Beloved actor Jitendra Kumar is known for his relatable characters in hits like ‘Panchayat’ and ‘Kota Factory.’ In a recent interview, he revealed how he is taking a calculated risk by embracing a complex, grey role in the OTT film ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas.‘ Kumar also expressed deep admiration for Warsi. Furthermore, Kumar weighed in on the OTT vs. big-screen debate.
Jitendra Kumar on taking up ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas’
In an interview with Mid day, despite his established screen image, Kumar explained that he had no hesitation in taking on a new challenge with ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas’. Kumar explains, “Of course, there are things that connect with the audience. But no matter how strong an actor’s image is, the audience wants to be surprised.”
Jitendra Kumar on embracing a dark role in ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas’
For Jitendra Kumar, the Zee5 film felt like a necessary step in his career. Although he is widely recognized as Jeetu Bhaiyya from Kota Factory, “Harman [Baweja, producer] and the team’s excitement about having me in this complex, grey part excited me a lot. But it also raised expectations.”
Jitendra on being typecast
Jitendra feels that, in general, most filmmakers have never typecast him, “Those who are interested in collaborating with me, bring me different characters. I’ve never had a maker bring something like Panchayat. I’ve been offered a different world every time.”Excited to work with Arshad WarsiAnother reason Kumar chose to star in Bhagwat was his co-star Arshad Warsi. He says he has been a fan of Warsi ever since watching his 2005 cop drama ‘Sehar’. “He brings human emotions [to any part]. If you observe Circuit closely, Arshad sir humanised the comedy; it didn’t feel like a written stand-up comedy set,” he explained.Jitendra Kumar on big-screen opportunitiesNext, Jitendra will appear in the theatrical release ‘Mirzapur The Film’. While he plans to stay medium-agnostic, he notes that unlike some OTT actors who feel the industry is hesitant to cast them in big-screen projects, he sees things differently. “Today, big-screen actors are coming to OTT because they want to try long-form storytelling. [Conversely], everyone who works in the OTT space is excited to be on the big screen. Right now, everyone is excited to do good work. If everyone does everything, the theatrical-OTT [divide] will reduce. If some actors refuse [work], saying, ‘I don’t want to do a film in a different medium’, the bracketing will start because then producers will know that certain actors think this way. So, the bracketing depends on actors rather than producers.”More about ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas’The film is a crime action thriller, directed by Akshay Shere, starring Arshad Warsi as DSP Vishwas Bhagwat and Jitendra Kumar as Samir alongside Devas Dikshit and Tara Alisha Berry.
