04 November,2026 07:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam Abraham
Bhuvan Arora. Pics/By Arrangement
For Bhuvan Arora, the time between auditions and landing a role is never time wasted. The actor, who believes in making the most of the journey rather than obsessing over the destination, has several projects lined up. With the second season of Dupahiya streaming since October and Farzi 2 underway, Arora is keeping busy. In a conversation with mid-day, he discusses the progress of the Shahid Kapoor-led series, handling the expectations of a sequel, and his upcoming projects.
Excerpts from the interview.
For a long time time, supporting characters were considered secondary to the leads. Do you think OTT has changed that perception?
I come from a film school. We were basically taught that everybody is a hero of their own lives. So whenever you do a project or whatever your selection criteria might be later in life, always remember, you need to see the story above your character. And this has been my approach till date. I think it's very selfish of me to think, how is my part? That's the second priority, the first is always the story. I do think OTT has contributed to it, but I also feel that when Sholay [1975] released, there was no OTT, but we still remember Surma Bhopali [played by comedian Jagdeep] and the Jailor [Asrani]. I believe when you do good work, it will be recognised. I am working as hard as I did in my five-scene role in Shuddh Desi Romance [2013] as I am doing now.
What is the status of Farzi 2?
We're shooting it right now. It's going great, but that's all I'm going to say. People who are making it are trusting me to keep the story under wraps.
Does the success of the first season put pressure on you while working on a sequel?
Fear or pressure - it's never really going to help me. It's only going to spoil my performance and hamper my mindset. There is obviously a little bit of excitement, but there is no pressure. And by the time you start to take pressure about things, it is already out of your hands as you've already finished shooting.
You have another sequel with Janaawar. Tell us about your role as SI Hemant Kumar.
It's a heartland story, a whodunit. Unexpectedly, season one got a lot of love. In fact, Sonam Nair [director of Dupahiya, Masaba Masaba] absolutely loves the show. Hemant comes from an underprivileged background, and has faced racism all his life. We're taking the story ahead this time while building on the existing characters.
What else are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a Telugu film called Rowdy Janardhana, led by Vijay Deverakonda and Keerthy Suresh. I have already wrapped up a film with Manisha Koirala called Haqdar, produced by Arbaaz Khan. And two more interesting projects are coming up.
With so many projects coming your way, do you feel you've established yourself in the industry?
I'm sure everybody has a different opinion. But I never saw my journey as a struggle. It's not some dilemma that you had to go through. I hate the word struggler, which is often tagged to new actors. I enjoy going from studio to studio for auditions; it was a way to meet other actors, have chai, gossip, learn new things, and observe people. I enjoyed that process. When I was starting out, there were 20 other unemployed people with me, so I never felt alone.
The makers of âDupahiya' took a shine to Arora during the filming of âFarzi' (2023). "It seemed like a sweet script, and we laughed a lot," says the actor, who admits to playing "over-the top characters on screen for a while". He was offered both Bhugol, eventually played by Sparsh Shrivastava, and Amavas, but chose the latter. "Amavas felt a little more layered. So, I sort of chose that on purpose. And people have loved both seasons," he says
âFarzi' creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK spotted Bhuvan Arora in a Flipkart advertisement before casting him in the role of Firoz
