He’s most appreciated as the amoral Rinku of the series, Undekhi. But Surya Sharma has also done a crucial role in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhen and been the jealous yet arrogant police officer in Search: The Naina Murder Case. And he has just one passion: excelling at his job.
Excerpts from an interview.
You won awards for your role in Undekhi, and one for Hostages, all as actor in a negative role. And you have been ‘bad’ even in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhen and Salakaar. So when will we see you play a ‘good’ role and win awards for it?
The category of an award depends on those giving it! Filmfare OTT gave me the award for Best Actor—Drama for the same Undekhi! That said, every human being is gray, and has some good and bad points in him. Even Rinku from Undekhi is like that. He is antisocial but has some good traits. Much the same is true of my other characters, including in Search: The Naina Murder Case. A human being under stress or certain circumstances can do something that can seem right for him but is wrong for everyone else. Such roles are relatable and like normal people. But my biggest reward is getting the love of the audience. I still get calls or messages from people who have watched the first season of Undekhi just now, praising the series and my work! And I hope this continues with Season 4, whose shooting has just been completed.
Season 4! But Season 3 seemed to have concluded the story!
Writers kuchh na kuchh to nikhaal hi lete hai! The audience feedback has been extraordinary all along!
After getting all these awards, how much of the credit would you give to the writers?
Aaj writer hi hero hai! An actor can’t create in a vacuum. Let us say I am casually walking in a scene. But if I have murdered my best friend just before, meri chaal alag hogi. Writing has evolved in the last decade, and the audience has become very smart. My parents, for example, would only watch reality shows and news channels, but with nothing to do during the pandemic, they began watching OTT, and now they don’t like to watch TV!
I am told that Undekhi was shot in your home district in Himachal Pradesh.
Yes, in Hamidpur. Incidentally, Himachal Pradesh has been the home for Kangana Ranaut and Yami Gautam but I am the first male actor from there!
Both are stars today, so did you never have ambitions to be a leading man?
I am a hero for my audience! That’s enough for me. An actor’s career is based on how the audience sees him and how much they like him. And people love me, want to shake hands with me, even touch me! Kangana and Yami arrived at a different time. I grab whatever comes to me when it is being a part of good writing and hope to evolve further. Competition is so high today that whatever clicks is repeated! But whether I play a gangster, a cop or accountant, I hope to get love.
So how did this passion for acting originate?
That was probably since I was in the third or fourth standard. I was 9 or 10 and my father had written a monologue about an Army officer fighting in Kargil and I acted it out for a school skit. He prepared me and even arranged the costumes. It was like a very big opening—for my inner self. Until then, I was probably expected to go on the naqsh-e-kadam of my elder brother, who had been a head boy and was into extra-curricular activities like debates and science fairs, which I hated! When the skit earned me a medal and certificate presented by the Chief Minister in front of the whole school, I realized, “This is my thing!”
School plays are one thing, a career another. Was your father’s opinion the same when you wanted to take up acting as a career?
It was! It was he who did the basic research and enrolled me into Barry John’s workshops. Yes, he was a little worried about me going to Mumbai, as Mumbai was expensive, but he told me not to set a time limit for making it here.
How did you meet your wife, Manasi Moghe?
Manasi Moghe was crowned Miss Diva Universe 2013 and represented India at Miss Universe the same year. We met during acting workshops. It was eight years later that I proposed to her. She has acted in Marathi and Hindi films and done a web series. We just got a son in March.
That’s great news! Congratulations. Arising from the fact that she too is an actor, what do you think is the role of a co-actor in the performance you give?
It is the same funda as in life: Actions lead to reactions! For example, if you are a late riser, you will never get to see sunrise. But if you wake up early, you have full control also on your work for the day. Similarly, ek actor starts a scene, and generally another ends it. It’s an action-reaction game again. I take more than half of my performance from the other actor. If that does not happen, my lines will go waste.
What next can we expect from you after Undekhi 4?
There are two more projects that I can’t reveal now. Then there is the delayed Brown with Abhinav Deo as director, and Karisma Kapoor as co-star. It is a crime thriller with Zee Studios.
You have hardly done films. And Shah Rukh Khan produced Bhakshak. Did you get to meet him?
No, but he told the director give me his love and regards. Woh hi badi baat hai for me!
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