Vipin Sharma: It takes courage to break typecasting

Best known as Nandkishore Awasthi, Ishaan’s strict father from Taare Zameen Par, Vipin Sharma has consciously chosen versatility over comfort. The actor turned down several similar roles, explaining why, he said, “Many people remember me for Taare Zameen Par. But after that came a stream of similar characters, and I wanted to do something different. Breaking typecasting requires courage, so I declined many offers. That must have upset people, and I understand why. If I were casting an actor and he refused, I would be upset too. It’s more difficult because you end up losing money, rubbing people the wrong way, and sitting at home. But we all need to respect each other’s aspirations.”

Waiting for the right opportunities led to lull in his career, but he used the time productively, writing two scripts, one of which he hopes to direct next year. The actor, who was recently seen in Maharani 4 and The Family Man 3, shares, “When you love your work, you stay in the battle. You don’t give up and wait for things to happen.”

But despite being part of the industry for nearly three decades, he admits that he still feels like an outsider. “The industry is extremely competitive. When you’re successful, you have friends. When you’re not, you don’t. That bond is missing and that’s where the struggle lies.”

He recalls stepping away from acting for a long period due to disillusionment, before deciding to formally study the craft again abroad. “When I first came to Mumbai, I was mauled once, which left me extremely uncomfortable and affected my confidence. In those days, actors would roam around with multiple photographs, visiting production houses to meet directors and I just couldn’t bring myself to do that. I grew disillusioned with the industry. I didn’t act for over a decade, but I stayed connected to the world of films. I studied film abroad, focusing mainly on editing and attended a story seminar to understand screenplay writing. That phase sharpened my intuition and helped me understand the craft better. Only then did I feel ready to come back,” he says.