In his brief career span, Ishwak Singh has managed to make his mark as a dependable actor, especially after his performance as an idealistic cop in the crime thriller series ‘Paatal Lok’ and then as Vikram Sarabhai in the drama series ‘Rocket Boys’. And now, this Delhi-born young actor would be seen as a deaf-mute man, who is arrested on suspicion of being a foreign spy in Atul Sabharwal’s thriller ‘Berlin’, which will be released on ‘Zee5’ on September 13. The film is set in 1990s Delhi, during the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Having grown up in Delhi, Ishwak thoroughly enjoyed shooting in the national capital. “We covered areas of Delhi where I’ve spent a lot of time while growing up. Delhi as a city is very engaging because of its marvellous architecture. I have vivid memories of idling around in an Asiad village as a kid, something my character also does. It was surreal,” said Ishwak, who made his screen debut with a small role in ‘Raanjhanaa’.
Since he plays a deaf-mute man in the film, he had to go through rigorous practice to learn sign language. “I’ve forgotten most of it but if I practice it’ll come back. After all, I toiled with it for months,” he smiled.
Ishwak believes that the film’s theme will be a major draw for the audience. “You seldom see a film where the main characters are interacting in sign language. With that tool the dynamics of the scene change and you see something very fresh and engaging,” he said.
The film has been winning hearts at various film festivals and Ishwak even received the best actor award at the Stars Asian International Film Festival. “The jury included some Hollywood heavyweights and while I wasn’t there to receive it, I’m glad Atul was. Hats off to him for writing such a character. It’s our award,” he said.
Calling Atul a ‘masterful writer-director’, Ishwak said, “His understanding of every aspect of filmmaking is so in-depth that the process of filmmaking becomes enjoyable for everyone. The mark of a great director is that he never really tells you to do something, just nudges you once in a while in the right direction. I’m extremely grateful to him for the opportunity,” said the ‘Aligarh’ and ‘Veere Di Wedding’ actor.