Right from making his foray into Punjabi films and establishing himself as a star there to doing roles in Hindi cinema that have earned him critical appreciation, Jimmy Sheirgill has been known to take the path less travelled. And now, after years of being offered roles on the small screen, the actor is all set to make his TV debut with a show that focuses on the lives of mechanics in India. Castrol Garage Guru — The Super Mechanic Show will kick off in the last week of September on Zee Anmol, and it sees the actor in the host’s seat. Touted as a reality show-cum-masterclass for mechanics, the series is being produced by BBC Studios.
Revealing that the talks had been on for a couple of months, Jimmy shares what appealed to him most was that it highlighted the lives of a segment of skilled labour, in a never-seen-before avatar. “Doing something that has been done to death has never been my cup of tea. I thought, ‘Chalo yaar, TV pe kuchh karna hai, toh aisa kuchh karein’. Also, I’m really fond of cars and bikes myself. So, this was right up my alley,” he smiles. The show complements India’s largest mechanic skill testing initiative — Castrol Super Mechanic Contest that started in 2017 and is into its second edition this year.
The show will track the transformation of the mechanics into super mechanics through their journey in the contest, culminating into a grand all India finale in the eighth and final episode. “Apart from that, there are experts who will come and talk about safety features as well as tips and tricks on repairing and maintaining vehicles among other things,” Jimmy adds that he had an amazing time interacting with the mechanics. “They had such inspiring stories to tell that there were times I had tears in my eyes while listening to them,” he says.
Unlike other stars who opt to judge singing or dance reality shows, Jimmy’s decided to go with something he connects with. When we’d met him sometime ago for his last film, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, he’d told us, “Each time, I just keep breaking the mould and not getting stuck in an image.” Clearly, that’s what he’s aiming for this time as well!
