Ishwak Singh Opens Up on What Makes Paatal Lok Extraordinary

An architect by profession, Ishwak Singh responded to his inner calling, when he joined a theatre group in Delhi. Ishwak entered mainstream cinema with a cameo in Raanjhanaa in 2003. He was next seen in Aligarh, Tamasha and Veere Di Wedding. Little did he know that the OTT platform would make him a household name. As the grounded Iman Ansari, he plays the complete foil to Jaideep Ahlawat’s volatile Hathi Ram Chaudhary in the crime drama Paatal Lok. As a metaphor of the marginalised, victimised and dehumanised, his act of a Kashmiri Muslim cop speaks of hope and dignity in a rotten system. Anushka Sharma’s production, directed by Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy, spotlights the unhealthy nexus between the lawmakers and law-keepers. It will remain a milestone in Ishwak Singh’s career…

1. You’ve worked in a few films until now. But Paatal Lok has definitely put you on the map…

It feels amazing. One thing an actor needs is for people to know what he’s all about, what his skills are and what’s unique about him. Every actor has something special. When people notice that it’s a great feeling.

2. The show is intense, dark and a bit eerie. What was your first reaction when you read the script?

It’s real. It’s one of the best scripts I’ve read. Because I read a lot of plays and scripts, I’ve a sense of what an extraordinary script is. The day I read it I knew it was special.

3. How did you land the part?

I was called for an audition at Casting Bay. I went well-prepared and did two scenes. Although I got it in the first two takes, the casting team pushed me to include nuances, which I loved. In about two weeks I got the call.

4. Your character Imran Ansari has to face discrimination. How did you prepare for such a complex role?

We’ve all faced it (discrimination) or have been affected by such things directly or indirectly. I studied the various aspects of the character’s background and explored them - his religion, adab (culture), ethnicity, policing, education, aspirations to be an IPS officer etc. It took me to places, where interacted with people from the police force. It made me read books. All of that stayed with me when I went to the set.

5. Your bromance with Jaideep Ahlawat in the show has been receiving a lot love. Tell us something about the bond you share with him.

Jaideep is a great guy, a wonderful team player. He would be on the sets and even assist in lighting it up at times. He’d give great inputs as to how we could shoot a scene. It was a democratic set where intelligent ideas and solutions were welcomed. I’ve been an admirer of Gangs Of Wasseypur and loved his part in it. We’d often talk about that, his days at the FTII, about theatre, about plays.

6. People cannot stop raving about the show. How are you reacting to all the praise?

It feels amazing. I am grateful for all the love that people are giving the show and all of us. An actor needs to be told you did a good job. People give me such detailed accounts of what they’ve liked about my performance that it’s overwhelming. It’s like they could read my mind and knew exactly what I was thinking.

7. What kind of roles would you like to play in the future?

I want to be a part of good stories, a Paatal Lok happens probably once in five years or in a decade. It’s the kind of storytelling that you would’ve seen in Ardh Satya, Bandit Queen, Satya, Black Friday, Gangs Of Wasseypur... While I have an appetite for such films, there are so many other stories also being told. Content is truly at the centre these days. Paatal Lok has opened new doors. I’m hungry for characters that are both - complex and fun to play.

8. A message for your fans…

I want to thank everyone, who liked the performance and the show. Every message is like an achievement. I feel so grateful for the love. Also, I’d urge everyone to stay safe and try to fight the current crisis in whatever capacity they can.

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