Response to Paatal Lok was a big deal, says Ishwak Singh

HPe had been doing projects here and there, but it was the web series Paatal Lok, which released in May 2020, that turned the tables. And Ishwak Singh is only glad. “Paatal Lok happened in May, and it was a big deal. It was kind of amazing, the response to it. It was a privilege that it was under the spotlight,” the actor says. And the roles Singh is now getting are very different from the ones he’s done till date — in Aligarh (2015), Tum Bin 2 (2016) and Veere Di Wedding (2018). While the last two made it seem like he’s gunning for a chocolate boy image, Paatal Lok, which saw him play a cop, changed tracks. The actor, who also starred in the anthology Unpaused, which features stories around the pandemic and its different aspects, explains that this is both happening organically and a conscious decision. “These days, the writing is so specific, you don’t see things like that and try to look for something deeper. I’ve realised every character is so different, even if they seem similar on the outside. For me, it always starts with writing. Like in Unpaused, you know it’s an ensemble, but it’s encouraging to be a part of something where you know your co-actors have a lot of zest. There is a possibility of Rishabh Suri

These days, the writing is so specific, you don’t see things like that and try to look for something deeper. I’ve realised every character is different, even if they seem similar...

you being part of something memorable,” says Singh, 30, who shared screen space with actor Richa Chadha in the anthology. Theatres were shut due to Covid-19, but they reopened in October. Singh feels the industry bounced back, and that was somewhat encouraging to see. “The industry has been strong and a bit of a braveheart, in the sense that it got up on its feet. Everyone got busy,” he observes. ISHWAK SINGH,

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