Meezaan Jafri: My father’s expectations for me are actually higher than mine - Exclusive

Meezaan Jafri has experimented with a never before seen avatar in Yaariyan 2 and the actor is loving all the feedback coming his way. Ahead of the film’s release, on October 20, ETimes spoke to the actor about his character, his father’s reaction, social media and OTT among other things. Excerpts:
What have been the first reactions to Yaariyan 2?
I am getting a lot of love from everybody.There are people calling me, complimenting me for my performance, the intensity of my character, which is coming through even just in the trailer. So, it's been a great journey. But at the same time, we're still waiting for the film to be out. And I hope that people show the same kind of love that they have for the trailer.
Shed some light on your character in the movie. What is Shikhar Randhawa all about?
Shikhar is a daredevil, he doesn't have any responsibilities. So, he's a very free . He doesn't look for anyone’s approval or permissions and lives life on his own terms. The only thing that actually matters to him are his cousins because that's all he has, he doesn't have any other family or friends. So, his cousins are his best friends. He is a tough guy who doesn’t smile, doesn’t show his emotions easily but at the same time he is very helpful. Shikhar is a very cool character, has a lot of swagger. And it was very challenging for me because I am very different from Shikhar. His body language, and his expressions are very different. And a lot of people who saw the trailer or even the teaser, especially my friends, called me up and told me that this is one film where we feel that it's a character that we're seeing and not you. So I think that was a great compliment for me.
As you mentioned, the character was a far cry from your real self. So how difficult was the shoot? Was it emotionally draining?
It was very emotionally draining because we were shooting in real locations. And in those real locations, with the time constraints, with the public and the chaos, to really block out all that noise and then to execute that emotion, it became emotionally draining. Here were times when I had to constantly give retakes because some car driver parked the car behind in the shop, some guy was standing and watching. So these kinds of things are not in your control. But then you have to really just keep calm, let go of all those things around you and then get back into the zone. We were doing like 50-40 takes per shot, shooting for like 18-20 hours. So that became exhausting and emotionally draining. But otherwise, I think it was a great process. Also a learning process for me because I think you grow more and more as an actor and you learn.
You mentioned love changes Shikhar's character in the movie. Is there any real-life incident which has changed your personality?
I think there are many, you know. Sometimes accidents happen. Like recently there was a family friend of mine who got into an accident. And it sort of made me realise that life is so unpredictable. And there's no point in sitting and worrying so much about things because at the end of the day, it's not in our control. But at the same time, that doesn't mean that you sit behind and just let life take over.
In between your acting projects, you assisted SLB again for Gangubai Kathiawadi. So, do you plan to direct at some point in your career?
No, not at all. I mean, I'm extremely fond of filmmaking as a whole, the whole process. I would love to, maybe later on, but I think right now I'm just focusing on my acting. I think I need to first perfect, not perfect, but get really good at this stuff and hone myself. After that, I can think about direction.
How does your father react to your work? Has he reviewed Yaariyan 2?
He actually really liked my voice in the trailer and even the teaser. So, he's looking forward to how I've modulated my voice for the character. And at the same time, he also loved the way I'm looking and the intensity of the character. But I think he only comments once he sees the film. And he doesn't really give praises that easily. So, I don't really expect much from him. But at the same time, I know that if he compliments me, that's a big deal. Because he doesn't easily throw away compliments. So, I think there's a long way to go to get compliments from him because he expects me to be that good. You know, his expectations are actually higher than mine. So, I think we're working our way up to that, to get to that level where he's impressed. But I know he's very, very happy with the way the trailer is and the way I'm acting. So, he's excited to see the film.
You get a lot of love on social media for your personal style, do you read the comments?
I do. I do. And even if I don't, and sometimes if I forget to reply, my mother goes through all my comments. And she always reminds me, ‘don't be rude, reply to this person’. I think it's my mom who actually keeps track of what's going on online. Because sometimes I get too busy and don't really go back to what I've put up or see what the reactions are. I think I have my great family who looks at all these things in their mind and helps me become a more wholesome person.
Do you feel the pressure for a theatrical release, especially now since box office is so unpredictable?
I think there is always pressure with the box office. Because the numbers tend to speak and I think that's what we judge something on in today's times, with the collection or the box office collection, instead of what the merit of the film is and how good the film actually is. But regardless, we know we've made a great film with Yaariyan 2. But these things are not in our control. I think what we could do is give our best effort, perform to the best of our abilities and make the film as beautifully as we could. Now, the rest is with the audience whether they like it or not. I just try to keep myself busy so I don't get much time to think about or stress as to how the film will fare.
OTT is the big thing today. Have you been offered shows, or considered venturing into streaming space?
Actually, I've been offered around 30 shows till now. And, yeah, I said no. The reason is, I'm doing what I'm doing, the reason I act is because of my love and passion for cinema. I got into this because of the feeling that the theatre brings to you. You know how dramatic people in a movie theatre are, how the emotions are all in sync and how everyone in the theatre sticks together, laughs together, I think it's a great experience that we give to people. And our movies have such an impact on people in our country. We can use this medium to do better or pass on a good message, which is very important in today's times. And I've grown up watching films and been inspired by it as well. So I would love to continue doing that and keep that art form still alive. There's nothing against OTT. I love OTT. I watch a lot of shows. But personally, I would love to keep doing better for films and theatres.
Don't you feel that it would be a disadvantage for your career? Because OTT has a larger and wider audience?
I don't know. I don't believe that. Because there are movies like Gadar 2, which make you feel chaotic and young. So people come to the theatres if they have something good to watch, if they like what they're watching. Of course, OTT is also there. But theatres have a different experience. It's like an outing. And we don't have much of it happening in a country like India. Because our culture is very different. But of course, OTT work keeps coming. But at the same time, film work is also coming, so it's beautiful.