February 17, 2017
Having been a part of the entertainment industry for
eight years, Anshuman Jha who started his career in films with Dibakar
Bannerjees "Love Sex Aur Dhokha" and went on to well-received roles in
"Chauranga" and "Yeh Hai Bakrapur", is stepping into the web series world. He is
ready to do television shows too as he feels the medium is no bar.
"Babbar Ka Tabbar" -- a new web series -- is part of the original content
bouquet offered by new digital platform Zee5, from the ZEEL stable. Set in
Delhi, the show will have 24 episodes.
"The show is set in east Delhi
where a tenant called Jamiya -- that's my character -- has taken over the Babbar
family's Parchatti (terrace room). And how they let him be because he solves
their day to day problems in his own quirky way," he said.
So why did
Anushuman wait this long to work on the medium?
"I'd say there is no
difference between cinema and television in today's times. Even Meryl Streep is
doing 'Big Little Lies' for HBO. I would love to do TV as well, if the quality
of script offered to me challenges me. Unfortunately, whatever has been offered
to me hasn't. And the script is sacrosanct to me."
Anshuman has earlier
rejected TV opportunities.
"I have refused two web shows before this, but
this one instinctively hooked me. It's the only show on the new channel Zee5's
launch program with two seasons... That is a total of 24 episodes. Everything
else is only one season as of now with 12 episodes or less.
"Having
stayed away from TV all these years and having refused to get on the digital
bandwagon till now, this was a script and a character which I couldn't refuse."
Anshuman will also be seen playing his most violent role ever in his next
feature film.
"It's a dark Indie film titled 'Midnight Delhi', directed
by Rakesh Rawat. It's my most violent role to date. It's about one night in
Delhi and if I may say so, it is damn gory. The film is very dark, aggressive
and my character is extremely violent."
Other feature films on Anshuman's
card include Harish Vyas' "Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain".
"It releases this
summer. It's got Sanjay Mishra, me and the actress Shivani Raghuvanshi from Kanu
Behl's 'Titli' opposite me. In addition, I will be seen in Academy Award Nominee
Ashvin Kumar's Kashmir-based 'Noor' which will be out post June 2018. I am also
shooting for a 'Romeo & Juliet' adaptation 'Ishwar', directed by Imtiaz Ali's
Associate Pradeep."
It looks like a busy year for Anshuman.
"Yes,"
he said, adding: "It's a struggle to do quality work only when you are an
outsider in the Mumbai film industry with no powerful connections. But I am
determined to slog it out. I am convinced hard work always pays."