‘IC 814’ actor Meet Sadhwani says ‘watching Manoj Pahwa deliver was like an acting class’

Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Actor Meet Sadhwani, who has made his acting debut with the recently released series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ has reflected upon his experience of working with Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy and Dibyendu Bhattacharya.

The 23-year-old Meet plays the role of Barkazai, an Afghan interpreter dedicated to his nation’s well-being. Barkazai works under the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, Muttawakkil, with a simple agenda: to ensure that no non-Islamic acts occur on Afghan soil. His character’s interactions with the negotiators are a highlight of the show, bringing depth and nuance to a story that balances intense drama with cultural authenticity.

Speaking about working with the cast of the show, Meet shared: “Manoj Pahwa is a man who loves his food and his work. Watching him deliver was like an acting class every day. Kumud, a revered name in theatre, taught me to ‘keep my senses open and flow,’ making my job much easier.”

He further said: “Arvind Swamy, whom we’ve all adored since the days of ‘Roja’, showed unmatched sincerity and diligence in his role. I even shared with him how much my dad adores him and his characters. And Dibyendu, with his jovial nature, kept the set lively and was always curious about my beard’s texture–a testament to his attention to detail,” he said.

Reflecting on his debut, Meet commented: “I am incredibly honored to have this as my first role. Working with Anubhav Sinha has been transformative. He taught me that in the name of creative liberty, we cannot distort the truth because future generations will see this piece of art and believe what we say. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring this story to life with such a talented team.”

“This was a dream debut with a dream cast– legends coming together for ‘IC 814’, and I’m just ever so grateful to Anubhav Sinha and Mukesh Chhabra for trusting me with Barkazai as my first character,” he added.

The show follows the story of the hijack of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 by the Pakistani militants of the terrorist outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, ‘IC814’ brings together industry stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur, along with an ensemble cast–Patralekha, Dia Mirza, Pooja A Gor, Anupam Tripathi, Yashpal Sharma, Arvind, Dibyendu, Kumud and Manoj.

Produced by Matchbox Shots, and Benaras Mediaworks, ‘IC814’ is streaming on Netflix.

–IANS

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