Shivam Bhaargava talks about his show ‘State of Siege: Temple Attack’…

From modelling to acting; how has been your journey so far?

It’s been a long and arduous journey. But when you finally see some fruits of your labour, it feels worth it.

We hear you are playing the role of NSG Commando in the State of Siege; any special preparation for the role?

I watched films and shows with commandos in it to capture their body language, and we had workshops with a retired Army Colonel, who gave us training too.

Any interesting incident while shooting?

Learning how to handle and use an MP5 was pretty interesting.

What has been your most memorable role so far and why?

Karan Khanna in Ghost, as I got the opportunity to work with Vikram Bhatt! I was cast opposite Sanaya Irani, who was just a delight to work with and we shot in London. Plus, this character was very different from who I am, which is why it was great to work on creating it.

How was the experience of working with Vikram Bhatt in Ghost?

Vikram sir was very easy to work with; he was very clear with what he wanted from a take and there was always so much to learn from him.

Who has been your inspiration when it comes to acting?

Amitabh Bachchan; I hope to work with him some day.

What’s your take on reality shows? If given a chance, which reality show would you like to be a part of?

To be honest, I haven’t ever watched any of them, so I really can’t say.

In the last one year, music videos have become popular and we saw you in one too. What’s your take?

I think music videos have always been around but in the last one year, because of the pandemic, we have had fewer films releasing in cinemas, which has given OTT platforms quite a boost. Music videos are a great way of telling stories and clearly there’s a huge demand for entertainment at the moment, hence the growth.

How has life been in the pandemic?

Life in the pandemic has mostly been confined within the four walls of my apartment, but that did give me a lot of time to work on myself and my craft. Also, I tried cooking, started Calisthenics, learning Spanish and a few other things.

What do you miss the most about your hometown, Lucknow?

Family, friends and food!