Wanted to do commercial films but life had other plans: Sohum Shah

Mumbai: When life offered him an offbeat film like "Ship of Theseus", actor Sohum Shah adjusted his compass, set sail and his long-cherished dream of starring in a commercial project came true almost a decade later with the political drama series "Maharani".

Shah, who hails from Sri Ganganagar city in Rajasthan, says he wanted “to become Shah Rukh Khan” when he started his acting career with 2013's "Ship of Theseus" directed by Anand Gandhi.

“I am an audience of commercial cinema. I wanted to become Shah Rukh Khan and wanted to do commercial films. But things were not in my hands. Life had planned something else for me.

“I believe a lot in destiny and you can’t control it. Life offered me ‘Ship of Theseus’. Life surprises you. Your taste and style of acting also changes. It is important that you blend with what life throws at you,” the actor told PTI in an interview.

Shah, whose film credits also include Kangana Ranaut-led “Simran” (2017) and “The Big Bull” (2019) headlined by Abhishek Bachchan, said "Maharani" is his "most commercial project ever".

In "Maharani", the actor plays the role of the shrewd Bheema Bharti, former Bihar chief minister who had handpicks his homemaker-wife Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) as his successor in season one. He reprised his role in the second season  which premiered on August 25.

“‘Maharani’ has turned out to be my most massy project. Not many people know about ‘Tumbbad’ or ‘Ship of Theseus’. I am looking forward to this journey. I want to entertain everyone, including people of my village,” he added.

He also shared how his mother too didn’t warm up to his offbeat films as he recounted taking her to the 75th Venice International Film Festival for the premiere of “Tumbbad”, the 2018 period horror film.

“I remember taking my mother for the premiere of the film at Venice but she slept in the middle. And after she came out from the cinema hall, she asked 'What kind of films do you make?'” "Maharani 2" sees Qureshi's Rani Bharti set to reign and ensure fair administration to the citizens of her state. But her path will be full of challenges.

Playing Bheema Bharti in season two came easily to him as compared with the first season, added Shah.

“It was easy to play the character this time as I have already played it before. In season one he did not do anything as he was bedridden but in part two he is doing a lot of things. The character is complex. He is juggling his personal life, professional life and political ideology,” he said.

Some of his upcoming projects are completely different from his previous work, he said. They include a comedy film backed by filmmaker Luv Ranjan and Prime Video series “Dahaad”, directed by Reema Kagti.

“I am doing a comedy film for the first time. It is something that is not expected out of me because I am perceived as a serious type of actor. It is a silent comedy film. The star cast is commercial like Nushrratt Bharuccha, Nora Fatehi and others. It is produced by Luv Ranjan,” he added.

About “Dahaad”, he said, the key reason to board the series was Kagti, known for films such as "Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd." and "Talaash".

“Reema was directing the show hence I wanted to do it. Besides, the character was really good. It is a serious show but my character is doing comedy. It should be released this year," he said.

Shah is also set to produce and star in a commercial thriller-comedy-drama, besides featuring in the social drama “Sanaa”.

"With ‘Sanaa’, which is with Radhika Madan, I felt director Sudhanshu Saria was very honest. I also liked the script,” he added.