A Simple Murder actor Amit Sial: I hope I get to do more comedies

A Simple Murder is very different from what we have seen you doing. Was this freshness in the character that convinced you to take up the project?

It is mostly the writing. The writers did a fantastic job. Also, I was desperately trying to get out of things that I have been doing in the past, like an intense cop and a bad guy. I was looking to bring some freshness to my work. So, it was a welcome opportunity and I took it. Also, it is a new genre and people haven’t seen me do something like this. Now, I hope I get to do more comedies since I love doing comedy. However, this is a great start.

There is a quirk in your character, how he recites ‘shayari’ in the most complex situations as well. Was it all written in the script?

It was all well written into the script. All kudos to the writers and of course Sachin Pathak (director) because he has this beautiful element of comic timing in him. He is a very quirky, bright and young director. He was very open to all the actors taking chances and improvising.

Every character in the show has his/her own story. Did it ever occur to you that you have to work extra hard to make Santosh stand out?

I never approach my characters like that. I work in tandem with the writing and my director. I internalise the character. I believe one should have a musical sense about performing arts. It is important to strike that right ‘sur’. Once you get your ‘sur’, it gets easier to just keep building on it. This is all I care about.

Also read | A Simple Murder review: Guns and roses

The entire cast of A Simple Murder is brilliant. Everyone suits their part so well. So while shooting it, was there any moment when you were in awe of your co-actors?

Sushant Singh and Zeeshan Ayyub are brilliant actors. They are really honest and dedicated actors. It’s not more so about being in awe of the other actor, it’s just that sometimes we just surprise each other during a shot. And, these little surprises are delicious and something to relish on. Those moments happened all the time in A Simple Murder because everyone was in their element.

Amit Sial plays a contract killer in A Simple Murder.

What was your mindset when you did the scene where you are actually plotting a murder but on the face of it, you are just a pest controller?

What happened in that scene was, they were going to give me overalls since I was a pest controller. But then we added those glasses. The inspiration for that came from Paresh Rawal’s look in Hera Pheri. Those glasses just brought out something in me because I couldn’t see clearly through them so my whole attitude changed. I discovered a new physicality out of it and it made it more interesting. Most of my expressions of disbelief were coming out of those glasses because I couldn’t see anything. And, since you react to your environment, everything just followed.

After watching you in Mirzapur and A Simple Murder, I am intrigued to know your method of choosing scripts.

I really don’t know. I think it is the script that chooses me.