Exclusive - Sheezaan Khan on Tujhse Hai Ashiqui: Wanted to explore playing a negative character

Tujhse Hai Ashiqui which started from June 6, features actor Sheezaan Khan as Arjun Waliya. While the actor is excited for the audience to see him in a negative character, he shared that he did not relate to it at all.

He said, “I don’t relate to it at all. The character is a villain. Every person has an ideology, whether he is a villain or a hero, and they think they are always correct. While playing my character, I used to feel bad after the scene. I, as Sheizaan, used to feel bad about whatever I was doing in my character. This is the first time in my 12–13 years of career that I am playing a character like that.”

“I had never played a villain before, so this was a big reason for me to say yes to this show. I wanted to explore playing a negative character, and I had two big examples in my mind: first was Shah Rukh Khan in Darr, and second was Bobby Deol in Animal. I was okay with less screen time, but I wanted my character to be impactful. And that was it. If there is no Arjun Waliya in Tujhse Hai Ashiqui, then there is no conflict,” he added.

When asked whether he feels fashion on screen has declined in the entertainment industry, he disagreed and said, “Fashion and storytelling are two very different things.” For him, storytelling is of utmost importance. He cites Gangs of Wasseypur as an example, a film that succeeded immensely because of its strong narrative. He added, “It’s just how a maker wants to show their show.”

Behind the scenes, Sheezaan credits Ravie, who has directed the show, for being his guiding force throughout the shoot. Whenever he was confused or unsure about a scene, a quick call to Ravie would set things right. “He used to just pick up my call and tell me how the scene should be performed, or if there is any change in the scene, how it should be done. So for me, he was like a guide. I trusted his vision completely,” he ended.

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