Exclusive! Sharib Hashmi: I don’t take up projects to prove how versatile I am

The actor plays an important role in the thriller series The Great Indian Murder

Sharib Hashmi - The Great Indian Murder.

Some projects catapult actors to the pinnacles of success. When Filmistaan released in 2012, Sharib Hashmi thought that the critical acclaim and the awards would change his destiny. However, that was not to be. The actor had to wait till 2019 for the first season of The Family Man to release to get the ball rolling for him. A familiar face now on digital platforms, Sharib has a number of interesting projects in his kitty, the first of which is Tigmanshu Dhulia’s web series The Great Indian Murder that releases on Disney + Hotstar on February 4, 2022. Edited excerpts from a conversation with the actor…

You play the role of tribal officer Ashok Rajput in The Great Indian Murder. Can you tell us what appealed to you about the role and the story?

I was approached for the role by Mukesh Chhabra who did the casting of the show. When he told me about this part and the story which is based on the book Six Suspects, I felt that this is something I have never done before. Then when he told me that Tigmanshu Dhulia sir is going to direct it, I immediately said yes. I would have said yes to the role even if it had nothing in it! (laughs) I have been waiting for years to work with him. I’m so glad that I got to be a part of a good series and even more to have had the opportunity to work with him.

Tell us more about working with him.

Tigmanshu sir is an easy-going director. When he explains a scene, you can visualize it and feel the layers unravel in your mind. I used to think that he must be focusing on the script and the performances but after working with him, I realized that he is technically well-versed too. He likes music and so do I and we would hum songs in between shots. He is a Bollywood encyclopedia. Actually, you can talk to him about anything under the sun. He is so well-read and well-informed that you can sit and listen to him for hours.

Do you have a genre preference when it comes to taking on projects?

I don’t have a genre preference. I want to do all sorts of characters and stories. Having said that, we can only pick from what we are offered. Sometimes it is the work that chooses you. Thankfully, I am doing very interesting stories in 2022 and you will get to see me play a variety of roles. As an audience, I like watching stories that have a lot of drama and are hard-hitting and gripping.

Rewinding a bit, what made you want to act in the first place? Your father was a renowned film journalist. Was that the starting point?

It started from there. My father used to write for Mayapuri and many popular actors would visit our house. We used to live in a chawl and people would gather outside whenever some big actor would come to visit. I have attended film parties and lavish movie premieres and seen the actual showbiz of the showbiz world with my own eyes. I always knew that I would do something that is connected with this industry. When I was young, I wanted to be the hero but as I grew up, I didn’t pursue acting because I didn’t feel I had the personality for it. I gave up the desire to become an actor. I started working as an Assistant Director and then as a writer.

When did acting finally happen?

When I was working as a writer in channels such as MTV, and Channel V, they would give me small parts to do. I enjoyed that a lot and it would mean a one-day break from office work (laughs). It was when I was working there that I also got to play small roles in films such as Slumdog Millionaire and Haal-e-Dil but even then, I had no intention of acting or going for auditions. In fact, I used to discourage people from acting! It was only at the end of 2008 that I decided to give acting a proper chance because I realised that if I don’t try now, I will probably regret it for the rest of my life.

I had auditioned for Dhobhi Ghat and even got selected for the part of Prateik Babbar’s older brother but for some reason, I was replaced. I don’t have any grouse against Kiran Raoji for replacing me because she understood her story and characters better than anyone but it destroyed me. I was so looking forward to that film. Acting became a passion for me after that and I decided to make it my bread and better.

Filmistaan brought you a lot of critical acclaim and awards but there was a bit of a lull after that…

Not a bit, a long one (laughs). I had not expected that and it came as a shock to me because that film had come out after a long period of waiting. Just before that movie, I was going through a very rough patch. I had left a good job and my savings were getting over. Things changed after Filmistaan and people started noticing me. I signed some good, big projects too but somehow, some didn’t end up starting and some got stuck mid-way. The independent films I had done were ready but not releasing. I don’t know whether to call it destiny or maybe time wasn’t in my favour. A few years went by and I think people even forget that there is an actor called Sharib. And then I got a call for The Family Man. When I went for the audition, I had a gut feeling that this was going to change things for me and my intuition was proved right. I am so grateful to directors Raj and DK and Mukesh Chhabra who did the casting, for thinking of me for the role of JK and for giving me that wonderful series. I can’t thank them enough.

The OTT platform has been such a boon for so many actors. After The Family Man, you have been a part of quite a few good projects on the digital platform. How has the experience been?

That’s right. After The Family Man, there was Asur which again was appreciated by people. Scam 1992 came after that. Some of my films like Darbaan and Ram Singh Charlie - which I also produced - released after that, so 2020 proved to be a very good year for me. Then the release of the second season of The Family Man took things to another level altogether.

You are a natural in front of the camera but you are not a trained actor. Do you think it would have made a difference to your craft if you had learnt acting?

I was almost 33-years-old when I decided to pursue acting, and it was already quite late by then. I can only say that whatever I have learnt is on the job. Fortunately, I got to work with really good people. My school and my teachers are my co-actors, my directors and my technicians. I have learnt a bit from each of them and I hope to keep learning from them. I don’t know if it’s an advantage or disadvantage, it is what it is.

A lot of actors, especially when they deliver a memorable performance, start receiving offers for similar roles and end up feeling stereotyped. Do you have any such concerns?

I don’t have a fear of getting stereotyped. I don’t do projects so I can prove how versatile I am. I want to work on projects that make me feel alive while reading the script and where I feel I will enjoy myself while working on them. Of course, post JK in The Family Man I received similar offers. I must have refused at least 15-20 of them. Thankfully there are many others who have come up with very different roles for me and I am pleasantly surprised by that.

There is a long list of movies in your kitty. Can you tell us about some of them?

I have a very interesting role in Sharma Ji Ki Beti as well as in Dhaakad. Uff is a film I am looking forward to as well. Then there is the Hindi remake of Vikram Vedha in which you will see me in a completely different avatar. I also have Mission Majnu and the film with Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan which is like an extended cameo.

Any other web series that you are a part of?

Talks are on but nothing is confirmed.

What about season 3 of The Family Man?

It’s being written but it will take time. Raj and DK are also doing many other projects so this might take a while but whenever it comes out, I can guarantee that it will be fabulous.

Deepali Singh is a Mumbai-based lifestyle and entertainment writer who loves to talk and write about movies, shows, music, art, and food.

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