Ishwak Singh has featured in films like Veere Di Wedding and Tum Bin II, but it is only over the past few weeks that he has become a familiar name among the Hindi audience, after his act as the earnest rookie cop Imran Ansari in the web series Paatal Lok. Ishwak says working on Paatal Lok was like shooting for three movies at a go because the makers had a big canvas to paint.
"The shooting process in the digital world is quite different from that of the movie. While shooting for 'Paatal Lok', it was like shooting for three movies, as the makers had a bigger canvas to paint and a lot more to express and communicate. So, that's the biggest difference I felt was between 'Paatal Lok' and my other projects in Bollywood," he told IANS.
He is currently being lauded for his role in the series, which is the debut web production of actress Anushka Sharma. Talking about handling success post Paatal Lok, he said: "It's a great feeling. The way I handle success is what inspires me to work harder and stay more focused. This is like an art where if you are rewarded, it creates a new interest to put in a lot more energy and focus into it."
"It's like a collective art where if you are kind of alone, and you don't get the appreciation, then it gets difficult to carry on with it. But success for an actor means more work, more energy, more positivity and a lot more excitement to explore new stuff," Ishwak Singh added.
He is now open to doing more web projects. "I always look forward to doing more content-driven projects, it doesn't matter if the project I'm a part of is a web show, or movie that has an OTT or a theatrical release. As long as the content of the project and the makers appeal to me, I'm happy to be a part of something which the audience will enjoy to the core," said Ishwak.
For now, he is spending his lockdown days by working on different skills. "I've always been passionate about learning martial arts and dance, so I've been exploring their different forms. I have been reading and watching various movies which I never get to do due to my hectic schedule," he said.