He is a rare find. Why? Because Mohit Malik is one of those actors who knows only one way to perform — by immersing himself completely in his characters, often blurring the lines between reel and real. We’ve seen it in Doli Armaanon Ki (2013) and Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala (2018), among others. Now, playing Lord Shiva — father to Ganesh and Kartikey — Malik reveals that it was a role he had once manifested but initially refused when the offer came his way. “It was destiny,” he says. It was also destiny that led him to Mirzapur: The Film, where he plays a pivotal role among actors “so secure in their craft”. In conversation with mid-day, Malik talks about his hesitation before taking up Gatha Shiv Parivaar Ki – Ganesh Kartikey, his move towards films, and working on the set of Mirzapur: The Film.

Excerpts from the interview.