Lucknow boy Saad Bilgrami is beginning to be noticed for his new projects. After his stint with a production company that makes web content, he is currently playing Tipu in JioCinema’s new series, Lakhan Leela Bhargava, set in Uttar Pradesh. He will be next seen in Hansal Mehta’s Scam 2003 and the third season of Panchayat. TMS had a quick chat with the actor before he stepped out for martial arts training.
What is Lakhan Leela Bhargava about?
It is a legal drama, but it is much more than that. It speaks of social issues that are relevant for our times. The story is set in Lucknow. There are a total of 21 episodes. Three episodes are dedicated to each case. We see a range of cases being handled by the protagonist--from property misappropriations to social media influencers crossing the line, just to get their five minutes of fame.
You play a gangster in the series. Did you have to channelise your upbringing in UP into the character?
So much of my upbringing and childhood experiences went into playing the character. Had I not been from Sitapur, UP, it would be very difficult for me to portray the character on screen. Tipu is very different from the other UP characters I have played before in Gullak and Sonu Beauty Parlour.
He is lovable but over-enthusiastic. To him, Lakhan [the protagonist] is like a brother, and his mother is a mother figure to Tipu too. The director, Abhijit Das, had a big contribution in how the character shaped up. I wanted this character to be different from what I have done before.
For the auditions, I wrote my own lines and improvised. I drew mainly from the sunglass sellers of Aminabad, Lucknow, who have a different way of talking and a different body language. They speak very fast; the words tumble out one over the other. I knew that they had not been explored on screen.
You were a content writer for TVF [The Viral Fever]. How did you transition into acting?
My career started with RVCJ, --Rajnikanth Versus CID Jokes. I am grateful for the opportunity they gave me; RVCJ was like a school to me. Later, when I came to TVF, that became more of a coaching class and a college. I was recruited as a writer but during the interview, I had been honest about my aspirations of being an actor. I continued writing sketches for them, but my acting journey began from there. While working with them, I began booking other acting jobs like Hansal Mehta’s Scam 2003.
What was the experience of working on Scam 2003 (releasing on Sept 1 on SonyLIV) like? Was it intimidating to join the sequel of a series that became one of the most successful OTT productions of 2020?
There was a lot of excitement, I have to say. I wasn’t intimidated but yes there was a sense of nervousness. My character in the series is not a prominent one. But I think I made a mark, you will not forget it. I was nervous about whether I would make a mistake trying to make the character more remarkable.
But I am delighted that I could work with Hansal Sir and his team.
You will also be seen in Panchayat 3. What can you tell us about your character?
I can’t say much about the character right now. But I really did wish to be a part of the show for a very long time. My father was unwell for a long time during 2020. When he was at home, resting and recovering, he watched the first season of Panchayat for the first time. And then he watched it another seven times because he liked it so much! Since then, I knew it would be a dream come true to get to be a part of it. I manifested that desire, and here I am.