MARCHING AHEAD

ISHWAK SINGH MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF PLAYING COP IMRAN ANSARI IN THE GRITTY PATAAL LOK. JITESH PILLAAI TALKS TO THE ACTOR WHOSE ROOTS ARE IN THEATRE

- JITESH PILLAAI

Sometimes, a character pops out of a film or a series and grabs your attention without being the protagonist. One such actor is Ishwak Singh. One saw him recently as physicist Vikram Sarabhai in the seminal series. His defining role came with Paatal Lok, where he played an honest cop hailing from Kashmir, who is subject to casual racism in Delhi. He appeared as the conscience keeper of the series, holding a mirror to the corrupt practices of his colleagues in particular and the society in general. Ishwak studied to be an architect, got into acting by joining the theatre group Asmita, then followed the usual routine of auditions to jump onwards to films and TV. After doing bit roles in Raanjhanaa and Malaal, he got his big break with Paatal Lok and seems to be on his way to bigger and better things. Excerpts from an in-depth interview with the talented youngster…

YOU COME FROM AN ARCHITECTURE BACKGROUND. DO YOU SEE A SIMILARITY BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND ACTING?