Exclusive! Nikitin Dheer: I do not look at life like a race so wouldn’t rush to doing OTT projects

Kranti Prakash and Nikitin Dheer are coming back for the web series, Raktanchal season 2. The series, which marked Nikitin’s debut on OTT, might stay his only web series for a while. While talking to OTTplay for his upcoming project with Kranti, Nikitin revealed why he will not be rushing towards doing another OTT project anytime soon. Excerpts…

Kranti, Raktanchal is a show that you carry on your shoulders. You are actually like the Mohit Raina of Bhaukaal without the uniform or anything limiting your powers. Would you agree with that?

I don’t believe in any comparisons. The role was assigned to me by the platform and the director and I was able to do it, which is why people loved it so much. My job is done after that. I don’t give into the comparison of Bhaukaal. Vijay Singh and Waseem Khan are their own personalities. No one can compare both these characters with anyone else.

How is season 2 different from season 1?

This season is bigger and better. New cast has joined the series. Ashish Vidyarthi sir, Mahie Gill and Karan Patel join the show. You will see ‘saam dhaam dand bhed’ this time.

Nikitin, the story shows Kranti Prakash as a hero. He is the larger-than-life character on the show. So what made you pick Waseem Khan over his character?

I was offered the role and liked it. The way Vijay Singh is designed, I don’t think anybody could have done a better job than Kranti. His physical dynamics for the role is perfect. I thought I could bring more to Waseem Khan. Both of us are playing to our strengths.

K: Waseem Khan cannot be a Vijay Singh and vice-versa. Waseem Khan is as important as Vijay Singh and without Vijay, Waseem is nothing. I believe we both have worked very hard. We’re both the antagonists on the show and share the same responsibility of doing their best.

But would you call Vijay Singh an antagonist? He’s not as bad as Waseem Khan is because Waseem kills without a motive while Vijay tries to protect people and kill the wrong.

It’s probably about the perception. Waseem Khan feels what he is doing is the right thing. From where we perceive, maybe we think that he (Vijay) doesn’t have any genuine reason to kill someone but when you look at it from Waseem Khan’s perspective, you might see that he has all the reasons to kill someone. It’s all about how you perceive both the characters.

Nikitin, did the makers approach you or did you approach them for the role?

No, I was approached by them. I was offered the role.

How did you go about your character?

We were given very clear parameters about our characters. Us knowing each other from the beginning also helped our camaraderie. When we did the initial workshops, we understood each other’s way of talking and how we would behave. Our approach towards our characters was different. Like Kranti mentioned, for me to get the accent and the UP touch took me a little while but I got it. It was a lot of teamwork and it helped the characters come to life. After that, we went with the flow.

How much time did it take for you to adapt to the language and bring the character to life?

I started in the morning and was all ready by evening.

K: No, it’s true. He’s a very spontaneous actor and the best part is that no matter what character you give Nikitin, he takes very little time to get into it. I learn that from him too.

What was going on in your mind when you read the script?

We were just told that this story is about two men – one of them chooses violence and the other is forced to choose that. They both have pluses and minuses and both are human stories. That is the reason people like Raktanchal too. They like both Waseem and Vijay. Season 1 was made on a very neutral footing where two people have a way of looking at life.

While Vijay Singh and Waseem Khan are strong characters individually, their lives intertwine and one is incomplete without another. Would you agree?

In Raktanchal’s world, I’m being very honest when I say this, Waseem Khan’s existence would be very different if there was no Vijay Singh. The anger they have for each other is the driving force. A lot of hatred is what drives the show. It is not only the USP for the series but also the two characters. It allows them to flourish.

K: Without Waseem, Vijay is nothing and vice-versa.

N: The hatred is pushing them to do things beyond their comfort zone. Otherwise both of them were very comfortable with who and how they were. We’ve been saying this – a love affair of sorts exists between Vijay and Waseem. A love affair is of various types. Ours is one of the violent ones. The characters compliment each other which is also organic on many levels. We’re also fortunate because of the way the characters were written. We managed to pull off some other moments on sets also. I still remember we had a sequence where Vijay Singh’s face had colour on it. I gave the photographer an idea about having half face of Vijay and half face of Waseem there. The makers later used it in the posters also. It kind of summed up the equation between Vijay and Waseem too.

You made your debut into web series with Raktanchal but after that, we haven’t seen you in a web series after this series. Are you looking to explore OTT more?

Sadly, I’m a little choosy about the kind of projects I do. I can’t get up and do anything. I have some offers but it’s nothing that I’m kicked and excited about. If something like that comes my way, then I’ll definitely do it. Web series is more investment of time and energy. It’s something you should really feel passionate about. I’m obviously open to it but waiting for the right kind of project.

Now that everyone is coming to OTT and web series because people are stuck watching that, don’t you feel it is the right time to do that?

Unfortunately, I don’t look at life like a race so I’ll do it when the time comes. Many of my friends are working on OTT and I make sure to wish them when their work is coming. I’ve spent most of my time in Bollywood so I have genuine love and brotherhood with a lot of my co-actors and friends. I’ll really do something when I’m excited rather than running the race with others.

Kranti, you tell me how did you transform into Vijay Singh?

I worked on his backstory and mainly it was director. They had a very clear vision on how Waseem Khan and Vijay Singh would look like. So, I just had to follow the instructions and get the rhythm right. We somehow knew what the makers were expecting out of the characters and followed that. We had workshops and that’s how it happened.

Since you are from Bihar, did that help you understand the politics the show needed and bring more to the table in that aspect?

You can have an understanding but it finally boils down to the shot and what you are showing in front of the camera in the moment. No matter how much preparation has gone to it, that is what it eventually boils down to. I can definitely say that understanding of the language helped me. For that, I’m proud of Nikitin because in comparison, it was tougher for him but he did a great job. My understanding of the language did help me and the situation. I have met people like these in Bihar but didn’t have any close proximity with them so I don’t have any references of that but yes, understanding is there which helped.

Would you say Raktanchal opened up a lot of opportunities for you after its release?

I have another web series which is the complete opposite of whatever I have done until now. That character is a cop’s character who is very loveable. I’m hoping it comes out very soon. Let’s see.