Gandharv Dewan, who was a part of Office Vs Office and Life Sahi Hai 2, will be seen in Gulmohar

To start with, tell us about your childhood.

Both my parents are architects. During my childhood, they kept me occupied with all kinds of cultural activities, from singing to acting. At the age of 10, I started acting in plays, but taking acting as a profession was not on my mind. Initially, I wanted to become a pilot.

Tell us about your theatre background.

I got admission in Kirori Mal College on acting quota. The theatre society of Kirori Mal is famous and actors like Abhishek Banerjee, Divyenddu, Shardul Bharadwaj, Zeeshan Ayyub and even Amitabh Bachchan were part of that theatre society. Post-college, my fees was taken care of by the government. At NSD we used to get stipends.

What was your parents’ reaction when you chose acting career?

They have supported me with my choice of career.

What was your first break? Tell us about your key acting projects.

After a three-year course in NSD, I did an English film called Written with Ashes, which travelled across film festivals. Then in 2017, I came to Mumbai and met Manav Kaul. I started assisting him in a play called Chuhal. And after that my big break was Office vs Office the TVF series and then the film Zoya Factor happened.

What’s your takeaway from seven years journey in Mumbai?

I have got good feedback and help from casting experts. Unfortunately, I have done a couple of shows which did not work. One is a series with Ankush Bahuguna and then another series called Thoda Adjust Please for Apple TV. I want to work with credible people now and want my work to reach audiences globally.

What made you say yes to Gulmohar?

My primary reason was the cast and crew. It’s a great opportunity to work with legends like Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpayee. The DOP Eeshit Narain is also a great guy to work with. It’s a film like Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding and I am the Vijay Raaz in the film.

Tell us about your role in Gulmohar.

My character is called Irrfan. A very positive person, he has never bowed down. The name Irrfan is very close to my heart and it’s my small tribute to the late actor Irrfan Khan.

Apart from Gulmohar, what are your other upcoming projects?

I have done a series with Yash Raj Films called The Railway Men and then a film called Main Larega.

What do you do in your free time?

I am a part of many sports groups in Mumbai. Whenever I am free, I play. I am also learning classical music.

Any two directors you would like to work with?

Zoya Akhtar and Mira Nair.