‘People Don’t Recognise Me Now. One Day They Will’

‘You
need
patience.
You
need
to
focus
and
keep
going.’
‘That
is
true
not
only
for
the
entertainment
industry,
but
in
every
field.’
‘Only
then,
the
magic
happens.’

A
native
of
Jalandhar,
acting
in
Bollywood
was
a
distant
dream
for

Paramvir
Singh
Cheema.

But
he
made
it
happen
when
he
landed
in
Mumbai
and
took
up
theatre.

While
trying
to
break
into
films,
the
everyday
struggles
of
the
city
and
lack
of
good
opportunities
became
overwhelming.

Just
when
he
thought
of
quitting
acting,
the
actor
was
roped
in
for



Tabbar,
one
of
the
best
reviewed
OTT
shows
of
2021.

This
was
followed
with



Chamak,
now
in
its
second
season.

But
the
break
Paramvir
was
really
hoping
for
in
his
10-year-long
career
came
with



Black
Warrant.

“The
acting
profession
is
very
uncertain…
I
thought
of
quitting
acting
in
2021…
My
father
gave
me
the
confidence
to
keep
going,”
Paramvir
tells

Mayur
Sanap/Rediff.

How
has
life
changed
after

Black
Warrant?

Black
Warrant
reached
the
right
people.

I
have
received
so
much
love
from
directors
and
big
actors.

I
was
waiting
for
that
to
happen.

What
makes
the
character
of
Shivraj
Singh
Mangat
special
to
you?

When
I
read
the
script
and
Vikram
sir
(showrunner
Vikramaditya
Motwane)
finalised
me
for
the
role,
I
said
one
thing
to
him:
‘Sir,
this
character
is
for
me,
I
have
to
do
it.’

I
have
seen
the
turmoil
of
Punjab,
and
what
has
happened
there.
What
happened
in


1984
and
other
things,
people
have
that
in
their
hearts.

When
I
got
a
chance
to
portray
Mangat,
I
felt
I
can
show
people
what
Punjab
has
been
through.

One
of
my
favourite
scenes
in

Black
Warrant
is
in
the
first
episode
where
you
say
‘Kar
pata‘
to
Zahan
Kapoor.
The
way
you
say
those
words
shows
your
annoyance,
slight
anger
but
also
concern
for
your
colleague.
It
was
an
interesting
introduction
to
your
character.

That’s
an
improvisation,
it
was
not
written
in
the
script!

When
we
were
entering
the
jail,
the
entry
was
shot
before
but
that
scene
was
shot
after
a
month.

When
I
looked
at
Zahan,
the
way
he
was
performing,
confused,
doesn’t
know
what
to
do,
eager
to
prove
himself,
and
just
saying
something
to
Tomar
(Rahul
Bhat’s
character),
that
back
story
helped
me
to
do
the
scene.

It
was
a
one
take
shot,
and
when
the
camera
stopped
on
me,
I
just
said,
‘kar
pata‘.

I
thought
‘yeh
kat
jaayega
(the
scene
will
be
edited
out)’.

But
then
everybody
liked
it.
(Smiles)

I
am
very
glad
that
this
is
your
favourite
scene
from
the
show.
You
are
the
first
one
to
say
this
to
me.

You
don’t
wear
a
turban
in
real
life.
Do
people
fail
to
recognise
you
as
the
jailer
from

Black
Warrant?

That’s
fine
if
they
don’t
recognise
me.

Right
now,
they
are
not
recognising
me
(but)
one
day
they
will.

I
have
started
getting
my
space.

WATCH:
Paramvir
shares
his
favourite
scene
from

Black
Warrant

You
are
the
first
generation
actor
from
your
family.
What
gave
you
confidence
to
come
to
Bombay
and
become
one?

I
never
thought
of
being
an
actor.

I
used
to
watch
Filmfare
awards
and
enjoy
it
thoroughly.

I
wanted
to
stay
away
from
home
for
some
time,
so
I
went
to
Delhi.

I
participated
in
the
Mr
India
contest
and
won.

After
that,
I
came
to
Bombay
for
a
random
ad
shoot.
A
friend
introduced
me
to
theatre.

I
felt
theatre
was
the
best
way
to
release
and
express
myself.
When
you
perform
on
stage,
it’s
a
great
feeling
when
people
cheer
you
and
praise
you.

I
said
let’s
do
this.

How
did
you
get
your
first
acting
job?

It
happened
with
television.

I
asked
my
family
to
give
me
six
months.

Then
this
audition
came
to
me
for

Kaleerein,
a
TV
show.
It
came
in
the
last
month
of
those
six
months
that
I
asked
for
from
my
parents.

I
had
to
do
something,
only
then
would
my
father
allow
me
to
stay
in
Bombay.

I
auditioned
for
the
serial
and
got
the
part.

But
after
that,
I
did
not
get
any
work.

Then
COVID
happened
and
I
went
back
to
my
hometown.

But
even
then,
I
never
stopped
auditioning.

From
there,
I
got
my
breakthrough
show,

Tabbar.

How
did
you
manage
through
this
struggling
period?

My
father
was
supporting
me.

Bombay
is
a
very
expensive
city
—
the
rent,
the
food,
everything
is
very
expensive.

But
my
father
is
also
getting
old.
He
was
paying
me
but
there
is
so
much
pressure
on
him.

That’s
why
I
thought
of
quitting
acting
in
2021.
But
then

Tabbar
happened.

This
industry
is
high
on
favouritism.
As
an
outsider,
did
you
ever
think
that
the
lack
of
connections
hindered
your
opportunities?

I
used
to
think
that
all
the
time.

It
was
very
hard
to
crack
the
industry
before
OTT.

If
there
were
some
connections,
it
would
have
been
easier.

When
OTT
came,
I
was
confident
that
actors
from
different
places
would
get
something.

OTT
is
the
space
for
new
actors,
and
from
OTT,
you
can
jump
to
films.

WATCH:
Paramvir
shares
his
star-struck
moment

You
played
the
lead
in

Chamak,
but
it
didn’t
give
you
recognition
that
you
might
have
expected.
Did
it
upset
you?

Not
really.
You
need
patience.
You
need
to
focus
and
keep
going.

That
is
true
not
only
for
the
entertainment
industry,
but
in
every
field.
Only
then,
the
magic
happens.

I
have
a
degree
in
law.
If
I
had
pursued
that,
I
would
have
been
earning.

The
acting
profession
is
very
uncertain.

My
father
gave
me
the
confidence
to
keep
going.

WATCH:
Why
Paramvir
is
against
actors
posting
their
gym
selfies

What’s
next
for
you?

I
am
doing
a
film
with
Anand
L
Rai.

There’s
also

Border
2,
my
first
commercial
film.
You
will
see
me
doing
action
in
it.

A
Punjabi
film
is
also
in
the
pipeline
as
well
as
a
couple
of
OTT
shows
returning
with
the
second
season.