When I am offered roles like a ‘hero’s friend’ or ‘heroine’s brother’, I don’t understand what it means: Gagan Dev Riar

After devoting almost two decades to acting on stage, Gagan this year received accolades for his breakout performance as Abdul Karim Telgi, who had masterminded a counterfeit stamp paper scam, in the 10-episode series Scam 2003 on SonyLIV. With this, the 41-year-old has realised his father’s long-cherished dream of his son becoming a ‘hero’ on screen.

“My father’s perception regarding a film actor was influenced by the likes of Dharmendra. He had, in fact, run away from his home in Punjab to Mumbai to become a film star,” recounts Gagan. Though Devinder had several filmy acquaintances, he later on settled for automobile business. But he wanted Gagan to join showbiz. “Since my father wanted to see me as a typical hero, he was worried about my nose and wanted me to undergo plastic surgery. However, doctors advised against it,” recalls Gagan and adds, “With a sharp nose, I could not have played Telgi.”

As per his father’s plan, Gagan was supposed to find an assistant’s job on film sets after his graduation. By the time Gagan completed his B.Com, he was more focused on exploring the art and craft of theatre. “My father was initially opposed to it. Later on, he appreciated the fact that I used to enjoy a warm audience response for my stage performances. Today, when I am the protagonist of a web-series, my father is not there. He passed away in 2010,” says Gagan, who is part of the Broadway musical Monsoon Wedding’s cast. The actor has acted in some of the most successful contemporary plays, including Piya Behrupiya and Stories in a Song. He has also directed several plays, including James and the Giant Peach, Ishq Aaha and Rhinoceros.

Depicting different stages of Telgi’s life — from him being a young fruit-seller in Karnataka’s Khanapur, to managing a modest hotel in Mumbai, and, eventually, running the fake stamp paper operation to his last days in jail — was quite a challenge. Before he faced the camera as Telgi, Gagan had to gain around 10 kg; learn to deliver his dialogues in Hindi laced with a Dakhni accent; and figure out the character’s body language. The preparation for the role took about a year. The making of the series by Applause Entertainment required another year.

Gagan’s hard work has resulted in much critical appreciation. Post Scam 2003, the actor has been approached for various roles but he doesn’t find it easy to zero in on interesting characters to play. “When I am offered roles like a ‘hero’s friend’ or ‘heroine’s brother’, I don’t understand what it means. That’s a relationship you’re telling me about. What’s the character,” he says. Citing an example of how ill-conceived such roles are, he shares that the only details of a character he was once offered was: “He is a hero’s friend and lisps”.

There are, of course, exceptions to such industry practices. Producer-casting director Honey Trehan gave him the script of Sonchiriya (2019) before he auditioned for the role of Khalifa. Similarly, filmmaker Mira Nair handed him a copy of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy before he was tried out for the role of Pran Kapoor. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, too, had sent him the script of Scam 2003 before his audition. Since Gagan had never been approached for a lead role before, he initially didn’t believe the makers were seriously considering him to play Telgi.

“I had to do three scenes during the auditions. Chhabra liked the first two. He didn’t like the one with Telgi selling fruits on the train,” recalls Gagan. By then, the actor had an inkling that they were serious about casting him and worked on nailing it. “I watched a lot of Govinda and Kishore Kumar movies, before re-enacting that scene during a fresh audition,” he says. Soon after, Chhabra and showrunner Hansal Mehta called him to say that they loved the audition.

A self-proclaimed “lazy person”, Gagan looks for “structure and planning” when he is approached for a project. “Otherwise, I’m happy daydreaming and solving puzzles or playing PS5 games,” says the actor, who will be seen next in a couple of feature films and wishes to be part of international projects.