Hichki: Alia Bhatt's onscreen brother to play Rani Mukerji's student

Actor Rohit Saraf, who played actress Alia Bhatt's younger brother in the film Dear Zindagi, will soon be seen as a student of actress Rani Mukerji's character in Hichki.

"I cannot share a lot about my character, but I'll be playing the role of a student in the school that Rani ma'am is teaching. All I can say is that this character gave me an opportunity to explore a new emotion that I hadn't on screen before," Rohit said.

It is not a cameo, he shared.

"It's a significant role and I play a crucial part in the narrative. It has allowed me to access parts of me that I hadn't so far. So, in that sense it's a unique role for me," said the young actor.

How important is it for him to feature in films with big names?

"I have also worked on a Norwegian production ('What Will People Say'). This film doesn't have what you'd traditionally call a 'star'. To me, what's important is the character, the script and the director.

"When I get to work with big names, it's always a bonus. Besides, to me, Rani ma'am and Alia Bhatt are much more than just big names. I believe stardom is not just built on the success or failure of an artiste's films," he said.

To become stars like Rani and Alia, he feels one has to go through a "persevering journey which has its own ups and downs, failures and successes". 

"By the end of the journey, you are an artiste who is unshakable and what matters is meaningful and deep work. I am looking forward to this journey for myself. So yes, it's important and a privilege to work with big names because you don't only get to learn about the craft but also about what it takes to be where they are," he said. 

Doesn't he feel that his work gets lost due to their presence in the film?

"On the contrary, working with a good artiste brings out the best in me. And artistes like them would always elevate the performance of their co-actors because they believe in abundance of the art form. To add to that, their sheer presence pushes me into a space where I thrive and work triply hard. And with the amount of hard work that each artiste puts in, the process as well as the final product is beautiful and fulfilling," he said.

He said Rani's energy and the ability to hold the set together is infectious and something that one can't miss. 

"I was extremely intimidated and anxious before I went on set but performing with her in front of the camera for the first time changed that for me. She loves using the word 'darling' and I love her for that," said Rohit.

He hasn't signed any other film as of now, but is excited to get the reactions of the audience after Hichki, hits the screens on March 23. 

"Waiting is part of the whole grind which I cherish. While at times it's frustrating and makes me impatient, I'm eventually able to channelise that into my performance when I'm on set," he said.

The film revolves around Rani's character Naina Mathur. She has a nervous system disorder, Tourette Syndrome, that forces an individual to make involuntary repetitive movements or sounds. 

(With IANS Inputs)