I am always ready with a plan B: Sharman Joshi

Written by: Ancela Jamindar

For over two decades, Sharman Joshi has engaged audiences with his ability to transition between comedy, drama, and serious roles. From stepping into regional cinema and OTT storytelling to surprising audiences with his venture into live mentalism, he shows no signs of slowing down. In a candid chat during his recent visit to the city, Sharman reflects on his creative journey and cultural roots. “Ahmedabad is a city I have always loved; I used to travel here with my dad for his films. The city has always mesmerised me, I have always felt positive vibes here here,” he says.

‘It’s always important to remember where you came from’

Looking back at his journey, Sharman recalls, “When I first began, I was just hoping to get one movie to fulfil my dream of acting in a film. Fortunately, by God’s grace, I got more than I had bargained for — I got films after films. I started from ground zero, and I remember someone saying that it is important to always remember where you came from. That thought has helped and pushed me through my journey, which has been quite exciting, and I am proud of where I have reached today. I look forward to many more challenging, exciting and complex characters in the future.”

‘Happy to see such great work happening in Gujarati cinema’

Sharman says, "People often assume that I’m a Gujarati who has only done Hindi films and is now venturing into Gujarati cinema. My grandfather was born and brought up in Patan, so Gujarati has always been my mother tongue. Later, the family moved to Mumbai and sold our house in the village, so there is no hometown house anymore. My father and I were both born and raised in Mumbai. Gujarati films are nothing new to me — my father acted in about 150 Gujarati films. Congratulations was my first Gujarati movie, and it was a wonderful experience. I’m happy to see such great work happening in Gujarati cinema, and I’m excited about doing more projects here.”

‘Wonderful to see regional cinema picking up’

Sharman is glad to have had the opportunity to be part of different film industries in various languages. He says, “It’s wonderful to see regional cinema picking up, from what I understand and what experts are saying. I’m glad I can explore the amazing work happening across different film industries and languages. I’ve worked in Hindi films, recently did a Gujarati film, and will soon start shooting for a Bengali film with an interesting subject.”


‘I wonder why I am not getting many OTT opportunities’

Reflecting on the OTT space, he says, “Pawan & Pooja was not very well received, though Ajay Bhuyan and Shaad Ali had done a fabulous job. Baarish was very popular, and Kafas was the last OTT project I did, which was well-received. I’m hoping to do more work in the coming times, though I do wonder why I don’t get as many OTT opportunities. Perhaps my association with commercial films in the past influences how people perceive the kind of projects OTT platforms offer, even though my first film was an offbeat one, Godmother. I guess, in due course, things will change.”

‘I was always ready with a plan B’

Speaking about his perspective on success and fame, Sharman says, “From the very beginning, success for me meant the sense of acceptance — that the kind of work I was doing was validated by the audience and my near and dear ones. And if it wasn’t, I was always ready with a plan B, because you can’t always get what you wish for — after all, we are all human. Of course, I have gone off track several times and then tried to rebuild and come back — that’s the journey of life.”

‘I recently visited Manek Chowk, and I truly loved it’

Remembering his fond memories of Ahmedabad, Sharman shares, “The fondest memory of Ahmedabad for me will always be performing a successful play here that was loved and appreciated by the audience, especially compared to the cold response it received in Mumbai. The warmth of the Ahmedabad audience gave me immense confidence, as I had given my all to that play, performing almost every night for 2–3 months. Ahmedabad is a city I have always loved; I used to travel here with my dad for his films. The city has always mesmerised me. I have countless memories - going for walks to Law Garden in the evenings before my shows, coming back refreshed, and then heading to Thakorbhai Desai Hall, which was right across. I’ve loved the festivals here too - flying kites from terraces, feeling the joy and lively spirit during celebrations. It’s truly amazing and infectious. I generally love Gujarati food and enjoy it every time I’m here, and for the first time, I recently visited Manek Chowk. It was a delightful experience.”

‘Gujarati theatre is where I began’

Talking about his roots and being part of Gujarati cinema and theatre, Sharman shares, “Gujarati theatre is where I began. I have been very fortunate to be born into an illustrious Gujarati theatre family, given the work they have done. They were instrumental in bringing the modern Gujarati theatre movement and making Gujarati theatre popular in cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat, and then across the rest of Gujarat and beyond. I feel grateful to have been born into a family with such remarkable achievements.”