Actor Jimmy Shergill is fascinated with the characters he is getting to play on OTT platforms which are both positive and negative.
“It’s a very interesting mix of characters that I am doing. It’s a great space for an actor. Earlier, it used to be either a black or a white character (villain or hero) but life is not like that! Grey is what we are in real life. My character can be wrong for someone but is right in his ways for many,” he said on his visit to HT Office in Lucknow recently.
He remembers Raja Awasthi in Tanu Weds Manu (2011). “Was he a villain? That character got so much love, at times more than the so-called protagonist. But, they are far and few in films.”
OTT gives him such choices. “I am choosing shows that give me scope to have both shades. The judge in Your Honour can be wrong in many ways but to save his son, he is doing what a father would do. Similar is the case with my next series. So, one character having characteristics of both protagonist and antagonist is an amazing space!”
Faith in theatre
Shergill’s last film Aazam (2023) did not do well in theatres. “Yes, but I got a lot of appreciation for the work and the film as well. The thing was that it was not released and promoted well, which is a must in today’s world, when we are compe-ting with blockbuster releases, Southern films and Hollywood franchises. But, after good reviews now whenever it will stream on OTT, I trust it will get great traction. For theatre, we need to have a good release and better price.”
He has completed a series tentatively titled Ranneeti and two films – Neeraj Pandey’s Auron Main Kahan Dum Tha and sequel to Haseen Dillruba. “Next, I am starting another project in September.”
Personal and professional
“Lucknow keeps calling me every now and then. From schooling and growing up and shooting multiple projects (both Tanu Weds Manu, Shorgul, Mukkabaaz and Family of Thakurganj). I shot for web-series Choonahere also in the thick of pandemic in 2021 and very recently an ad. So, personal and profession ek bahut special naata hai. Hope I come here to shoot again soon!”