Jaideep Ahlawat: Good Script is the ‘Real Star’

Jaideep Ahlawat, be it Hathiram Chaudhary of Pataal Lok, or Shahid Khan of Gangs of Wasseypur, this FTII graduate has been at his best for every role that he has done. Irrespective of whether it is Gangs of Wasseypur or The Action Hero, Ahlawat has proved his mettle as an immensely talented actor. His next release is Sujoy Ghosh’s Jaane Jaan, which will start streaming on Netflix from September 21. Jaideep’s unrecognizable look, in the film, has already created a curiosity among the audiences. He speaks more about his role in Jaane Jaan, his views about the relationship between an actor and a director, as well as his friendship with Vijay Varma.
Speaking more about his role, Jaideep says, “When I started reading the script of Jaane Jaan, the most interesting aspect of Naren, which attracted me was his unconventional devotion. As an actor, I felt this needs to be shown through the film.”
When asked about the process, he follows for any character, he said, “As an actor, I keep re-reading my script, to get to know more about the role’s nuances. And I have always believed that a good script is the ‘real star’. We need a great team to implement that through our work. Director is the captain of any film, and if I ever have any conflict regarding my character, I always discuss that with my director. An actor and as a director, both have different ways of visualising the film. At the end, both, director and actor should come to a common ground and deliver best for the film. When you work with a director, like Sujoy Ghosh, you update your software as an actor. He knows about his craft thoroughly. He is very sharp and really good in the thriller genre.”
Interestingly, the two most talented actors in the industry, Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat, are from the same batch in FTII and are very good friends. Vijay Varma has already mentioned that he considers himself a fan of Jaideep. Speaking about the equation they share, Jaideep says, “Whenever we get some time off, we sit and play cards. We have a brilliant relationship and work has never come between us.”
Jaideep has a unique philosophy for rejections he has faced for a role. He says, “I have never felt bad about rejection, after an audition. I believe, the rejection happened for that certain role which I have auditioned for, I am not rejected as an actor.”
Jaideep has done great work on OTT platforms as well. Speaking about OTT’s contribution in his career, he says, “Yes, when Pataal Lok released during lockdown, people showered immense love on me. OTT is a place in-between, television and films, and an actor like me has got a lot of opportunities from there.”