Scam 2003 actor Gagan Dev Riar talks about becoming Abdul Karim Telgi, whether the show will glorify Telgi and his expectations.
Ever since Scam 2003 was announced, fans have been curious not just about the subject of the show but also about the lead actor. The series promises to be an intriguing watch as it chronicles the rise and fall of Abdul Karim Telgi, a fruit seller from Khanapur in Karnataka, who reportedly pulled off one of India’s most ingenious scams spread across multiple states. The scam value was alleged to be around a whopping Rs 30,000 crores. Actor Gagan Dev Riar will be seen essaying the lead role, and as the trailer dropped, the world was stunned at the actor’s transformation into Telgi.
As per our sources, Gagan was the first choice to play Telgi. As we asked him about the same, the actor said that he did feel pressurised when he got to know the same. He shared how casting director Mukesh Chhabra called him to say “sirf tum hi ho, tumhe hi karna hai (only you will do the part)”. However, he wanted to audition for the same and headed to his office but the climax was not as he expected.
“He wasn’t very happy and told me ‘mazaa nahi aaya‘. I asked him to give me a few days to come back. I wanted to improvise and make it more interesting,” he told indianexpress.com. The second time Gagan walked into the office, Mukesh Chhabra was not around. His assistant shot his video and sent to him. And as the actor walked out, the casting director was entering the building in his car. “He rolled down the video and I saw that he was watching my audition. He excitedly showed me a thumbs up and said, ‘done, done, you are doing the part’. In the next 30 minutes, Hansal sir called me to say I was doing it. I knew the pressure would be handled by them now and I can relax and enjoy now,” Gagan said.
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When asked what magic trick he used in his second audition, the actor replied, “I was told Telgi was a fruit seller, who would sell his goods faster than anyone around. I thought he must be doing something different to attract customers. I have a flair for mimicry, so I used that and even sang songs to make the character interesting. All those aspects were actually then incorporated in the character when the final script was written.”
More about Gagan Dev Riar
Gagan Dev Riar may be in the limelight for Scam 2003 but he has been a proficient actor-writer and director for many years. He has also been a theatre artist and has worked in plays like Stories in a Song, Detective 9-2-11, Baghi Albele and Ok Tata Bye Bye. The META awardee also won the well-reputed Vinod Doshi fellowship award in 2013 for young theatre professionals. Audiences have also seen him perform in A Suitable Boy, Sonchiriya, and more recently Mira Nair’s Broadway Monsoon Wedding Musical.
Even after all these laurels and accolades, Gagan confessed that he never imagined having such a big show come his way. He added that the timing was also right as the industry was reeling under the aftermath of the pandemic and work was quite lean. “I was just lazing around at home waiting for someone to give me a chance. I was actually worried about whether I would get any work and how would I manage my expenses. But I must have done something right that my patience paid off. I believe it was my good karma that I got the project,” he shared.
Gagan on his expectations from Scam 2003 The Telgi Story
Scam 1992, released in 2020, changed the canvas for Indian web shows and even made a new face Pratik Gandhi a star. When quizzed about his expectations from this series, Gagan smiled to say, “As an actor, my aim is to do my work as honestly as I can. We have tried to put in the work needed and hope we stand up to the expectations of the audience. We have done, whatever we could with utmost honesty. I hope people give us as much love as they have to the previous Scam.”
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While the show was loved, a section of the audience pointed out how ‘scamsters’ were being glorified and portrayed as heroes in the series. Dismissing the same, the actor said that they are not trying to make these criminals look like heroes. “We are just showing what happened exactly and other aspects about them that weren’t covered. You will know what goes through in their minds, their families and the people around them, and the impact they caused. We are actually telling a cautionary tale that if you do something like this, it’s bound to destroy you. We also need to keep in mind that we aren’t making a documentary, so a bit of masala and drama are also added for audiences’ entertainment.”
On a final note, Gagan Dev Riar spoke about transforming into Abdul Karim Telgi He shared that it all began with his meeting with Hansal Mehta and the team. The actor shared that he was given instructions to keep it ‘simple’ and not making it ‘caricaturish’. “I was told to read the script and understand what they were trying to do. My brief was to be honest and keep it authentic. For the physical aspect, I did put on 18-20 kgs, which was a challenge, given I am not a foodie. I also visited Khanapur in Karnataka and recorded the language of local people and vendors to work on my accent. I worked on my body language by seeing his photos and videos available on the internet. I stitched all of it together and showed it to Hansal and Tushar sir, and they seemed pretty happy about it,” Gagan said.
Starting September 1, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story will stream on SonyLIV.
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First published on: 30-08-2023 at 07:21 IST
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