Mishkat Varma on Ram Bhavan, his grandfather producing Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor’s films: ‘I’m not into Bollywood as..’
While promoting his new show Ram Bhavan in an exclusive interview, Mishkat Varma reveals his filmy background, and how his ancestors’ legacy and influence didn’t help him much in his career.
Actresses dominate Indian television. In this space, Mishkat Varma has created a mark for himself with his performances in Nisha Aur Uske Cousins and Kavya – Ek Jazbaa Ek Junoon. The actor is currently seen in his new show Ram Bhavan, and the actor joins DNA India, discussing his new show, and how difficult it was for him to make an identity for himself in the TV industry.
Sharing his views on accepting Ram Bhavan, Mishkat says, “After Kavya ended, I got offers for 4-5 different shows of Colors. I chose Ram Bhavan because an actor rarely gets a male-dominated show. It was my greed to do a show where I’m playing the prominent character. I don’t want to play a namesake male lead. So this is the major reason that gravitated me towards this show.”
Ask Mishkat if he’s been choosy from the start, he reveals, “I’m not delusional. I know my standing. So earlier when I was doing projects, my concerns were whether I was the main lead, money, and channel. However, my last show gave me a very powerful, and that is when I tasted blood, and I realised that I should take up such projects where my character is equally important to the narrative, and he’s not just there for the sake of it.”
Did you know that Mishkat hails from an influential film family? Mishkat reveals that his grandfather was a well-known film producer of the 1950s. “We had a production house, Varma Pictures, which was started by my grandfather. After the partition, papaji came to Bombay Lahore, and he started the production house with his five brothers.”
Mishkat further adds, “The production house gave some popular 15-20 films, Badal, Aurat, Main Nashe Mein Hoon with Raj Kapoor, and Shammi Kapoor’s Budtameez. They were active from 1950-1960, but then it was very difficult to strive.” The actor continues that although he has a film background, it never helped him in his career. Varma further adds that he is not even giving film auditions. “I’m not into Bollywood much as I was not satisfied with the roles getting offered.” Mishkat Varma and Khushbu Rajendra’s Ram Bhavan is currently airing on Colors.
