'Producers never typecast me,' says 'Bhagwat' star Jitendra Kumar
What's the story
Actor Jitendra Kumar, known for his roles in TVF's Panchayat and Kota Factory, recently opened up about his decision to star in the crime thriller Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas. Despite his strong association with boy-next-door or common-man characters, he was excited when producers approached him for a darker role. He also said that filmmakers have never typecast him.
Role selection
'I've been offered a different world every time'
Kumar said, "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." "Harman [Baweja, producer] and the team's excitement about having me in this complex, gray part [in Bhagwat] excited me a lot. But it also raised expectations." But even before this, Kumar noted that "those who are interested in collaborating with me bring me different characters." "I've been offered a different world every time."
Co-star appreciation
Kumar has been a longtime fan of Arshad Warsi
Kumar revealed that he was a fan of his co-star Arshad Warsi since watching his 2005 cop drama Sehar and Warsi was a big reason behind saying yes to Bhagwat. "He brings human emotions [to any part]. If you observe Circuit closely, Arshad sir humanized the comedy; it didn't feel like a written stand-up comedy set," he explained. Next, Kumar will be seen in Mirzapur The Film.
Medium-agnostic approach
On divide between OTT, theatrical actors
Kumar also shared his thoughts on the divide between OTT and theatrical actors. He said, "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." "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."