Turned down web shows for two years until 'Samantar' happened: Swwapnil Joshi

Actor Swwapnil Joshi, who is making a foray into digital with "Samantar", says he had been consistently saying to web content for two years until Marathi series bowled him over.

actor said it wasn't that offers coming his way were t good, but somewhere he couldn't get hooked to anyone of m.

"I've been saying to web content for last two years. It has been consistently offered to me, some main lead some co-lead but I always wondered that everything I've done on TV and films, if I do same on web, why would y want to see me in format?" Swwapnil told PTI.

42-year-old actor said he had to ensure that whatever he does on web caters to kind of content people are consuming.

"If I'm venturing in a new format, I need to tap its strength, do something that web audience can like and consume. I'm a very intuitive actor. Unless it connects with me internally, I don't commit to it. If I can't commit to it, I won't accept it. I couldn't connect with any or projects way I did with 'Samantar,'" he added.

Directed by Satish Rajwade, series is an adaptation of Suhas Shirvalkar's Marathi book of same name.

"Samantar"-- also dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu-- traces journey of Kumar Mahajan, whose life changes when he hears that a man called Sudarshan Chakrapani’s past will be his future.

Swwapnil said MX Player original series gave him perfect opportunity to step into a zone as an actor where he hadn't been before.

"It was an amazingly wicked experience to play him. I've never done a character like this in my entire career of films and TV. He's extremely hurt with whole world, constantly upset about everything in life and is under tremendous pressure to live up to people's expectations.

"It is a very multi-layered character and I've never portrayed someone as complex as him as an actor ever."

actor, kwn for featuring in popular Marathi films, including "Duniyadari" and "Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai," said he had been wanting to adapt book for close to a decade but it never materialised, until with arrival of web medium in India.

"Initially we wanted to make it as a film but thought this isn't a subject that can be bound in 2-3 hours. We knew this isn't a film script. Back n, web wasn't great in idea so we thought of doing it as a TV show.

"But story has a definite beginning, middle and an end, unlike TV where it has a daily soap format which goes on forever. We couldn't find right platform until web happened. n I decided this will be my web debut."

Swwapnil hopes with "Samantar"—spread across nine episodes—people rediscover richness of Marathi literature.

"I hope people are once again reminded that how powerful is Marathi literature, how powerful was Marathi writing in all its glory. primary thing for me is to be able to tell a hardcore Maharashtrian story in all langus.

"'Narcos' and 'Money Heist' are regional stories but makes you fall in love with craft of cinema, irrespective of where it comes from. That's same effort with this one," he added.

Adapted on screen by Ambar Hadap, "Samantar" also stars Tejaswini Pandit.

(Graphic: Twitter)