With the advent of OTT, a lot of actors who weren't receiving the right scripts or opportunities in abundance, have found a shot at redemption. Sikandar Kher is also a shining testament to the same. With the praises that the actor has been garnering for his performances in Monica, O My Darling and Aarya, Sikandar is now enjoying his much-deserved fandom. The Free Press Journal team caught up with the actor following the third season of Aarya, which is now streaming on OTT.
Speaking about what his character of Daulat will add to the new season, Sikandar shares, "Daulat is just basically there to protect Aarya. He's there to make it as easy as possible. At the end of the day, he is not somebody who’d only give his life for Aarya, he will want to look after her kids because he bears the guilt of having killed Tej (played by Chandrachur Singh in Season 1)."
Since people relate to the loyalty displayed by Daulat, how much of the character rings true to the actor in person? "I don’t mean to blow my own trumpet or anything like that. But I've always been loyal. I've been blindly loyal to people, even if I have known them for just five minutes and we’ve only exchanged a laugh or two. But, I do find it a rare quality, when I see somebody stand up for a person behind their back. I’ve seen people not do that. They’d rather not get involved. Which again I understand, is fine and sometimes, a more sensible thing to do. I’ve learnt the harsh way. I’ve accepted that not everyone will treat you the way you treat them. But that doesn’t make me bitter. Having been a sportsperson, integrity comes very naturally to me."
Since his debut in the 2008 release Woodstock Villa, success has been rather sporadic for Sikandar. What has kept the actor going? "I'm working on patience, to be honest, in life. I think patience is key. A lot of things will fall in place for you. When I started working, a word of advice my mother (Kirron Kher) gave me was that the answers lie in the wait. So keep waiting. You just need to be patient."
As we conclude our chat, the actor suggests how one can sustain and hold themselves together, in moments of doubt. "It’s the support of my family and the fact that I’ve seen the biggest stars go through their difficult and the lowest phases. The film industry will always be a challenge in a way. Having said that, everybody in their own space will have their own issues and will have their own bitter pills to swallow," he concludes.
