13 October,2026 01:14 PM IST | Mumbai | Oshin Fernandes
Deven Bhojani in Reporting Live
Known as the quintessential "funny guy", courtesy of his brilliant comic timing, veteran actor Deven Bhojani is deliberately shifting gears. Over the last five years, he has taken a conscious step back from television to reinvent himself across films and OTT. In Netflix's Reporting Live, Bhojani plays a dedicated video journalist working alongside Parineeti Chopra. He embraces uncharted territory, a gritty narrative, and complex character work. In an exclusive interaction with mid-day, Bhojani shares his take on the political scenario in the country, being an insecure actor, and more.
Deven Bhojani remains candid about the realities of his craft amid the tense atmosphere in the country and the idea of actors speaking up or participating in protests. He says, "I'm just an actor. Just let me act. I don't want to get into politics. I don't have the knowledge for it, and much of it is half-baked due to social media. I don't know what is right or wrong, so who am I to judge? Because my main job is to act. So I want to keep myself limited to that."
Unafraid to admit that even four decades of experience come with lingering creative insecurity, he emphasises his desire to remain focused strictly on storytelling rather than public political posturing. "I consider myself to be very insecure, even though I've been working for the past 40 years. But still, I'm very hungry. I want to keep working till the end of my life. I could be without work or get more work because of my affiliation with a political party. However, I would rather get cast if I'm suitable for a character or story and not because of this, which is why we have secret voting. I'm not saying the ones who speak up are wrong, but I'd rather focus on my career," he adds.
In Netflix's Reporting Live, which tackles the rarely explored world of illegal sand mining, Bhojani tries to bring authenticity to the role. The actor reveals he underwent intensive physical and technical prep, from mastering the mechanics of heavy camera equipment under the guidance of an experienced news cameraman to overcoming a personal fear of riding motorbikes. "We did a lot of workshops before we started. A senior cameraperson trained me to hold the camera, dismantle, and run with equipment. I didn't know how to ride a bike very well, which was crucial for a few scenes. I had a bit of fear too, but we trained for many days, and it helped," he signs off.
