Shabir Ahluwalia talks about his web debut and why it came late

Shabir Ahluwalia has been uber popular as Abhishek Mehra aka Rockstar Abhi from Zee TV’s Kumkum Bhagya for the past five years. Now, he has made a debut on the web space with Fixerr on ZEE5. In the series, he plays a Delhi cop, Jaiveer Maalik, who enters the dark underbelly of Mumbai crime mafia. In an exclusive conversation, Shabir talks about what had kept him away from the web space and more. 

DEBUT IN DIGITAL SPACE

I did get offers on the web earlier but some scripts were rubbish while the others were really good. I couldn’t do a series on an OTT platform earlier because of lack of time. They require a good 30-40 days at a stretch but with Fixerr, I could manage my time. The script is a full-on masala entertainer. It’s a Bollywood flick on your phone or tablet screens. No one has attempted masala content before; they have all been dark and subject-based. This is in a fun zone but with lots of twists and turns.

I thought I was coming on the digital medium, I should do it with a bang, with something that’s larger-than-life, which people can sit back and enjoy. I thought Fixerr would be the right show to debut with.

PLAYING A TAINTED COP

Jaiveer Maalik is a fixer. He is basically a tainted cop who goes berserk and ruthless. He goes over the top. He is bad news if you come across him. Because even after he has fixed you, he won’t leave you.

ABHI VS JAIVEER

If I had to pick between the two characters, I would choose both. Abhishek Mehra aka Abhi because I have played him for a longer time but having said that, I really like Jaiveer Maalik because he is crazy. Everything about Abhi is over the top because he is a rockstar whereas Jaiveer is subtle.

JUGGLING SHOWS

Juggling Kumkum Bhagya and Fixerr wasn’t difficult. After every four to five days of shooting the web series, I’d shoot one day for the TV show. They are different roles, so, obviously, the switch-on and switch-off was there. Overall, I enjoyed the process.

Zee Media Newsroom