Having given the audience some great performances in the last decade, Jaideep Ahlawat first rose to fame for the role of Shahid Khan in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

Since then, he has been part of movies like ‘Commando: A One Man Army’, ‘Gabbar is Back’ and ‘Raees’, to name a few.

He’s back again on screen as Khalid Mir, Alia Bhatt’s trainer in Megha Gulzar’s ‘Raazi’.

He speaks to Anila Kurian about working with the cast of ‘Raazi’.

Is your role in ‘Raazi’ completely different from the ones you’ve played before?

Definitely! It’s a real story that took place in 1971. The way that the character is designed is great. I play the head of the intelligent agency. He’s someone who speaks less but thinks boldly.

What was the toughest part?

To play a character who is 10 to 12 years older than you are was not physically but mentally challenging. You have to be more solid in your performance. My character is someone who knows everything but he’s an introvert. That makes him mysterious. It was also interesting to pretend to be in that time period.

What was it like working with two powerhouses — Megha Gulzar and Alia Bhatt? 

They are incredible to work with. Megha has a great vision of how she wants things to be. Alia, on the other hand, is very dedicated and it’s inspirational to watch her work.

You’ve been in the industry for over a decade now. What has been your biggest lesson?

As generations change, the thought processes of the society also change over the years. As an actor, working with different actors and on different stories changes the way you are wired. You begin to analyse, accept and visualise things differently. But you have to give your best each time in order to continue growing.

Do you have a dream role?

Of course, I do. It’s an ongoing dream. There’s always a phase where you decide that you want to make something happen and when that’s achieved, you start planning your next dream.

Well, what’s your current dream?

I want to work with directors like Vishal Bhardwaj and Zoya Akhtar.

What do you think about the new mediums like web series and online streaming portals?

It’s great that you can access world cinema on the go now. The way Indian audience views content has changed. There’s always something more to see and it’s great that directors have to compete with that vision.

Will we get to see you in other mediums too then?

It depends on the script. If I come across something interesting, why not! At the end of the day, the work I do should make me feel good and motivate me to do more.