Shashank Arora on his journey from ‘Titli’ to ‘Superboys of Malegaon’

Shashank Arora has steadily carved a niche for himself in Indian cinema, choosing unconventional roles that push boundaries. From his gripping debut in Titli in 2014 to his recent performance in Superboys of Malegaon, the actor has been delivering great portrayals on screen.

Shashank Arora reflects on his most challenging roles and acting process

Shashank first gained recognition with Titli, a neo-noir crime thriller that challenged him both physically and emotionally. “The toughest part wasn’t the mindset but shaping the character’s body language and motives,” he shares. Crediting his training and workshops with Atul Mongia, he acknowledges his acting professor Rob Reece for shaping his craft.

His next major role came in Rock On 2, where he played a Banarasi sarod player trying to break into the music industry. Despite a limited arc, Shashank made an impact while working alongside established actors like Farhan Akhtar and Arjun Rampal. “Characters close to you can be tricky—you tend to get lazy. But this one was far from me, making it an exciting challenge,” he explains.

Currently, the actor is earning praise for Superboys of Malegaon, where he plays a small-town dreamer passionate about filmmaking and friendship. Reflecting on the film’s setting, he says, “Malegaon values stories and emotions over money. It’s no different from Mumbai, which is an equally bizarre breeding ground for filmmaking.”

Despite working within tight creative parameters, Shashank credits director Reema Kagti for balancing guidance with artistic freedom. Sharing the screen with Vineet Kumar Singh and Adarsh Gourav, he calls them ‘two of the finest actors in the country’.