtar. The fact that the script and the character were so intriguing, moving and beautifully written, was a massive cherry on top.

As an audience, how much do you relate to horror as a genre?
I love watching horror films and observe the performances in particular. The girl who played Emily Rose in The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) did such a phenomenal job with her body language and voice. I loved Vidya Balan in Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) and Jyotika in Chandramukhi (2005).

At this stage of your career, what prompted you to make your debut on the digital platform?
I didn’t think it through like that. I think, web is a great place for content that you can’t otherwise have the freedom of exploring in feature films. Even the directors on these digital platforms don’t feel the pressure of commercial viability.

Was it taxing to switch between characters while shooting for your web film and other projects?
I didn’t have more than a day apart in between my shoots for Roohi Afza, Gunjan Saxena and Ghost Stories, and that was tough. Honestly, I was a little paranoid if I’m giving it enough, if I’m doing justice to this opportunity, if I’m present enough. There was a lot going on, but I really enjoyed that momentous phase.

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 24, 2019)

During her recent turn on No Filter Neha, Janhvi Kapoor confessed that she was “stalker-ish obsessive” about her Roohi Afza co-star, Rajkummar Rao, even professing her love for him on the social media once as he wouldn’t take her calls or answer her messages. She went on to admit that the actor only said, “Thank you so much for your kind words” when quizzed about it during an interview. The actress had kind words for Ishaan Khatter, with whom she made her debut in Dhadak. “He has the purest of intentions and the purest heart, and he has the dreamiest eyes,” she raved, adding, “We’re better as friends; we fight a lot.” She went on to share that she wants to gift him better caps. “He has this grey hat... I stole it and hid it in my house,” Janhvi chuckled.

Talking about her debut, she thanked Sara Ali Khan for not giving a nod to the film. “Things panned out well for her with the decisions she made and for me with the decisions she made and the decisions I made so...” she smiled. And when the host asked her if she viewed Sara as competition, Janhvi reasoned, “I get motivated when I see her. There’s so much to learn from her, Ananya (Panday) and Tara (Sutaria). I think that we will all make our place in this industry.”

Dinesh Vijan on his next, which tells Ayushmann Khurrana’s bald story, and informs that plagiarism case against him is withdrawn
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 4, 2019)

For someone who has been redefining content with films like Badlapur, Hindi Medium and Stree, it must feel like a bad dream to be accused of plagiarism by the makers of Ujda Chaman. Yet, you have chosen to remain silent on the charges.
When something like this happens, a part of you wants to explain yourself. But since we were just three weeks away from release, I needed to see my film through without losing focus. It will be out this Friday and then you will know that Bala is a completely original concept. We are credible filmmakers. Forget a subject, I’ve never even signed a director working for another production house.

How did the issue blow up?
Before we started, Luv Ranjan and Kumar ji (Mangat, producer of Ujda Chaman) approached me on the similarity in the plots of the two films. Since Kumar ji’s film was a remake of a Kannada film (Ondu Motteya Kathe) I didn’t need to listen to his subject, but I narrated mine to Luv who assured us that there was no resemblance between the two. Twenty days after we wrapped up, they went on the floors. I reiterate our film is nothing like the South film or the 2011 Hindi film Hair Is Falling or any other on the subject. More than hair loss, Bala propogates self-love. There are things we don’t like about ourselves, be it our hair, height, or complexion, yet, it’s important that we love ourselves for others to love us. That’s what our film is about and it’s Ayushmann’s (Khurrana) best performance to date. He’s known for brave choices but this one is all heart.

Why, then, did you push the release forward, from November 22 to November 8?
After Karan (Johar) called to say that his Bhoot was moving, we thought of coming with Bala on November 8. My studio partners felt that with November 11 being Guru Nanak’s birthday and a holiday, it'd give us an extended weekend and a two-week run at the box-office.

What’s the status on the plagiarism cases against you? Even Dr Zeus threatened legal action for recreating his song, “Don’t Be Shy”.
The Ujda Chaman makers have withdrawn their case and as far as the song goes, we have officially taken the rights from Kamran Entertainment, the copyright owner of the original song.

Some don’t like the fact that Bhumi Pednekar’s skin tone has been inordinately darkened on screen since she is playing a dusky girl...
Bhumi is an actor playing a character which demanded this, just like Ayushmann’s Bala needed him to sport a balding pate. The idea here is to sensitise people with respect to terms like ‘takla’ and ‘kala’, which begin as jokes in school and whose scars we carry all our life, unless we can love ourselves for who we are.

What went wrong with Arjun Patiala and Made In China?
The former, as a spoof, fell flat. I stand by Made In China’s script and its intentions. Raj (Rajkummar Rao) was outstanding. I think we faltered with the release date. If Agent Vinod taught me to be brave with Badlapur, and Raabta with Stree and Luka Chuppi, Made In China has made me realise the importance of timing a release right.

Given how big a hit Stree was last year, we had expected Roohi Afza, which is in the same genre, to arrive before the year was out.
We started filming only three months ago and still have two songs to shoot, followed by four months of post-production. A film, like a baby, takes nine months to deliver. Roohi Afza, my first film with Janhvi (Kapoor) and my third with Raj, comes in April 2020. In March 2021, we plan to release another horror-comedy, Munjha, which goes on the floors next year in August. All three— Stree, Roohi Afza and Munjha—will have a part 2 which will arrive over the next five years, three years after the original opened, each answering the question the first part ended with. Then, all three will come together in my horror universe in a series of two films which deal with the bigger picture and a larger conflict. All of them and their sequels are being written by separate writers and will be made by different directors over eight years. Now, isn’t that exciting?

Very much so. Now, tell us about the Love Aaj Kal sequel. Can Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan’s real-life split affect its box-office prospects?
I didn’t even know Sara and Kartik were dating. They are both strong actors who have the love of the audience, and with Imtiaz Ali, the master of heartbreaks, telling us how love has changed in the last decade, I am confident this film will be a much-awaited 2020 Valentine Day release. I remember little Sara present at the pooja when we started Love Aaj Kal with her father (Saif Ali Khan). Now, she’s the leading lady of the sequel. Taking the journey forward with her, Imtiaz and Kartik, with whom I had a hit in Luka Chuppi earlier this year, has been heart-warming.

The Irrfan Khan-starrer Angrezi Medium followup to Hindi Medium was another reunion project for you. What was that journey like?
There is an almost Sufi quality to Irrfan now. He’s made me realise that the mind is living our lives, making us chase success instead of valuing the here and now. Thanks to my mother, Irrfan and my wife Pramita, I’ve become a better person—calmer, more balanced and mature. I’m still passionate about my work, but when I go home now, I can disconnect and feel grateful for all that I have. Perhaps that’s why the recent controversies didn’t rattle me, nor do box-office results. You can’t get it right every time, but it’s important to work with good people, give my best and enjoy the moment.

That’s why it’s exciting to reunite with not just Irrfan on this film but also Homi Adajania. I started my career with his directorial Being Cyrus, and have collaborated with him on Cocktail, Finding Fanny and now Angrezi Medium. My Badlapur director-actor duo, Sriram Raghavan and Varun Dhawan, and I have also joined hands on the biopic of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. The film is a big responsibility towards the late martyr's brother Mukesh Khetarpal and to the Indian army. It’s wonderful when actors, writers and directors trust you enough to want to work with you again.

You’ve reunuited with your Luka Chuppi director, Laxman Utekar, and actress Kriti Sanon too on Mimi but isn’t she a little too young to play a mother?
Mimi, the remake of Marathi film, Mala Aai Vhhaychay, is about surrogacy and till it was banned, it was young girls who agreed to be surrogates to support their families. This young girl wants to be an actress but ends up becoming a mother. I believe a child gives birth to a mother and if with Laxman sir’s help, Kriti who has not experienced motherhood yet, can bridge that gap between herself and her character, Mimi will be her best performance.

After piling on six kilos for Kargil Girl, Janhvi Kapoor sheds 10 kilos for RoohiAfza only to gain muscle for the Georgia leg of Gunjan Saxena biopic
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 29, 2019)

Before she gave her first shot for the tentatively titled Kargil Girl, Janhvi Kapoor was hard at work at the gym, for weeks, with celebrity trainer Namrata Purohit (below). Their brief — "to make Janhvi look slightly plump," says the fitness expert. If the actor reached the milestone within 45 days, the duo has a tougher fitness goal staring at them now. Kapoor — who had gained six kilos for the first schedule of the IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena biopic — had to cut down almost 10 kilos before reporting to the set of RoohiAfza last month. Now, as she gears up for the Georgia schedule of Kargil Girl, Kapoor will have to gain muscle again.

"For her weight loss, she had to do a fair amount of cardio," explains Purohit. Since they have six weeks before Kapoor slips into her IAF pilot uniform again, the trainer has employed the same regimen that brought them success the first time around. "She is working out six days a week, for two to three hours daily. For the first two days, she does EMS [Electrical Muscle Stimulation] and the remaining four days are dedicated to pilates. She has a back injury because of which her training has to be monitored." Purohit supplements it with a protein-heavy meal. "Janhvi has a sweet tooth. So, my mother makes these healthy laddoos with jaggery and nuts. Ideally, she is allowed one a day, but she gulps down three of them."

With Prabhas' Saaho releasing on August 30, trade gurus decode why Rajkummar Rao's Made In China and Sushant Singh Rajput's Chhichhore should avoid the clash
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 25, 2019)

If Baahubali made Prabhas a superstar overnight, the effect of his superstardom can well be felt now. As soon as the makers of Saaho announced August 30 as their new release date, Bollywood producers scurried back to the calendar to rejig the release dates of their offerings. Trade experts believe that Sushant Singh Rajput's Chhichhore and Rajkummar Rao's Made In China, which were to hit screens on the last Friday of August, are likely to be postponed in a bid to avoid locking horns with the big-budget actioner.

Trade expert Amod Mehra states that the Sujeeth-directed venture is likely to open across 3000-plus screens across the country, leaving other releases barely 35 per cent of the total screen count. "Saaho is one of the most anticipated films of the year, and there is no chance it will be postponed any further. The box-office tracking for its opening day is around Rs 31 crore [across the three languages], which is huge." He also reasons that releasing two Shraddha Kapoor starrers alongside one another wouldn't be a wise move. "It is likely that Chhichhore will be pushed by a week, while the release of Made In China will be postponed even further."

Some might argue that Prabhas is essentially a South sensation. However, distributor-exhibitor Girish Wankhede opines that he enjoys a fan following that can easily match that of traditional Bollywood stars. "Even though it has been two years since Baahubali: The Conclusion, the audience is still reeling under its hangover. So, Prabhas has benefited from that despite not having any release in the interim." He adds that given his popularity, films releasing a week prior and later would benefit from a rethink. "Saaho will have a strong run for at least two weeks. Although Chhichhore and Made In China are films that people are looking forward to watch this year, it would be harakiri if they consider releasing on the same day."

While the officials at Maddock Films remained unavailable for comment, a source working in the production unit of Made In China says, "A patchwork shoot is pending. It will happen only once Rajkummar returns from the first schedule of Roohi-Afza. So, in all likelihood, the film will not make the August 30 deadline."

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; July 17, 2019)

At a time when the world thought Rajkummar Rao is only an offbeat filmmaker’s delight, he surprised everyone with entertainers like Bareilly Ki Barfi and Stree. While his credibility as an actor is at an all-time high, with every role, he believes in taking himself to zones he hasn’t explored before. Up next is Judgementall Hai Kya, directed by South director Prakash Kovelamudi, and this promises to be one helluva crazy outing. Rajkummar talks about his movie choices — some intense, some quirky — his flaws, strengths and all that makes him the fine actor that he is. Excerpts:

The last few years have seen a sharp upward rise in your career, what would you attribute that to? Is it your choice of films or the movie space that we are in today, which is rapidly evolving?
I think it’s a bit of all of that and to add to it, a lot of blessings from mom and God. There is also a shift that’s happened in the industry with the kind of films that are being appreciated. I would say, the credit largely goes to the current digital wave, as people are watching quality content, whether it is shows or movies. The audience is getting a taste of good content, and they expect a certain quality of content from us, too. As an actor, I am so happy to see this shift happening and I’m glad that I am a part of it.

Yes, today the audience is selective. They lap up something that they like, and at the same time, they are blatant about the kind of stuff they don’t want to see...
That was always the case. It is not that in the past, any and every film worked. I would say that we were making good content even earlier, but now, people are more aware of what is out there because of social media. I think word-of-mouth goes a long way in helping smaller films reach out to the audience. A film like Newton saw that kind of success because of good word-of-mouth. But there is a flip side to it, as it can affect a film negatively, too. If the audience does not like a particular film, they start talking about it on social media and that influences people. What matters is the trailer, which draws attention and eventually, your movie. The first-day opening might be decent, but no amount of marketing will help your film, if the content is not good enough.

Today, the audience associates with your brand of cinema. By that, we mean cinema that has a certain sensibility that they identify you with. Could we say that there is a Rajkummar Rao brand of cinema?
I don’t know if I have a certain set of audience. Honestly, this (acting) is all I can do, and I really don’t know if I can do anything else. I don’t connect the dots or plan my career to build a certain kind of brand value. I don’t ponder over words like brand value or stardom. I love what I do and that is what ultimately matters.

But well, there has been a change in people’s (audience and industry) perception of you. The way the industry perceives and accepts an actor who is bankable is different, right?
Yes, I see more people coming up to me for selfies now (laughs!). Yes, I am a part of bigger films now and that aspect has definitely changed professionally for me. But deep down, I am still the same guy with the same passion for cinema that I had started out with. I still do what I was doing on day one of my career. I don’t think that I should stop doing certain things I like because I am an actor or a celebrity. If I need to get off my car and hop into an auto rickshaw to reach somewhere, I do that. I am the same Raj, and I am who I am. The difference is that today, I have a good car, a good house and I wear fine clothes. But all this is on the periphery, it is all superficial. What matters is who you are as a person and the work that you do. What I am really greedy for is good roles, great stories and unforgettable films. I liked the way the story of Judgementall Hai Kya was written (by Kanika Dhillon), it has the right amount of humour, thrill and whodunnit feel and that’s what attracted me to it. It was something that I had not done before, so I wanted to explore it.

The interesting thing about the characters in Judgementall Hai Kya is that they are flawed, crazy and imperfect. Do you believe that we all have grey shades and we live with it?
We all are grey and flawed. We rarely meet people who are not. My character in the film is grey and flawed, too. I like such characters with shades. This one in particular, the way it was written was lovely. Both the leading characters (Bobby and Keshav) are edgy, and they try to blame each other throughout the story. No one knows what the other is thinking.

Does the dark side of human nature scare you?
Like I said, we all have grey shades, I do, too. But my grey side does not scare me, as long as it is controlled and not affecting someone. My grey hasn’t really come out too much in my life (laughs!). My outlook towards life is positive. There are times when you are playing a character like in Omerta, where you have to take out all the darkness inside you. But then, on the other side, there are Newtons, too.

As actors, you are constantly judged for what you do and what you don’t. Do you fear being judged?
In the beginning, when I was looking for work in the city, I was judged a lot. I was judged on the basis of my physical appearance and people thought that I was not meant to be a leading man in the movies. They would say that they wanted me to do a small character role in the film. I didn’t take it to heart, as I knew there would be people out there, who would not judge me and would believe that I could be a leading man. Ekta Kapoor and Dibakar believed in me and gave me Love Sex Aur Dhokha and Ragini MMS followed. About actors being judged constantly, now, with the digital space booming, anyone can write anything from their social media handles. I take all the criticism in a positive way. As an actor, you know whether you are being honest in a performance and when I see myself on screen, I know what I could have done better.

Has criticism about your movie and performance ever made you angry?
Criticism doesn’t make me angry. If someone didn’t like me in a particular film, that’s their point of view. You can learn from it, if you want to. If I know someone is writing for the heck of it, then I read it and forget about it. There are some reviews that I seriously follow and learn from. You can’t take criticism personally, you have to look at it constructively.

The last few years have been packed with work for you. Would you like to do fewer films and get some breathing space?
After every two films, I feel like taking a break, then some script comes my way and I can’t refuse it. I want to work around it and that’s what has been happening for the last three years. I am sure my bigger plan is to do lesser work and get more involved in every character that I play. I would love to give more time to the process in every film. Of course, my character in Bareilly Ki Barfi would not require that kind of prep that an Omerta, Newton or Shahid would, yet, each character has its own process. I didn’t realise how much I enjoyed comedy until Bareilly… happened. Till then, people thought of me as a very serious guy who did only intense roles.

Your film Stree (2018),which was in the horror comedy space, stood out. The kind of reactions it received, I think it took you all by surprise. Does the success of that film push you to venture into territories of cinema that are not being explored as much in our industry?
We were surprised, no one expected the film to do that well. We made it with a lot of love, and we were glad that it pushed boundaries and resonated with the audience. I love trying new things, and going into spaces where I have not been before. The last few films of mine have been with debut directors (Shelly Chopra Dhar for Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga; Amar Kaushik for Stree; Hardik Mehta for Roohi Afza; Atul Manjrekar for Fanney Khan and Namrata Singh Gujral for 5 Weddings). For me, if I like the story and the energy that the director brings, I am on with it. If there is a certain synergy that I have with the director, it doesn’t matter if he is a first-time director or someone who is well-known for his work. I am currently working on Roohi-Afza, and this story was written before Stree had released. I found Dino (filmmaker Dinesh Vijan) and Amar on this journey, and now they are like brothers for life. Dino thinks of work 24/7 and that is the kind of person I am, too. I think about cinema 24/7 and it is not just about my films or my work. I think about other actors’ performances, any good film or show that I have seen. I am always in that zone.

Deepali Singh (DNA; July 8, 2019)

It’s rare that an actor gets associated with a character right from his first film itself, but even today, Varun Sharma is still fondly known as Chucha, the role that he played in Fukrey (2013) as well as Fukrey Returns (2017). The 29-year-old, who is shooting in Manali for the upcoming horror-comedy Roohi-Afza, says candidly, “It’s a blessing for me to be known by my character’s name and I hope it keeps changing as I essay other parts as well,” he says. However, the Dilwale actor admits that things have changed for him in the past two years. “The impact of Chucha still remains, but yes, people have started knowing me by my name as well,” he smiles.

With an impressive line-up of films such as Arjun Patiala, Khandaani Shafakhana, Chhichhore and Roohi-Afza, there’s a lot that audiences can expect from the Jalandhar boy. And a whole load of quirky roles for him to portray as well. Over to Varun...

The one thing that’s remained constant with you is comedy. The audience knows that with you around, there will not be a dull moment around. But do you want to try out other genres?
Firstly, I will never leave comedy because I love doing it. Secondly, it’s the genre that has given me acceptance and immense love from the audience. However, I do want to attempt different genres as I’m an actor. At the same time, I love making people laugh and I will continue doing it. Among the scripts that are offered to me around 80 per cent are comedy. But you will see me doing other things in the coming year.

Within comedy there is so much to do as well...
Yes, we try and do different things. You have seen a Fukrey or a Dilwale. They are different spaces. Arjun Patiala is a spoof-comedy, which has not been explored here in India before. I’m shooting for Roohi-Afza, which is a horror-comedy.

You formed a friendship with Kriti Sanon while working with her in Dilwale and now in Arjun Patiala. You seem to have become fond of Sonakshi Sinha, who’s your co-star in Khandaani Shafakhana as well. 
Sonakshi and I clicked instantly. She’s not a Punjabi, but I feel she is a hardcore Punju at heart (laughs)! We bonded over songs, language, food, etc. We have become the best of friends. Even after the shoot got over, the whole gang would chill together. I have found a great buddy in her. I can pick up the phone anytime and talk to her. It’s good to have genuine people around you, who are there for you when you need them. That’s the magic of filmmaking. When you are on sets 18-20 hours of the day for two-three months at a stretch, the unit becomes like family.

Do you want to delve into the digital space? 
I would love to be a part of a fiction show on that platform. There was something that had almost worked out, but couldn’t happen as I didn’t have the required dates. But if something interesting comes up in the digital space, I would love to be a part of it.

What kind of shows do you like to watch on OTT platforms?
I just finished this mini-series called When They See Us. I’m currently watching the second season of Dark now. The kind of stuff I watch is absolutely different from what I do on screen — I enjoy thrillers and mind-games. Some of my favourite shows are Black Mirror, a dystopian thriller show called 3%, Ozark, Tyrant, etc. When I get the time, I want to see Chernobyl.

You might just get to try out something like this in the online space... 
I hope so. Maybe next year, you will see me killing people! (Laughs)