The new normal could well be wearing out Arjun Rampal. With a one-year-old child at home, the actor says it is required of him to be extra cautious whenever he steps out. “Hope this will all be over soon with the vaccines coming along,” he remarks, over a Zoom audio call from London.
Arjun’s Nail Polish releases on digital streaming platform ZEE5 on January 1, 2021. He plays Sid Jaisingh, a defence lawyer tasked with securing the acquittal of Veer Singh (Manav Kaul) after the latter is accused of murdering 38 children. Co-starring Rajit Kapur and Anand Tiwari in key roles, Nail Polish is directed by Bugs Bhargava Krishna.
Edited excerpts from an interview:
Why did Sid Jaisingh appeal to you?
The screenplay is fantastic; the way the narrative unravels to reveal the different layers... that, for me, was a huge bonus. The challenge of having to win the case for my client (defending the indefensible) and how I was going to do it is what I really liked.
How do you internalise your characters before enacting them?
When I get a well-written, good character, my whole process is to find what makes him human. For instance, the audience cannot see Sid Jaisingh as just a character; they should be able to call him by his name and find the relation with him — whether it is love or hate. Bugs (director) and I did a SWOT analysis of Sid, to bring out his human side and make him more believable.
There have been a few courtroom dramas in Bollywood of late...
I have always been sceptical and scared to do courtroom dramas because the film can get extremely melodramatic, or even unrealistic. It can also be over-the-top and boring because such films can get very verbose. With Nail Polish , Bugs has taken a realistic approach that pushes the film away from such scenarios. It is dramatic, but not melodramatic.
You seem prepared to wait for a good role to come along before signing a project...
Definitely. I will be gone one day but my work will stay. So whatever work I do, it should be something that makes people say ‘Ok, that is good’ and not ‘Why did he do that?’
What is your takeaway from playing such challenging roles?
When I am in these characters, they allow me to say things that I would love to speak in a personal capacity. You can wear the mask of these characters and say the things you have always wanted to. The other thing is the process of losing yourself in something you or another person created... it can be therapeutic in a way (laughs).
What are your other projects?
I am filming a Netflix project Penthouse directed by Abbas-Mustan. Filming for Bhima Koregaon was stopped due to the pandemic outbreak. It is a period film and requires a lot of extras, so it is tough to shoot at the moment. I am also starting work on another film in January. Besides, I have season 2 of The Final Call with ZEE5.
