Most Facebook messages are from girls: Tahir Raj Bhasin

You must be on a high?

Yes of course. I couldn’t have thought of anything better. I am really happy for all that has happened and the feeling is yet to sink in. I never thought that my acting would generate such great response and that people would really like me.

Your female fan following has shot up all of a sudden.

(Smiles) Oh yes, it was completely unexpected. I was quite apprehensive and worried because I was playing a negative role. I felt that people would really hate me after watching me on screen because I was playing a cold-blooded child-trafficking kingpin. The issue too was sensitive and I felt that even though if people like my acting they will hate my face but it was a pleasant surprise. I still can’t believe my female fan following would increase so much. In fact, I have been receiving a lot of message on Facebook and most of them are from girls.

Even Aamir Khan appreciated your performance on Twitter.

That is perhaps the best complement I could have got. It was one of the best moments of my life. Aamir Khan is one of the finest actors in the country today and a compliment coming from him is certainly a big thing. I am happy that people have taken notice of me and their appreciation is the best reward I could have got.

But how did you bag the role?

I too had my share of struggle. I have been auditioning for roles for more than two years. Luckily, I got to know YRF’s casting director Shanno Sharma and was in touch with her. I got a call along with hundreds of other boys to audition for Mardaani and this time I was lucky enough to impress them and the role came my way.

But weren’t you apprehensive about making your debut with a negative role?

Definitely, that was a question that I kept asking myself . After reading the script I realised that the character was really too negative and the audience is sure to hate it by the time the film ends. But that was just for a moment because I also realised that I was a struggler and here I was being offered a role by Yash Raj Films for a project that is to be helmed by Pradeep Sarkar with Rani Mukerji in a never-seen-before role. That ended my dilemma. I couldn’t have thought of a better production house or a director or co-stars. I knew that here I have a chance to perform and I must give my best. Luckily things worked in my favour.

And what about Rani Mukerji? She is not only a brilliant performer but also a very senior actress.

That was another point. I was really very scared but it was only till we started shooting. Rani maam is very senior and it kept playing in my mind but the first time I met her on the sets, my entire perception changed. She treated me just like a mentor and helped me a lot throughout the shooting schedule. She is very warm and accommodating. I owe a lot to her. The confidence you see in the character I play is a result of the way she motivated me on the sets.

How difficult was it playing a cold-blooded child-trafficking kingpin?

It was a role that I thoroughly enjoyed playing. Pradeep Sarkar asked me to perceive the character of Walt as a really evil character. The character is negative but unlike most other villains people have seen in Bollywood. The character is not loud and has no conscience. He is cold-blooded and doesn’t think of the sins he is committing. The character is more psychological than violent. After reading the script, I realised that there was ample scope to perform and improvise and that helped me a lot.

How was it working with Pradeep Sarkar, who too is considered one of the best in the trade today?

Whatever I am today is because of him. Had he not shown faith in me during the auditions, I wouldn’t have been where I am today. He constantly kept motivating me and I surrendered to him.

So, how much has life change in the last month or so?

I was recently in Delhi, my hometown, and went to watch the film with my family and a few of my friends. By the time the film ended, there were around 250  people who came up to me, started congratulating me. They even started asking for autographs. That was a real high for me. It is true that life changes in Bollywood Fridays and my life too changed on one of those Fridays. Now, it’s only hard work for me. I have to live up to the expectations of so many people now and I am ready to work hard.