The process of appreciation for actor Shahab Ali continues from all sides. His subdued and subtle performance as Sajid in The Family Man series has grabbed the attention of the audience. He shares with us that he is receiving immense praise from the fans of the series and loves watching his character sketches and video edits which continue to flood his inbox even after the release of the second season.
“The response has been great. I’m getting so many messages that my inbox is full. I’m getting Sajid’s sketches and video edits. To be honest, I expected it, but I never imagined it to be that big. Vala hai and people are going to love my characters so much. It has been overwhelming for me,” says Shahab.
His journey in the entertainment industry has not been easy. At first, Shahab had to stay away from acting and pursue a journalism course, followed by a job in a newspaper for a year. Due to financial constraints, he could not go to Mumbai full time but kept auditioning for roles while performing musical plays.
He recalls, “I started with street plays in Delhi University. The conditions were not favorable so I did journalism course and also worked for a newspaper for a year. I always felt that I was not very good at it. I was not enjoying it either. Then I decided to take a U-turn and told my mother about it. He supported me and I applied for the National School of Drama (NSD), from where I graduated in 2015. Here, life completely changed. Next, I successfully auditioned for India’s first Broadway-style musical, Zangura. I did it for three years till 2018. Then I started doing Mughal-e-Azam in Mumbai. I am still a part of the show where I am playing the character of Salim. For me this struggle ended when I thought of pursuing acting. It was a really tough time when I couldn’t decide what to do with my life.”
Has the acting profession given him financial stability? “I come from a very humble background,” he says. Financially, it has always been tough for me. It’s still the same. Everything depends on the work to come. It needs to be converted into more work. If this happens then everything is going to be good. Both concerts gave me some stability. I was able to support my family and fulfill my dream. I wanted to come to Mumbai but knew I couldn’t stay there. Moving from Delhi to Mumbai was really a big step for me. I could shift because of the stability these music gave me. The family man has also given me some hope.”
Problems have arisen once again during the coronavirus lockdown. Shahab shares that he had to go back to his hometown of Delhi, and still hasn’t returned to the city of dreams. “Before the release of The Family Man, I was in a very difficult position. All the work had stopped and I vacated my flat in Mumbai and came back home. Even now, I’m still here. Season 2 (of The Family Man) is out now and hopefully things will change.”
How did Shahab step into a character like Sajid, who is an extremist? “For me, Sajid is someone who is floating between a hero and a villain. I worked on the intensity of the character. I did some workshops and brought some of my experiences. I gained 6-7 kg for the look. Since Sajid is not very expressive, I worked on staying still. I worked on the body language based on the directors’ inputs.”
Does playing gray affect his mental state? “Yeah, it does for me. I got very serious doing this role. When I used to come back home people used to ask me ‘why are you so serious?’ I didn’t joke or laugh much. I take time to acquaint myself with the character. I also take time to get out of the ‘zone’. When I play a character like Sajid, it shows in my personality “
Family Man seems to have been cast in a big way, with a huge star cast and various locations including a few international cities. About the huge canvas of the web series, Shahab says, “The scale is huge. It is a pan India show. If I count the locations, we have shot in Chennai, London, Mumbai, Baramati, Madoli, Kashmir and Ladakh. Quality-wise, the production team and channel are clear from the start. They take time in scripting and shooting. Even in post-production, the canvas remains very large and is visible on the screen as well. The vision behind this series is very broad.”
Shahab’s next is an MX Player Original Series, in which he joins the cast for a second season. He says that it may release in August-September.
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