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Bollywood's Break From Monotony

Jim Sarbh is the perfect example of a paradox when it comes to Bollywood and everything it stands for. In an industry full of glitz, glamour and pretence, he is effortlessly himself. A breath of fresh air and a hard reality check, Jim Sarbh is not more than meets the eye, but is exactly who he shows he is - fearless, unconventional and oh, so proud.

Story By: Sadhika Sehgal
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As an outsider, when I try to steal a glance inside the Indian film industry, there is only so much that catches the eye. The glitz, glamour, and fame blur out everything else that Bollywood stands for and everyone who has been a part of it. 

It is only when you dig deeper, that you realize that Bollywood, like many of the actors it inhabits, is nuanced. And while most actors are seasoned enough to hide who they really are, there are a select few who wear their personality so proudly, that it rarely ever goes unnoticed. Like in the case of Jim Sarbh.

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Despite Jim telling us he keeps who he is reserved for his “friends, family, therapist, or my biographer”, there is a side to him that is as hard to miss as his roles in Neerja, Gangubai, Padmaavat, Made In Heaven or the several other films and shows he’s been a part of. 

If you thought Jim was the eccentric, quirky and unconventional type, you were right. Except, he’s all that and more.


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He is painfully blunt, unapologetically himself and knows well how to hide his brazenness behind that impeccable sense of humour that can get you to be startled and impressed at the same time. I know, I was. 

One thing I realized while interviewing the man that most came to know as Dr Homi Bhabha or Amin Faizi in recent times, was that he wasn’t just far from the roles he got to play, but he had also uncovered a secret to acting, which in his words was, “the irresponsibility of  playing someone else with no real consequences.” And boy, did he know how to have fun with it. 

Like the perfect paradox, Jim, while being an intricate part of the industry, stands for everything it isn’t - laconic, fearless and brutally honest. He wants to experiment, but his idea of what’s right and wrong is set too. He is open to interpretation, but there might be only one he approves.


He is free-flowing, but somehow strongly rooted too. And he made this clear to me when I had an exclusive chat with him... 

One could say you have a rather quirky and weird way of staying relevant in the industry. Be it your style, your roles or your acting, it’s been unpredictable. Is there a process that goes behind it?  

No. If the role seems interesting, I try to do it to the best of my abilities.

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Would you call yourself an intuitive or a method actor?  

There is no such thing as a non-intuitive actor. And as far as method acting goes, the industry we work in does not really support it. Being a method actor, as far as I understand it, involves trying to stay in the mind frame of the character at all times on set, and perhaps even once you leave.  

In Neerja, the brilliant Ram Madhvani created a circumstance where he wished to explore a version of method acting. Everyone knew the rules. Hijackers only speak to each other on set. Stewardesses only speak to each other. Passengers only speak to each other. Everyone stays separate and deeply involved in their character. This process can only work if the director and the system on set that he or she creates, support it all the way.  

Even within this framework, I sure could not react like my character would if I didn’t get what I wanted, or I thought I deserved, in the vanity van. Trust me. I tried. It didn’t go well. People want politeness and care, and if you are playing a character who exhibits neither of those qualities, the crew does not appreciate your ‘method acting’, no matter what the brief is from the director.   

We are an industry of sensitive, and sometimes, fragile people. Handle with care. I do not always succeed.   

Who is Jim Sarbh when he is not in front of the camera? And has there ever been a role you’ve picked that’s come close to who you are as a person?  

I think I’ll leave who I am to my friends, my family, my therapist, or my biographer.  I don’t think I have ever played a role that is close to who I am as a person, but I do not feel that is important in the slightest. In fact, the fun of acting is the irresponsibility of playing someone else with no real consequences.   

I feel Dr Homi Bhabha allowed me to play with the most range, to show sides and shades of my acting abilities that I haven’t had the opportunity to before.

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What is a bad piece of advice you’ve received and taken? 

To do a film my heart is not in, just to stay ‘relevant.’  

What is the one piece of advice you’d like to give out to those starting their journey in the industry?  

Develop your craft, ability, and sensitivity, instead of developing a PR agency. Does the PR, pap life, work? Sure. Is it satisfying? Only in the short run.   

What is the one thing you like in Bollywood as opposed to working with OTT platforms, and vice versa?  

Depending on the project, a film can feel like an OTT, and an OTT can feel like a film. It just depends on the scale and magnitude of the project.  

In a film, if they have the budget, you may get slightly longer to work on each scene. In an OTT, depending on your role, you have more time to show the varied shades of the character – you don’t have to stuff all your acting into a more limited period.   

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What is the one performance you’ve given that you were extremely proud of? And one that you feel you could do better?  

I am proud of my performance in Rocket Boys. I feel I could have done better in The Wedding Guest.   

Is there anything you can tell us to expect from the upcoming season of Made In  Heaven 

A death, a sibling, growing pains, a manipulation, an empty house. 

Credits
Editor: Dattaraj Thaly
Project Lead: Ayush Guha
Photographer: Vaishnav Praveen
Styling and Creative Direction: Ayesha Amin Nigam and Shaurya Athley
Styling assistant: Sejal Satish Nandanwar, Shivi Khosla and Aprajita Puri
Makeup: Priya Lahon
Director: Vishakha Kaushik
Producer: Saumya Shresth
Cover design: Disha Bhatia
Cover Story: Sadhika Sehgal
Production assistant: Ketan Pal
Location: Courtyard By Marriott, Mumbai
Actor’s Reputation Management: Kpublicity