Scam 1992 has already made a huge fanbase all across the world. And so the expectations from Scam 2003 have been set high.” Gagan Dev Riar is well aware of the comparisons that his turn as Abdul Karim Telgi will have with Pratik Gandhi’s portrayal of Harshad Mehta. The much-awaited Scam 2003: The Telgi Story — which uncovers the Rs 30,000 crore stamp paper scam that shook India a few decades ago — hopes to be a worthy and watchable follow-up to Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, which, when it released in October 2020, became a phenomenon riding high on compelling writing and competent performances.

Pratik Gandhi as Harshad Mehta in Scam 1992

With Hansal Mehta, the director of Scam 1992, functioning as showrunner for the latest instalment, the directorial reins of Scam 2003 have been handed over to Tushar Hiranandani, with Riar — a theatre veteran with also an off-Broadway stint to his credit — essaying the role of mastermind Telgi. Before the show drops on SonyLIV on September 1, The Telegraph engaged in a chat with the actor.

Does the fact that Scam 2003: The Telgi Story is the second edition of one of the most liked Indian shows on the web make you a tad nervous?

I always believe that if I do my work with honesty, it will be appreciated finally. There is no pressure but I do feel a certain nervousness sometimes. Every time I get nervous, I go online and check some responses from viewers and they make me feel good (smiles). In that regard, I am quite a simple person. As the date of the release is coming close, there are some butterflies in the stomach.

Do you still get nervous despite having such a prolific acting career over almost two decades?

I feel butterflies in my stomach every time I am about to make an entry on stage. That applies even to the play that I have done more than 200-300 shows of (laughs). I believe that kind of nervousness makes me do things with more care, honesty and dedication. I am the kind of actor who believes that if I am not nervous then I may end up doing a bad job. Being nervous makes me feel alive.

We have all heard of Abdul Karim Telgi, with some of us following his story a bit more than others. What was your Telgi Quotient like before you were signed on to play the character?

I was quite young when the scam broke out. I knew about the court case and the legal procedure that happened at that time. But, of course, I hadn’t looked at the case from the point of view of how Scam 2003 looks at it from a holistic approach. It’s not just about him being a criminal or not, it’s also about him being a human essentially.

When I came into the project, I didn’t know much about how the series would approach Telgi’s story. I read the script and came to know the details of the story. Hansal sir (Mehta, showrunner) and Tushar sir (Hiranandani, director) asked me not to get too much into news articles about the scam because that could cloud my perception and make me think of him as only a criminal. I didn’t want to play him from the point of view of society... I wanted to play him from his own point of view — someone who has to take care of his family and hence he believes that what he is doing is right. I left it to the writers and my main source of information was the script. I believed in it completely and didn’t allow my portrayal to be maligned by an outer perspective.

Telgi was indicted as a criminal. Is it possible then to not play him as one and just from the humane point of view?

Even I have made many mistakes in life... we all have. When I come from that point of view, it is possible to not play him as simply a criminal. As an actor, that is my job. If I don’t play him with human integrity, then I will not be able to do justice to him. Every person is a hero in their own life. I had to bring that idea out — of Telgi thinking of himself as a hero. So what I created was more of Gagan into Telgi, rather than of Telgi into Gagan.

What was the biggest challenge of playing such a complex character?

When Hansal sir approached me for the part, he told me to gain a little weight. I gained about 10-12kg but it wasn’t looking enough, so I had to gain an extra 7kg. That was a big challenge.

I am from Punjab and my Hindi is shuddh. But Telgi hailed from Khanapur in Karnataka and his style of talking was Dakkhini. Like he wouldn’t say ‘pehle’, he would say ‘peile’. I went to Khanapur, I spoke to the locals there and I recorded audio clips of our conversations. I tried to understand their tonality and to create that language and pitch and the visual aspect of it took me about two months.

How has your vast experience in theatre helped you in this portrayal?

I couldn’t have done this character if I didn’t have a background in theatre. Theatre nurtures an actor and sharpens one’s skill in awareness, voice modulation and body language. Every technical detail that you will see of Telgi has been courtesy of my work in theatre.

Did you watch Scam 1992 when it released?

Actually, I don’t like watching anything immediately when it releases. I try and keep away from the initial hullabaloo because people try and colour my perception and interpretation of it. Hence, I watch everything after a slight delay.

I watched Scam 1992 much later, closer to when I was about to get selected for Scam 2003. I thought it was a great series and it served the purpose it was made for beautifully. The script, the performances, the direction, the camerawork... every detail was accurately done.

How much does the democratic Indian creative scape benefit an actor like you?

Based on just looks, I don’t think I would ever get a lead role in a project if the streaming platforms didn’t exist (smiles). These platforms have given average-looking people like me — people who are good actors but perhaps don’t have great looks or a six-pack body or the kind of glamour of being a star — a great opportunity. OTT platforms have given actors like me a chance to tell the world: ‘We are here too. You will not need a budget of Rs 400-crore to make a film with us but we can deliver a film that can earn Rs 400-crore!’