Mumbai, Actor Bobby Deol on Wednesday expressed how playing the anti-hero protagonist Baba Nirala in the web series “Aashram” marked a pivotal moment in his career. The opportunity came at a time when he felt he would no longer receive offers for hero-like roles. Seeking to explore characters of various shades, the actor embraced this role, ultimately leading to a remarkable turnaround in his professional journey.
Directed by Prakash Jha, “Aashram” tells the story of Baba Nirala, a self-proclaimed godman entangled in an illicit empire of fraud and drugs while preying on young women in his ashram. The show first premiered in 2020 and has garnered significant attention since then.
“We, as actors, want to play characters which we are not in real life,” Deol explained. He further noted, “As an actor you get an opportunity to be someone else without being that person… I was trying to do different roles. I knew I wasn’t going to be offered hero roles anymore. That is why when I accepted this show, I did not tell anyone. I was waiting for the show to come and then see their reaction,” he said while addressing reporters during the trailer launch of “Aashram” season three-part two, titled “Ek Badnaam Aashram,” which is set to premiere on Amazon MX Player on February 27.
Known for classic films like “Soldier,” “Gupt,” “Humraaz,” and his more recent work in “Animal,” Deol shared his joy at his family’s enthusiastic response to “Aashram.” “I felt like I was dreaming. My mom was telling me that every day her friends were calling her and telling how good I have worked in the show,” he added. “Papa called me and told me he was getting calls from a lot of friends saying, ‘You have worked so well. I am so happy for you that your work is being appreciated.’ My brother mentioned that friends were also reaching out, wanting to connect with me,” he recalled with excitement.
Deol expressed gratitude towards director Prakash Jha for offering him this transformative role. “As actors, we want to do our best… All thanks to Prakash ji who believed in me. Prakash ji has really changed my life in many ways. At the end of the day, I think things fall in place,” he affirmed.
Following the success of “Aashram,” Deol has taken on a variety of grey roles in films like “Animal,” “Kanguva,” and “Daaku Maharaaj.” Despite being in an antagonist phase, he is actively seeking greater depth in the characters he portrays. “In the industry, once they like you as a certain personality on screen, they tend to start offering you those kinds of roles, which is something an actor finds difficult to break away from,” he stated. However, he is selective, insisting, “There has to be some kind of substance to that character. I’m enjoying playing antagonists… People usually like the bad boy kind of character. So it kind of worked for me. I’m sure I’ve just begun my journey again and there’s a lot more I can offer as an actor.”
As Bobby Deol celebrates three decades in the film industry this year, “Ek Badnaam Aashram” will also see the return of Chandan Roy Sanyal and Aaditi Pohankar in their roles as Bhopa Swami and Pammi, alongside a talented cast including Tridha Choudhury, Darshan Kumaar, Vikram Kochhar, Anupriya Goenka, Rajeev Siddhartha, and Esha Gupta. This upcoming season promises to build on the series’ success and further explore the complexities of its characters, adding to Deol’s career momentum and showcasing his versatility as an actor.
