By his own admission, Ali Fazal spends weeks familiarising himself with his character before he faces the camera. House Arrest, which drops on Netflix next week, was a refreshing change of pace in that regard. The actor reveals that he went in blind to shoot for the situational comedy — that revolves around his character who fears setting foot outside his house — as per director Shashanka Ghosh's instructions. Ghosh believed that intense preparation would compromise the spontaneity required for his character.

"Some roles, like Mirzapur's Guddu, require extensive work. But here, I was able to let go of my pre-conceived ideas about the character and bring out an authentic performance. I am able to explore a new facet of me when I do minimal preparation. Shashanka has a different approach to his work. He doesn't tell you what to do; he allows your instinct to take over a scene," says Fazal.