How has The Family Man changed your life?
I still remember before The Family Man(TFM) most of the roles coming to me were negative. I don’t know why. Maybe it was my image. Or maybe the baritone voice .It was getting repetitive. Although I continued doing those (negative) roles I was searching for something different .That’s when casting director Mukesh Chhabra came to me with TFM. I could see the potential of the role and how it would impact the main protagonist’s track.
And now?
Now after the second season of TFM the response on the social media and elsewhere is overwhelming. They consider me one of the series’ main protagonists. To me that’s big triumph. And I’m overwhelmed with that.
Is Season 3 happening?
Obviously it is Raj and DK’s style to leave the ending with a cliffhanger. Season 2 ends with two questions marks.What happened between my character and Priyamani’s character in Lonavla.Will Shuchi finally tell her husband what had happened? There is also some uneasy developments shown happening in the North East at the end of the last episode .These two cliffhangers will keep the audience hanging on till the next season.
So Season 3 can start with any of the above?
Honestly I don’t know what’s happening to Season 3. They are still writing it. I think it got delayed because of the pandemic. But I am sure Raj and Dk will come with something brilliant for Season 3 as well.
How do you explain the popularity of the series?
It’s a story of a common man who is not common. Srikant seems ordinary but he leads a double life. His character’s nuances are relatable. People have connected with Manoj Bajpai’s Srikant’s daily routine so deeply. We all do the things he does.We lie to our family, we make excuses , we sometimes skip important family appointment. The fantastic writing is also a USP. The characters come across as very human because of the writing.
What is the biggest compliment you have received?
The biggest compliment for me is that people have stopped seeing me as a baritoned villain. They now see me as a decent actor.For me there can be no bigger compliment.
Image source: SpotboyE archives, Instagram/sharadkelkar/familymanamazon