Exclusive! Ritwik Bhowmik: The Whistleblower shows what it takes to work towards building an ideal world

After Bandish Bandits, Ritwik Bhowmik is back in action with the show The Whistleblower, recently released on SonyLIV. He plays the role of Dr. Sanket in the series. The actor said that the show helped him look at things from several perspectives.

Excerpts from the interview:

How much would you say The Whistleblower has allowed you to explore yourself as an actor?

A lot. It has really pushed me to explore a different spectrum, which I haven't explored before - definitely not on camera. I had performed on stage but it's a completely different ball game. The Whistleblower has not only helped me understand the performances and the story better but it has also helped me understand other human beings better and look at everything from multiple perspectives because nothing is a single dimension.

Your OTT debut in Bandish Bandits was much loved. Are you expecting the same kind of response with The Whistleblower?

I have no expectations. I don't even want to hear the word expectations because it makes me nervous. I remember when Bandish released, I did not expect it to become what it became. I'm not having any expectations from The Whistleblower either. I just hope the love and effort we have put into the show is reciprocated by the audiences, that's about it.

How much of Dr. Sanket are you? Any qualities in him that are very relatable to you?

I think every human being in the world has different shades. For me, the idea of taking The Whistleblower was to explore this side of me and try and see if there's a Sanket in me. I don't think there's too much of Sanket in me and let me tell you, I don't pass on drugs like Sanket.

We all have either been or seen someone like Dr. Sanket. Was it the relatability factor of how naive people are at a certain age that attracted you to the character?

He's not naive at all. You'll see how wide the spectrum of this guy is when you watch the show. He's an impulsive guy so you never know how he will react, why and when. It was very exciting to play him because if you behave like that in real life, you will be thrown out of the house. You'll be disowned. However, at the same time, it's very exciting to play him in the reel life. No matter how difficult it is to relate to him, when people follow his journey, they will see that there is a Dr. Sanket in all of us.

You have mentioned that Dr. Sanket is a contrasting personality from what you are in real life. So how did you sink your teeth into the character?

I actually did not. I looked at it differently. I didn't have to bite or chew on something to sink my teeth into the character. I just had to use my tools in a different way. I just had to start believing that I am Sanket. Sanket's journey is written in the script and you have that journey, as an actor. You just have to believe that it is who I am. That is our job - to make-believe. It's what we do.

Your character is not someone who takes the limelight from the beginning. He is smart but reckless. However, he outshines everyone as you get to know him better. Was that character graph something you were looking for in your career?

It's a beautiful way to put it about Dr. Sanket. But no, I genuinely was not at all looking at that aspect in the beginning. For me, it was such that I came across 4-5 characters and felt like they should be explored. I don't know how to make this decision. It's too early for me to figure out which characters I want to play. Right now, I'm just excited to get work and I want to do everything with utmost love. Dr. Sanket happened absolutely out of nowhere. It wasn't a planned strategy or something I was looking for. I read the script and was blown by it and by the way they dealt with a character as complex as Dr. Sanket. I just feel lucky that people put in so much effort into writing just one character. The show has so many more. Imagine the amount of effort they put in to bring out the layers of each and every character through nine episodes. Just to see that effort and passion in what you want to make, really drove me. I just had to be a part of The Whistleblower.

Since SonyLIV had backed Scam 1992, which is one of the biggest hits of 2020, and this being the second story about a scam again, do you believe there will be comparisons between the two?

Most definitely, because Scam 1992 was set in the year when I was born and there's some connection, so the audience will catch on to that (laughs). The only parallels drawn will be that both the shows are biographical and about a scam, but it is not. Harshad Mehta story was about his story. The Whistleblower, on the other hand, are about many more things. It is not about one person's journey or life. This is more of an idea than an incident that the story is trying to talk about. This is the idea of an ideal world, which probably does not exist. It shows what it takes to work towards making it an ideal world.

You have mostly been seen on OTT, whether it was Cargo or Bandish. Is that the plan ahead too?

I'm a man with no plan. I'm all heart. Whatever happens to me, happens on its own and I enjoy what happens. That's about it.

Do you believe that OTT is the future, in the sense that it might just replace cinema very soon?

I believe I am the future. Just give me a role (laughs). I don't want to spend an iota thinking what is the future and how am I supposed to go. I just want to keep doing what I love doing and entertain people - smile, love, cry. As long as I get a reaction, I'll do it with all my heart.

Your upcoming projects?

There are plenty that I would love to talk about but am waiting for an official announcement. Currently, there's The Whistleblower.