Sayaji Shinde: It was difficult to judge Abhishek

A still from Killer Soup

When Sayaji Shinde sits down for a narration, he usually likes to gauge the director during the process. He knew he would sign Abhishek Chaubey's series Killer Soup the moment he realised he couldn't make any judgment on the director. The actor, known for his works in Hindi and Marathi cinema, shares that the crime comedy's script blew him away. "I judge a director quickly on what kind of script he has. But Abhishek is such a talented director. It was so difficult to judge him because the script kept me hooked. Even after I returned home from the narration, I kept thinking about the characters. We all realised that it was denser than our imagination," recalls Shinde.

Abhishek Chaubey

In the Netflix series, Manoj Bajpayee and Shinde play the two scheming Shetty brothers, with Konkona Sensharma essaying the former's wife. Reuniting with Bajpayee after Shool (1999) and Road (2002) was another incentive for Shinde to join the series. "I told Manoj that he wouldn't have done a more critical show or character before in his career. The script is that good. I was very happy for him too. We enjoyed filming the show, even though it was such a challenging shoot."

Even after a career spanning over 30 years across multiple languages and mediums, Shinde's hunger for stories remains intact. "I am always focused on my director, the story and the scene at hand. If you are focused, then you will only care about doing better, even if you have been working for years. Nothing will distract or bore you." A work-life balance is crucial to boosting one's longevity, adds the actor. "When I'm not working, I like to go to the forest and the hills with my friends, spend time with the workers there, who I believe are more knowledgeable than even officers. Such experiences keep you rooted."