Can your excellence in a profession work against you? Apparently, it can. Sumeet Vyas is learning this, thanks to an amusing turn of events. The actor, who made his directorial debut with Raat Jawan Hai (2024), says a lot has changed for him in the industry after the series. And not necessarily in a manner he wanted.
“Directing that show was fulfilling. But now, people think I don’t want to act,” he exclaims. “I want to act. Direction is something I got and did, but I am still an actor. Now, I get scripts to direct. I have come across some nice scripts, but unless something is coming from a personal space, I don’t want to direct for the heck of it,” he says.
Sumeet Vyas with the cast of ‘Raat Jawan Hai’
Naturally, Vyas is more than happy to front Ziddi Ishq, led by Aaditi Pohankar. What added to the lure of the JioHotstar series was that director Raj Chakraborty offered him the part of a manipulative business tycoon, a role far removed from his everyday man image. “First of all, it’s hard to do something that people like you for. A lot of things need to go right for you to be identified with a certain kind of character. So, I take it positively that [I have an image]. Now, the idea is to introduce the audience to another aspect of my craft.”
Second serving?
‘Raat Jawan Hai’, which revolved around three friends struggling with their identity while navigating parenthood, was praised upon its release last year. Is there a second season coming? “I hope it happens. We have bounced a couple of ideas. We liked what we did. We want to get it right [the second time too],” replies Vyas.
