Even though Bollywood has tackled the subject often, Angad Bedi on why his police-gangster fare MumBhai will find takers.
Angad Bedi
How often have you seen a film about an encounter specialist in hot pursuit of a dreaded gangster? If you grew up in the '90s and the early 2000s, probably one too many times. Mention this to Angad Bedi, who plays encounter specialist Bhaskar Shetty in the upcoming web series, MumBhai, and he counters that Bollywood has surprisingly had little success with the subject in the recent past. The show will air on ALTBalaji and ZEE5.
"I know there have been many gangster films, and stories revolving around the underworld. But honestly, the last memorable cop drama was Shootout at Lokhandwala [2007]. That was 13 years ago. After that, I don't remember a single cop drama that was well-written. It's a tough role to play. I am shouldering a huge responsibility by doing this role," begins Bedi about the web series that is inspired by true events.
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Sikander Kher and Angad Bedi in a still from MumBhai
Incidentally, the 2007 actioner was produced by Ekta Kapoor with Apoorva Lakhia at the helm of affairs. The duo has reunited for the upcoming ZEE5 offering, which is set in the '90s and sees Sikander Kher portray an underworld don — the yin to Bedi's yang. While he has strong conviction in the script, the actor adds that Kapoor's vision for the material further boosted his confidence.
"Ekta has a sharp sense of what will appeal to the public. She knows how to penetrate the tier-II cities and towns. With MumBhai, the objective is to tap the smaller towns because it is an engaging story [that will appeal to them]. Ekta has the ability to balance both rural and urban audiences. It's fascinating to collaborate with a mind like that because she gives you a free hand, and acting is all about spontaneity," he says, adding that the writers — Lakhia, Chintan Gandhi and Raj Vasant — have etched a well-rounded character in Bhaskar Shetty, making him heroic yet vulnerable. "He is an underdog; such a character always connects with the audience. We have ticked all the boxes, making the story relatable and realistic." In his bid to perfect his act of a cop, who hails from the Konkan belt, Bedi picked the South Konkani accent.
After being confined within the four walls of his home for the past seven months, Bedi has headed to the outskirts of Mumbai with wife Neha Dhupia and daughter Mehr. The doting father points out that a change of scenery was necessary for his two-year-old tot. "Mehr is growing up; she needs to run and be around nature. How much can a child explore in 3 BHK flat? We have to invest in her. We can't make her sit with an iPad all the time, only to complain later that kids are not active and don't indulge in outdoor activities. You have to take that leap of faith, and live your life normally." The trio recently headed to the Maldives for a quick vacation. "Neha and I had countless discussions before we travelled overseas with Mehr. She was tested before we went there. I had also gone to Dubai for the shoot of MumBhai. Over the past five months, I must have undergone the COVID test over 15 times."
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