After his top-notch performance in films like The Kashmir Files, Mary Kom, Baaghi 2 and many other flicks, Darshan Kumaar has reprised his role in the popular web show Aashram’s third season. The series revolves around a Baba Nirala (essayed by Bobby Deol), whose followers (mostly from the disadvantaged sections of the society) have blind faith in him and will do anything that he asks of them. It sees Darshan Kumaar as SI Ujagar Singh, a cop who isn’t really interested in his job and simply follows his seniors’ orders, until he meets Dr Natasha (Anupriya Goenka). In a conversation with News18.com, the actor spoke about his role, and how he got typecast for each role that he portrayed.
The 35-year-old actor explained how he has been noticing the pattern of being offered similar roles ever since he did Mary Kom with Priyanka Chopra. He said, “When I did Mary Kom, people loved my work and then I was offered the same kind of roles of decent husband as a lead, or a good boy- that kind of roles. And then NH10 came and in the movie, people loved me as an antagonist, and I won many awards for the film but after that line lag gayi villains ke role ki.. Koi bhi film ban rahi thi usmein villain main chahiye tha… (I had many offers to play the antagonist, and they needed me as a villain in every other film that was being made).”
He added, “So I said, ‘No, I can’t repeat myself and after Sarabjit, the same thing happened. And even now if you see the Ujagar Singh, the cop role in Aashram – the audience, the critics, the film fraternity- they loved it so much that if right now, whoever is making any kind of project, web series or film – as a lead or parallel lead – they are offering me the cop’s role. I have received more than a hundred scripts and every other film offer is coming to me is of a cop. I feel blessed that people loved the character of Ujagar Singh. But I don’t want to repeat myself. We have to take our stand. It takes a little bit time, but you will have to wait for the perfect role. That is what I’m doing – I’m keeping my patience and I’m working hard.”
The actor essayed the lead role of Krishna Pandit in The Kashmir Files, and the movie has emerged as one of the most successful films of recent times. Talking about the Vivek Agnihotri directorial, Darshan said, “Thanks to Kashmir Files, now the tables have turned and now people are offering me the lead role. Directors used to call me say, ‘We have this difficult and challenging film for you, and we know that only you can justify the role. But right now producers are not ready to spend that much money on you.’ Right now, I’m a member of the 300 crore club so things have changed for me totally.”
The actor said that he has finalised one of the scripts. “Thanks to the directors who have shared their scripts with me, I have finalised one and reading others. So, touch wood, God is kind and thanks to the audience, the kind of love they showed for our film The Kashmir Files and Krishna Pandit and the kind of love I’m getting from Aashram. I feel blessed. It is a big responsibility and I will work really hard and try to give my best in future projects also.”
We asked him about what made him opt for the role in Aashram, and Darsham responded, “Actually, when I read the script I felt that people want content-oriented shows, they want to see real performances and characters which are around them and the stories that are happening around them. All these elements are there in Aashram. Whatever we have shown in the show is happening around us, and we have seen it somewhere or the other and we know about that. I was very excited from the very beginning that we are doing something very realistic. And Prakash Ji is famous for all these kinds of subjects which are very realistic. I always want to be part of such subjects, films or web series. I was very positive about the series when I first read it and I remember I told Prakash Ji and the whole team that this will break the records and this will be one of the best shows, and has become a hit,” concludes Darshan.
Aashram Season 3 started streaming on MX Player on June 3.
