The Pitchers fame actor Naveen Kasturia is known for portraying extremely relatable characters on screen. He was recently seen essaying the lead in Jio Hotstar’s recent espionage action drama, Salakaar. In an exclusive interview with The Movie Mail, Naveen gets candid about his experience of working with director Faruk Kabir on the series and doing action for the first time onscreen. He wishes to work with filmmakers like Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap, among others, in the future. While he expresses his love for Malayalam cinema and hopes to act in different languages, he also shares an update on the third season of TVF’s Aspirants.
Edited excerpts:
Q. Salakaar marks your foray into the spy-thriller genre. How did this role come your way, and what aspects of the initial brief sparked your interest in the project?
A. I got a call from the casting director, Romil Modi, and he told me that there’s a Hotstar espionage drama set to be directed by Faruk Kabir about a spy based in Islamabad set against the backdrop of the 1970s. That’s all I needed to know, and I immediately wanted to do it. I liked the theme a lot. After that, I met Faruk, and he narrated the entire script to me, as well as briefed me about the character and how he’s planned to create it.
Q. In the series, you’re not only portraying the character of a serious and layered spy but also engaging in action sequences with blazing guns and more. How did you prepare, both physically and mentally?
A. I was very excited to work on the show. I didn’t have to prepare mentally for it, but I had to rehearse a few action sequences. I don’t remember firing even a bullet in any of the shows that I’ve done in the past. I remember merely holding a gun in Breathe: Into the Shadows (2022), but that’s about it. So, I was very excited about filming Salakaar and the action parts in it. Faruk had also asked me to do strength training. So, I was also exercising more than usual. The basic rehearsals for action scenes were done for 2-3 days. Prateek, our action director, was there, which made the process quite smooth.
I also remember improvising on set while filming the action scenes on the day I did the gun sequence, where I’m trying to save one of the characters from the terrorists. So, I had a lot of fun while shooting, and I’m grateful that Faruk kept that sequence in the show.
Q. Your filmography reflects a wide range of genres and characters. Has it been a conscious decision to be versatile in your craft, or did it happen organically based on the opportunities that came your way?
A. I know for a fact that most of the actors want to be part of different genres. They want to be surprised by various stories and roles. As an artist, I want to explore and play different characters. Even as a viewer, I love stories of all genres and enjoy watching all kinds of films, if they’re engaging enough. So, I want to portray as many roles as possible. However, we don’t have so much control, and we select from the opportunities that come our way. I’m glad that good parts have come to me and am hoping for even better ones in the future.
Q. Having worked as an assistant director before stepping into acting, have you ever encountered a situation on set where you disagreed with a director’s vision, shared your perspective, and found that it influenced the final creative decision?
A. Of course, some actors give their suggestions to the makers. But I don’t think that my experience as an AD has much to do with it. I don’t get into the technical aspect of it. Additionally, assistant directors often handle production tasks. Unless you’re involved as an associate director, your creative input is very little. In our country, a lot of people become directors after being ADs. Abroad, if somebody’s an AD for a very long time, then they go to the production side.
Sometimes I try to offer suggestions, but they’re related to the scenes or my character, and not about the technical parts. Even in Salakaar with Faruk, if something came to my head, I would tell him, and if he thinks it fits the narrative, he would incorporate it into the show.
Q. What would be your advice to the aspiring actors who are struggling to make it in the industry or are waiting for their big break?
A. My advice would be to be at it. There’s no formula for success in the industry. Sometimes, waiting is a big part. Even at this stage, I feel, waiting is a big part of this job. Simultaneously, be patient, keep trying, and give auditions.
Q. Is there a character in a recent show or movie that has caught your fancy and made you want to play something similar?
A. Apart from being an actor, I’m also a huge consumer of good stories. So when I’m watching something, I really enjoy it. My actor self doesn’t really come because I’m really into it as a viewer. I remember the last Indian show that I really enjoyed watching was Khauf (Prime Video), which features Abhishek Chauhan, Gagan Arora, and Monika Panwar. I was so engrossed in the story and the visuals. But I didn’t envision myself in any of the characters. However, sometimes you watch and you want to explore those genres. It happened to me a lot at the beginning of my acting career. When I saw Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler (2014), I wished to play that kind of part if I got the opportunity.
Q. Have you ever had a fan encounter where they’ve spoken about one of your characters in films/shows that has influenced them?
A. Yes, it happens all the time. Many people come to me and tell me how Pitchers (Z5) has inspired them to become entrepreneurs, and Aspirants (Prime Video) has encouraged them in life. These shows have a special quality about them. Apart from being engaging stories, they’re also motivating. I keep meeting people who talk about these shows, the stories, and the characters that have inspired them in their careers, and pushed them to pursue a stream or passion they’ve always aspired to. So, yes, this has happened many times, largely due to Pitchers and Aspirants.
Q. In recent times, several Bollywood actors have ventured into South Indian cinema. Are you open to working on projects in other languages as well?
A. Absolutely! We consume so many great stories from Malayalam cinema. I don’t even know more than two languages very well, but if somebody is open to me, gives me time to learn the lines, get the feel and the action right, then why not? I would love to do that. It would be a new challenge, but that’s what we enjoy as actors. We get to do things that we have not and can’t experience in real life. So, acting in some other language would be a great high.
Q. Aspirants gathered a huge fandom across the country, and so did your performance in it. When can we expect a third season of the show to be announced? Is there going to be a spinoff of your character from the series, like SK Sir Ki Class, Sandeep Bhaiya, and Guri-Dhairya Ki Love Story?
A. At this point, I cannot say much, but rest assured that Aspirants season 3 announcement will be out soon. I’ve finished shooting for the show, so hopefully by the end of this year, the official update will be out. Also, these spin-offs were not made by the same creative team that created Aspirants. I believe it was a call from the producers. Also, Aspirants is mostly about my character. The show is centred around Abhilash’s story, and you mainly see his journey throughout. So, I don’t think his spin-off will be made, or should be made.
Q. In an era where social media can shape public opinion overnight, how do you navigate through the negative and positive responses of the viewers? What do you do to keep yourself focused and driven if and when there are certain aversions?
A. If you read something positive, you feel good, and if you read something negative, you feel bad. Lately, I’ve become a little thick-skinned, so I’m not affected a lot anymore. I’m not affected much by negative comments. Yes, sometimes people say weird things, but actors are public figures, so they’re exposed to public scrutiny. But when it happens to me, I don’t take it to heart.
Q. Who all are on your bucket list of directors and actors you want to work with in the near future?
A. There are a lot of filmmakers with whom I wish to work. Zoya Akhtar, Shoojit Sarcar, and Anurag Kashyap are some of the directors in India I aspire to collaborate with. I would love to work with Dibakar Banerjee again. Also, I’m a big fan of Sudhir Mishra. Meanwhile, I really liked Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan’s work as directors in Khauf. In fact, I texted the latter as well as the actors of the show and told them how much I enjoyed the show.
Q. From your debut in Shanghai (2012) to an array of roles in many small and big projects, to being one of the faces of TVF, and now stepping into your first full-fledged action-spy role, how would you describe your journey so far in the industry?
A. I’m grateful! I feel lucky that good things have happened to me. It’s a surreal feeling to have started from that small part in Shanghai to now in Salakaar. However, I feel Sulemani Keeda (2013) was my debut as a full-fledged actor. Then I remember being part of those YouTube sketches. In the initial days of The Viral Fever, I experienced a lot of fame through Pitchers.
After that, there was a lull period for some time, as a few of my shows didn’t do very well. Then, after six years, I got to work with TVF again on Aspirants, which was great. I’m grateful for most parts that I have done so far. I remember saying thank you to Mayank (Sharma) when I got Breathe: Into the Shadows (2022), because not a lot of filmmakers would have imagined me doing such a mysterious and complex role. So, it has been an interesting journey so far, and I love the fact that I’ve done versatile roles on screen. However, there is a long way to go, and I want to explore many more characters and stories.
