Vikas Kumar: ‘Never used dialect coaching to find roles’

Vikas Kumar

He has portrayed a cop one too many times, but Vikas Kumar has always managed to play them differently. As the actor steps into the role of ACP Khan again for the second part of Aarya season 3, he credits the show's writing for making his character "more human and emotional". In conversation with mid-day, Kumar looks back on his acting journey, how filmmaker Ram Madhvani humanised his character in the Disney+ Hotstar show and how the part is closer to his real-life persona.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

How did both your professions, dialect coach and acting, come together?
I came to Mumbai looking for work as an actor. Whoever had seen me act thought that my voice and dialogue delivery are my forte. One day, my roommate Honey Trehan, who is now a director, was sitting with an assistant casting director [working on a] Hollywood film being shot in India. They wanted somebody to ensure that the Indian actors speak British English well. So, he recommended me to the line producer. While I waited for the right acting projects to come my way, I had to do something to stay busy and earn money. Dialect coaching gave me a chance to be part of the film industry. Now, I have a company called Strictly Speaking, where my wife is also a trainer.

Did dialect coaching pave the way for your acting career?
Never. People on the outside think that this would help me build contacts, but I've never looked at it as a way of finding roles. Dialogue coaching has allowed me to choose my acting assignments and do only what I really want to do.

It took a long time to build your career since Powder and Khotey Sikkey.
My journey has been slow yet steady. Things looked promising after Khotey Sikkey because [I was] made to believe that there will be regular work and Khotey Sikkey was supposed to have a second season. But these shows by YRF were way ahead of their time. If something like that had happened today, it would've been very [successful].

While Aarya's first season was liked, the second edition received mixed reviews. Your take?
The first season had its own novelty; it was fresh for the viewers and the actors to explore. In season two or three, the fear is that you can get complacent. You have to challenge yourself and see how you can do things differently within the character's parameters. Ram also does workshops to push you. Some people liked season two more than season one; we've got all kinds of reactions.

You've played a cop many times. How do you make the roles distinct?
I've refused many cop roles because they didn't excite me or didn't have a proper journey character-wise. The first [factor is] the writing. That's why you take up a show like Aarya because it's not your regular cop. Plus, Ram was directing it and it was Sushmita Sen's comeback. Ram and the other directors [wanted me] to make ACP Khan more human and emotional, not someone who carries his authority on his shoulders. He carries enough authority when he is conducting raids, but he is also human enough to understand what Aarya as a woman may be going through. His relationship track made it a wholesome character.

How has ACP Khan evolved in season three?
Now, he comes with even more angst and drive to catch Aarya and the Russians, and get rid of the entire drug racket. This is probably the closest to how I am in real life, and Ram wanted it that way. Similarly, Sushmita is exactly like Aarya with her kids. Ram tries to capture the real you. With Ram, there is no action and cut; you go live your scene and he will capture it. Being yourself is the toughest thing to do.