Ajit Arora on his acting debut in Red Letter: 'I didn’t ask actor friends for advice; I wanted to develop my own style'

When I was writing the script, I always had the thought of casting many actors I knew in the fraternity. But I knew I wanted to write and direct it because the atmosphere and fabric of the film needed to be just right. However, once the script was finished, I realised that I could play this part with more conviction than anyone else. I’d lived with this character so much that it felt natural to portray it. I wanted to be the character all along. I’m really excited. There’s been a lot of work that’s gone into this for over a year and a half—from writing to post-production. I was involved every step of the way. And yes, acting has been an exciting part of the journey. I was happy to portray the character with full conviction.

I went to Kashmir a month before the shoot and took on the responsibility of training and casting. I personally went through the auditions, appointed a casting director, and trained the actors for about 15 days. So, by the time I stepped in front of the camera, I felt deeply involved. When it was my first shot, I didn’t feel like a newcomer; I was already in a director’s mindset. I was coordinating everything and guiding the team. I didn’t feel nervous because I was fully immersed in the process. I think that responsibility in me to take care of everything didn't give me the feel of, oh, this is your first shot. I mean, I was very happy with my first shot. And luckily there was so much snow all around by five o'clock. So we had very little daytime and everything, and we could—we didn't wait for two, three, or four shots. We did our 15-day, 20-day workshop with everyone.

That’s a valid question, but I didn’t. If I had, I might have been influenced by their methods. It’s important to develop your own style rather than imitate others. If actors just copied each other’s performances, they wouldn’t make their own mark

I can’t reveal too much about the plot, but my character’s name is Abhiveer. He’s a cake shop owner, married to a kind woman who works in the archaeology department. As the story unfolds, Abhiveer is thrust into a series of events that force him to take on unexpected responsibilities. His character goes through a significant transition—from a lovable husband who surprises his wife with chocolates to someone who must face much darker truths. It’s a character with many shades, and I was excited to portray all of them with conviction.

Both roles have their unique essence. I’ve enjoyed both directing and acting, especially because I wrote the script. Directing was great because I had the characters alive in front of me. But acting also allowed me to bring that written character to life. I enjoyed playing Abhiveer because I had already imagined how he should be, so acting was a natural extension of that vision. When I was writing, I wanted the film to rely less on dialogue and more on acting—on expressions, body language, and silence. I feel that this approach helps convey emotions more powerfully, and that’s something I focused on. If I had to choose, I’d say I enjoyed acting just a bit more because it allowed me to tell the story directly to the audience.

Hopefully! If I find a role I like, I’d love to do more acting. I’ve worked on a few films before, but my business in the software industry kept me busy. However, filmmaking is where my true passion lies, and I’m committed to content-driven cinema. If the role has substance, I’d be happy to take it on.

I can promise that no one will be bored for even five seconds. The film moves at a fast pace from start to finish—there’s constant suspense. It also carries a very strong social message, which leaves an impact on viewers. The movie doesn’t shove the message in your face; it unfolds gradually, keeping the audience intrigued throughout. It’s a thriller that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.

I’m open to any type of role as long as it resonates with me. Acting is about feeling the character and becoming it, and I believe I can do that with any character if I connect with it on an emotional level. It’s an inner journey that the camera captures.

I’ve been writing several scripts, and one of them is a large-scale commercial action thriller that I’m wrapping up. It’s an entirely fresh perspective, unlike anything you’ve seen before, with no influence from Hollywood or Bollywood. I’m excited about it and can’t wait to share it.

I think I can do any kind of acting. No, I'm very sure because it's very important that you feel the character; you become the character, and then the character takes over. That's how acting is. And I'm not saying it's easy or something, but then it's like the inner journey as well as once you feel that inside, the camera captures you.

So, yes, as I'm on a writing spree, I've been writing one of the movies; rather, I've written four or five scripts, but one is something that I'm giving a finishing touch to, which is a very, very big movie, and it's a commercial action thriller movie that I have written. And that I'm finishing up, and obviously we'll see. Again, it has a potent subject, but again, it's a complete action, which is not at all a copy of any Hollywood, Bollywood, or anything in it. It's all a fresh perspective on that as well.