Sahil Anand, seen in the film Student of The Year, is back in a webseries Banned. He talks to SHALINI SAKSENA about his acting journey, among other things
What is the digital series Banned all about?
It is about four youths from Sirsa in Haryana. They have big dreams and what to make of their lives. They come together to form a band. Not that they know much but just their love for music. They have been handpicked for their raw talent — one plays the guitar to impress girls, another is on the pots and pans in a family-owned dhaba, another plays the harmonium at jagratas. The story is about these boys who get into a controversy and land in jail due to politics even though they are innocent.
Why this title?
This is because their band is not allowed to perform anywhere because they are history-sheeters.
What is your role?
I play guitarist Bhalla.
What were the challenges in playing a rustic character?
I didn’t know how to play the guitar, an electric one at that! But I did my best to learn. Getting the Haryanvi accent was the other challenge. The series has four full-fledged songs, something unique to a webseries.
Why did you say yes to such a subject?
This is the age of webseries. The story of Banned intrigued me. It was something that most people would not have come across. It has twists and turns. Most subjects have one genre. This is a mix of love, drama, comedy and thrill.
How did your acting journey begin?
I am a BTech Engineer in Chandigarh when Roadies 4 came to the city for the first time. I went for the auditions for a lark and the fun of it attracted me to this line. I cracked it and my acting journey began.
You have done TV and films. Where does your comfort zone lie?
Definitely films! TV is too loud and over the top for me. Films are more real and one can find a connect with the character one plays. You get everything that you want.
But you did Bigg Boss.
Yes. I had done reality shows, TV and films and wanted to try my hand at being in the House since it is totally different from what I had ever done before. But it was not within my comfort zone. I can’t fight, shout, rude or be OTT. We were being shot 24x7 but only an hour of footage is shown. My time inside was like a jail for me, maybe worse than that.
Do you have roles that you want to play within your comfort zone?
Not really. I want to do roles that I have never done before like that of an Army officer or that of a psychopath. I want to push myself and see what I do.
What do you love about this industry?
The most basic thing — the fame and the love of the people that comes.
What are the other projects that you are working on?
I do have a TV show in the pipeline and another webseries.
What makes the digital platform so popular?
Besides great content, it offers actors, who have not been able to make a mark in TV or films, to showcase their talent. Then there are some who are too big to do TV but want to be part of something meaningful. The digital platform gives them that opportunity.
