When you spot Chandrachur Singh in a brief role in Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2013), your heart sinks. Gulzar's find was hailed as the next big thing after his compelling debut in Maachis (1996). In 2020, Singh's 24-year career, dotted with forgettable films, hardly reflects the magic he had promised with his maiden venture.

"I am picky and thankfully, I can afford to be that. If my work is not enduring, what's the point?" he questions as he returns to the screen with the Disney+Hotstar series, Aarya. At 52, Singh is excited to have found a powerful comeback vehicle in the Ram Madhvani-directed show. "I loved Ram's Neerja [2016]. After a long time, I felt in tune with a filmmaker's sensibilities."