Ranvir Shorey on his Hasmukh character: Jimmy has a heart of gold

As a mentor to Vir Das's Hasmukh in the comic's forthcoming eponymous Netflix web show, Ranvir Shorey says his part is crucial and has an attention-worthy track.

Ranvir Shorey made a conscious decision to green-light digital projects. "For independent actors who do not belong to any camp, like myself, this is important," he says. The actor's upcoming web series, Hasmukh, is a comic caper, with a twist. "It's a dark narrative. I am told everyone is glued to OTT platforms in the current scenario. Hopefully, this will give people reason to laugh."

The Netflix series, which drops tomorrow, is about a small-town comedian, played by Vir Das, who longs for a big break in stand-up acts. Things take a bizarre turn when he realises comedy too can be serious business, something that he may even need to kill for.

As Hasmukh's manager, Jimmy, Shorey also doubles up as his guide. "Jimmy is a scumbag with a heart of gold. When [Hasmukh] is off-stage, I [mentor] him. The two characters are together, but have their own individual graphs."

Shorey had earlier collaborated with Hasmukh producer Nikkhil Advani in Chandni Chowk to China (2009). "I guess, the previous outing landed me a role in Hasmukh. Shooting for a web series is more time consuming than a film. Every show poses its own challenges."

The promising run of his last Bollywood film, the Irrfan-starrer Angrezi Medium, was cut short owing to the lockdown. But Shorey is not dissuaded. "Many of my good films have suffered due to certain situations in the past. There's nothing one can do about it. But the response to Angrezi Medium is heartening. The digital platform is a blessing, and a game-changer," says Shorey, who was previously seen in web shows like Sacred Games and Bomber.

Meanwhile, Shorey is enjoying the hiatus that we have been compelled to take. "I binge watch shows, and the sheer joy of doing so is unexplainable. I also have other fears, like [finding] work again, contracting the disease, or availing enough groceries."

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