Sikandar Kher on Aarya: Good things come to those who wait

Sikandar Kher

It's the first time my project has worked," chuckles Sikandar Kher. Almost 12 years since his foray into the industry, the actor is winning acclaim for his brooding performance as Daulat in Ram Madhvani's Aarya on Hotstar. "I am almost never excited about my work because I have done a lot of projects and none of them have fared well, besides Romeo Akbar Walter [2019]. [In these years] my reaction to work has ranged from extreme excitement to acute disappointment. Now, I have directed all my attention to choosing solid stories."

Kher reveals that he was not on Madhvani's radar, but bagged the part thanks to a powerful audition. "Casting director Abhimanyu Ray tested me and Ram liked the audition. He extracted a performance out of me that left me surprised. There are directors, and then, there are makers; Ram is the latter."

A man who lets his actions do the talking, Daulat is a potent character who influences the narrative of the Sushmita Sen-led crime drama. Surprisingly though, the audience is given only a few instances to understand the character in all his complexity. In a striking scene, Daulat is seen playing with a puppy - a rare instance of him displaying his tender side. Kher says the director and he charted an elaborate backstory for the character. "We realised Daulat is a guy who lost his family at a young age. Zorawar brought him up and absorbed him into the family business. So, he is functioning out of a moral debt. As Aarya and he grew up around each other, he started loving her, only to realise later that the relationship can never be. Daulat is built loyal, but his morals are not skewed as is evident in the last episodes."

Kher who previously starred in 24 (2016) notes that the audience's response towards shows has changed in the past few years. "Had 24 released now, it probably would have been received better. Abhinay Deo [director] had made a brilliant show."

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