It goes without saying that Jaideep Ahlawat is an actor par excellence. The 42-year-old FTII graduate from Haryana has been in the film industry for close to a decade now. However, after featuring in brief roles in films like Rockstar, Aakrosh and others, he left critics raving with Anushka Sharma-produced web series Paatal Lok in May this year.  

With big-budget projects like Khatta Meetha, Gangs of Wasseypur and Raees to his merit, Jaideep proved to be a revelation as Khalid Mir, a senior RAW officer, who trains Alia Bhatt to become a spy in Meghna Gulzar’s 2018 blockbuster Raazi.  He will be back on-screen on October 2, 2020, as his action-thriller Khaali Peeli premieres on the pay-per-view digital platform ZEEPlex. Khaali Peeli is directed by Maqbool Khan and stars Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter with Jaideep, who is the antagonist. 

In an exclusive interview with PeepingMoon, Jaideep spoke about what attracted him to sign Khaali Peeli. Spilling the beans on how Raazi and Paatal Lok opened doors to numerous opportunities, the actor shared how his journey has been a great learning experience.

Excerpts from the interview:

After starring in brief roles initially, you are getting lead roles now. How challenging was it to reach this stage?

When you start your journey, every stage has a new lesson and learning for you. It is just the way when you start schooling, you find the primary stage difficult. When you are in the secondary section, the next phase seems challenging. Similarly, I’ve been learning new things and accepting new challenges every day. As you grow, you are prepared to face new obstacles.

Why did you sign Khaali Peeli?

It has an interesting premise. I’ve known Maqbool (director) for the last 4-5 years now. He is a passionate man. He has a very good understanding of Hindi cinema. When he narrated the story to me, I found the character to be interesting. It had something new in it and I wanted to try my hand at unique roles.

Your Khaali Peeli co-stars Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday belong to film families. Do you feel it is an advantage for them? 

It must have been easy for them but I never argue because it happens everywhere. There is nothing to feel disheartened about. If you want to become an actor, you will give it your 100%. That’s what I have been doing. My journey to date has been great and people are appreciating it. Main apna dekhta hu. Dusre ke thali ki ghee nahi dekhta.  

Have you ever been a victim of the insider-outsider bias?

Even if it has happened, I have no idea about it. In every field, there is favouritism. If your family is in a profession and you decide to follow the trail, they will surely reach out to help you. But at the end of the day aap joh kar paoge vahi kama paoge. Amid this debate, the only thing I fear about is that new actors who are talented and want to make a career in the industry will be discouraged. They will stop working hard. There lies the actual problem. Contrary to it, the industry has outsiders like Shah Rukh Khan, Irrfan, Manoj Bajpayee. That said, outsiders do have to work a little hard. 

You’ve been picking grey characters for a long time. When can we see your comic side?

I hope so. Please request directors to sign me in a comic and romantic role.

Did Raazi play a key role in giving you a much-needed recognition?

Not just in the industry but Raazi gave me a global recognition. People got to know about me and that’s one of the key reasons why I got Paatal Lok. You start trusting an actor when you’ve seen his/her past work and know that they can pull it off easily. Raazi ne saare darwaaze khole industry ke.

Paatal Lok turned out to be a winner. How has the show's success benefited you?

The first thing that happened to me was the audience started recognising me because of Paatal Lok's reach. It is as if Hathiram Chaudhary and Jaideep Ahlawat are both my names. There is hardly anyone in the industry who hasn’t showered love on the show and my performance. It’s kind of overwhelming. A few days ago, I read about a person who watched Paatak Lok for the 12^th time! I believe writers will now come up with better scripts for me. The impact of Paatal Lok's success on my career will be seen once the situation returns to normalcy. 

After Paatal Lok’s success, didn’t you want a big-ticket release in the theatre or are you happy being the new face of web? 

There is no actor who wants to limit themselves. Be it a big-budget film or parallel cinema, I just look for good stories and great characters.

Has the perception of directors/ casting directors/ critics changed towards after Paatal Lok? 

I’m sure their perceptions have changed. They have called me to appreciate my work. 

Baaghi 3’s run was cut short in theatre. Disappointed?

I was extremely disappointed. The film was enjoying a great run in theatres. It didn't get its due. But there was no solution to it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime situation.

Is Paatal Lok 2 in the making?

It's too early to say anything right now. Once the situation returns to normalcy, we’ll see when to start shooting for it. It's up to Amazon Prime Video, Anushka Shama-Karnesh Sharma and their production house Clean Slate Films. I’m always ready to do my job.