Gashmeer Mahajani: ‘When you play a devta, you don’t enjoy it as an actor, you know you are faking it’

Gashmeer Mahajani is currently seen as a werewolf in the TV show Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal. The actor is also back with the second season of his web series, Tu Zakham Hai, in which he kidnaps the female lead who eventually falls for him. The actor seems to have an omnipresence in the industry with all from films, OTT and TV in his work list but claims cinema is not just his but also the first priority of anyone who calls themselves an actor. (Also Read | Gashmeer Mahajani hasn’t quit TV, says he earns more on OTT)

Gashmeer had played the role of Jankoji Shinde in the 2019 film Panipat and has worked in several Marathi films. “Ask any actor, there is no such medium as a film. Given a choice, an actor will prefer doing a film, then a web show and then TV, regarding work satisfaction and growth. This is the ultimate truth. Nowadays, if it is a mini-series of 8-10 episodes, it gives the same satisfaction as film if it’s made on that budget,” he says.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Gashmeer also opened up about Tu Zakham Hai and also shared the benefits he hopes to reap from his participation in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa last year.

Gashmeer claims playing a ‘devta-samaan’ character on TV may find takers and an audience but it isn’t interesting to play. “Playing such (grey) characters brings out an organic element the way you play the character. When you play a devta, you are not enjoying the process as an actor, you know you are faking it. As an actor, it’s not interesting to play an absolute white character. In a way it’s nice to play characters which flip between right and wrong, do the wrong thing, are imperfect and damaged. I think people enjoy it secretly even if they don’t accept it.”

Gashmeer says Tu Zakham Hai is different from the other romantic shows on OTT as he feels Stalkholm syndrome isn’t a much-tapped genre. The MX Player show doesn’t take off like a romantic show but is a love story at the core.

“It’s not a mushy-mushy love story as such. It initially starts from fear for life, where Kavya (played by Donal Bisht) is cooperating for everything, moves towards pity where she starts seeing the damage Viraj is going through to healing him, realising the man is all alone despite being the emperor of a huge criminal syndicate, and then falling for him, going against her family for him. It is very toxic but is not toxic for the sake of it, like it’s the case in TV where a man is troubling a girl without a reason. There is a strong deep connect of the man’s past. The victim is a psychologist who feels for him. Despite him being powerful as a captor, she also sees his vulnerable side, why he is like that and people die if he doesn’t behave a certain way. That’s the environment he is born in. Through season one, it starts as a criminal story who’s held a captive and it becomes an unfulfilled love story in season two because it’s a toxic relationship.”

“Even women watching will see Viraj in the eyes of Kavya. She is the safe place where he feels safe emotionally because she is the only sensible, normal person in his life. She is transparent and does what she says,” he added.

Gashmeer finished fourth in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 10 where eight-year-old Gunjan Sinha emerged the winner. On being asked if he is receiving more or better offers after the show, Gashmeer said, “Let’s not look at the tangible benefits. I was getting good offers during the show as well. The purpose was performing and showcasing my talent on a very big platform for global audience and for certain very important people in the industry. Even I was doing gigs when guests used to visit, I had to do scenes with them. I was also learning new dance forms. Getting some offers after that, rise in my paycheck; it is all temporary, I don’t want to remain so short-sighted. Jhalak gave me an opportunity to create a substantial impact which I did. For that, I will reap the benefits for over a period of time which will not be known to the general audience. Even after four-five years, if a director-producer sitting there is seeing my work, remembers that he was impressed with my performance and had given me a standing ovation, and thinks of working with me, my aim of doing Jhalak is successful.”