Sharman Joshi on 'uncomfortable' and 'awkward' subjects: This message has to be conveyed

Known for blockbusters like 3 Idiots and Rang De Basanti, Sharman Joshi is back with a hard-hitting web series called Kafas. The six-episode series on Sony Liv deals with an important issue of sexual abuse of a child, where Sharman plays the father of the victim. In an interview with City Times, the actor talks about why it is important to spotlight such issues, even if it makes us uncomfortable. He also opens up about why he missed out on an even greater success in Bollywood, despite being part of iconic movies. Edited excerpts from an interview:

It is lovely to see you back on screen. What excited you about Kafas?

Not many exciting things were coming my way. When I got the script of Kafas, I was reading it reluctantly, thinking it’s one more script that’s not going to work out for me. But every page was riveting. I thought it would go flat by the third or fourth episode, but it sustained my interest and I immediately called up director Sahil Sangha, telling him that I had to be a part of this project.

The show talks about an important issue. Were there parts that disturbed you?

Yes, it is awkward and uncomfortable if you talk about abuse. But even then, we must talk about it so that the children are well aware, and also the predators should know that they would be taken to task and punished. This message has to be conveyed and the series helps take this message forward to convey the fury towards the perpetrator.

Unlike your energetic performances in your movies, your performance as a father in Kafas is more subdued...

You know in the first 10 minutes of the first episode itself, the father gets to know what has happened. The family is shocked, broken and constantly in a disturbed state. The script dictated that mood and performance. How would a father react or behave when something like this happens to his child?

You made your debut with the award-winning film Godmother (1999), but the first hit of your career was Style (2001). Since then, it has been a long journey of 24 years...

I started with theatre — amateur theatre in college and then commercial Gujarati theatre in Mumbai — and was appreciated a lot there. But I was passionate about films. I wanted to be a part of the film industry. I used to think even if I could act in just one film, I would be really happy and consider myself successful. God has been kind. Not just one but I’ve been a part of plenty of films, and some truly memorable ones. My debut film Godmother was also successful, it got five National Awards and then Style was a hit. I was really young and looked even younger, so the kind of films I was getting were similar to Style. It took me some time to get other, more mature roles.

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