'I am as charged as I was at the age of 21, giving my first shot, as I am today.'
Shahid Kapoor gets ready to make his OTT debut with Farzi this week, where he plays a con artist.
"I asked Raj and DK if they have a show because they were calling me for a movie," Sasha tells Subhash K Jha. "They didn't expect that after Kabir Singh, I would like to do something like that."
Farzi is your first foray into the OTT space. How would you describe the experience? Is it any different from doing films for the big screen?
I'm very excited about my OTT debut, as everybody calls it.
I think I did it because I love the directors Raj and DK and their work, and I really liked the idea and the concept behind Farzi: The world of counterfeiting.
I felt Sunny was as challenging as some of the most challenging characters I've done.
Was it any different shooting for an OTT series?
Of course. It's different because you're watching the character over five to six hours as opposed to maybe two-two-and-a-half hours. So it's a deeper, wider opportunity to bring a character to life.
Farzi gave you the opportunity to work with Raj and DK. What was that experience like?
With Raj and DK, I've loved The Family Man. We have met over time and always wanted to collaborate, so I was looking forward to it.
In fact, I asked them if they have a show because they were calling me for a movie. They didn't expect that after Kabir Singh, I would like to do something like that.
But I asked them for it and probed, and then they told me about this concept which we had discussed as a movie earlier.
Why was a feature film converted into a digital series?
It was just too elaborate to fit into a movie.
It was sensible of them to turn it into a show because it deserves that much screen time.
What was it like working with Vijay Sethupathi?
With Vijay sir, it's been a pleasure.
He's a fantastic actor who has always rediscovered himself and given people different experiences on the big screen.
It's a privilege to have him on the show, and I had a blast working with him.
It's been 20 years since you started as a leading man. How do you look back on your career so far?
I feel very fortunate to still be here.
I feel grateful that people find my work relevant.
There's a lot more that I would like to do.
I am as charged as I was at the age of 21, giving my first shot, as I am today.
That's the best part of the entire journey, that I am still as excited and curious to get on those sets and give my next shot.
I think that's what drives any artist.
Tell us about your forthcoming projects.
After Farzi, there's a movie with Ali Abbas Zafar. It is a slick action thriller, which will come out in the middle of this year.
I'm doing a quirky love story with Maddock Films, directed by a new director. His name is Amit Joshi. It also has Kriti Sanon, Dharamji (Dharmendra), Dimple ma'am (Kapadia) and various other talented people.
