One of the most consistent Bollywood performers in the last decade, Sharman Joshi is now stepping into the web space with his first digital outing. ALTBalaji’s upcoming show, Baarish, is set to see the actor make his debut on a streaming platform. Sharman has made a mark with each of his cinematic outings — be it 3 Idiots, or his latest film, The Least of These: The Graham Staines Story, which narrates the story of an Australian missionary working in India. For obvious reasons, his fandom is geared to see the actor in a different medium, which is more accessible and millennial-friendly. We were happy to discover that Sharman is just as pumped as us about his new web show. Baarish, a refreshing love story, starring Sharman and Asha Negi, is set to be one of the few shows that you can binge-watch on a random weekend night with your family.
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Sharman is super glad about the family-friendly aspect. “On the web, with newfound freedom and creativity, there’s naturally a lot of noir dramas, sexually charged shows and edgy content, which is wonderful to watch. I think it’s great that there’s so much good stuff out there. But I’ve missed simpler shows and easier narratives, which you can enjoy with your folks. I think that’s something that this space needs,” the actor tells us. Sharman has been the face of the desi everyman for a decade now, having played almost every relevant character there is — from an overworked engineering graduate in 3 Idiots, and a doting middle-class father in Ferrari Ki Sawaari, to a rebellious martyr in Rang De Basanti. In Baarish, he plays Anuj, a Gujarati businessman, who finds a great connection with a young Marathi woman named Gauravi (Negi), who hails from a working class background.
Sharman tells us that family dynamics and interpersonal relationships form a huge part in this love story, which is what makes the show so endearing. “Anuj is someone who believes in love, and his family is his biggest priority. This show has its focus on relationships. Sometimes, the people closest to us end up affecting our relationships with others, knowingly or unconsciously, and this show acknowledges that. Anuj and Gauravi have similar perspectives, which is why they develop a sense of respect for each other and work together to sustain their relationship,” we are told. Baarish, which is set to release on April 25, has 20 episodes, each 20 minutes long. In other words, it’s perfect binge-watching material. And we bet Sharman knows that too, because he himself is quite immersed in the streaming marathon culture.
The actor, who is currently bingeing on British crime drama Criminal Justice, tells us that Baarish, with its relaxed, uncomplicated storytelling stands out from the crowd of gritty true crime outings and super intense dramas, which are filling upstreaming platforms. “You know, I was quite late to the binge-watching scenario. It has only been a couple of years since I started. I had so many friends telling me to start watching web content. And, I think shows like Narcos, Game of Thrones and House of Cards are doing something wonderful and interesting,” adds the actor. Sharman, who started out with comedy films like Style and Xcuse Me, has gained praise unanimously for his comic timing, and spontaneous brand of hilarity. He has been part of commercially successful films like Golmaal, and of course, starred in Satish Kaushik’s film Gang of Ghosts, the Hindi remake of Bhooter Bhabishyat. Needless to say, we asked the actor if he is planning to be a part of a comedy venture anytime soon.“I would love to be a part of comedy projects again. I think we need more comedy content, on the web, especially. As soon as something relevant and good comes my way, it should work out,” we are told.
In the last few years, Sharman’s career has taken a timely turn towards dramas and thrillers. His last release, The Least of These, which was out last month is one of the most gripping releases of this year, where Sharman co-stars with The Usual Suspects star, Stephen Baldwin (yes, Hailey Bieber’s dad!). His next venture, Mission Mangal, is just as impressive; co-starring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan, the film will tell the story of the scientists who contributed to India’s first interplanetary expedition to Mars. Considering the actor’s stellar range of work, we had to ask him about how he zeroes in on a role. Turns out, the process is more organic than we imagined. “There’s nothing I’m particularly looking for. I just want to be surprised. I don’t have any preconceived notions about the characters that I end up playing. I just hope to be blown away by the writing,” he says.
Releases on April 25 on ALTBalaji