Saqib Saleem: I used to be a macho guy in college years

A still from Unpaused

The pandemic upended our lives in ways we had never imagined, hitting some harder than the others. In Unpaused: Naya Safar, five filmmakers come together to tell stories of hope and pain, survival and despair set against this backdrop. For Saqib Saleem, it was love at first narration when director Ruchir Arun offered him Teen Tigada, which follows three small-time crooks who have stolen a truck of electronic appliances. Their plan to sell them off hits a roadblock when a lockdown is announced. The actor says the short-tempered and aggressive Chandan reminded him of his early days.

"He is an alpha male, but at the end of the day, his heart is beating just as fast as [his accomplices']. I used to be a macho guy when I was growing up in Delhi, and during my college years. So, I drew inspiration from there," he says, pointing out that the years since have mellowed him. "I don't think I am an alpha male anymore, and that shows in my choices as well."

Saleem's role in the Amazon Prime Video anthology comes as a much-needed change of pace for the actor, who has often been seen playing urban characters. He credits the OTT platforms for bringing forth new stories, and with them, realistic characters that didn't get screen time earlier. "Here, I play a robber from the heartland of India. So, I felt like somebody saw me in a different [light]. Such roles were not offered to me five years ago. [Most filmmakers] used to feel that this actor is just out of college and [hence, a better fit] for urban roles."