Kolkata boy Vishal Vashishtha is moving onto bigger things after tasting OTT success with the Disney+Hotstar show Ghar Waapsi. While awaiting the release of Dharmatic Productions’ web series Showtime where he stars alongside Emraan Hashmi, Vishal is relishing the audience response to Amazon miniTV’s Hustlers. Vishal chatted with us about his switch from TV, finding fame on streaming platforms and life on social media.

You are back after a year with back-to-back projects on OTT – Hustlers, Almost Together and next up is Showtime. How’s the feeling?

Vishal Vashishtha: The feeling is amazing. The past year was busy and overwhelming. This year opened with Hustlers. This show took time to make and was also tiring to shoot. It was written in such a way that a 10-second sequence was shot for half a day and then we jumped to a different location to shoot another 20 seconds. While shooting, we shared with Harsh (Dedhia, director) that we all felt we were making something good. Our hard work has paid off. The audience have found the show relatable.

In what way do you relate to your Hustlers character Sanjay Sharma, who dropped out of college to become an entrepreneur?

Vishal Vashishtha: As a person, I am a very go-with-the-flow kind of a person. If there’s pressure, I let it go and don’t let my mental well-being be affected. On the surface, Sanjay is nice with chocolate-boy looks and an endearing personality. Initially, I felt I could do it as it was closer to me. I felt maybe I was like him. I didn’t find it difficult and took it for granted.

Then, when we started shooting, (director) Harsh pointed out a lot of things that I had to bring to the character. In three days, we figured out the beat of the character. In Hustlers, all the actors were very comfortable with each other. I bonded well with Aman Uppal (who plays Baba). It was very transparent with him. It has been translated on screen, so I am very proud of it. Recently, we met and discussed the kind of positive reaction the show is getting from the audience.

Ghar Waapsi was one of the best web shows of 2022. Do you think you got the desired response?Vishal Vashishtha: Yes, if I am doing Hustlers or Showtime, I must give the credit for it to Ghar Waapsi because certain makers noticed me. Ghar Waapsi got me an audience, so it did have an effect, but I don’t want to sit on its success. I need to be ready for what’s coming next.

Post-Ghar Waapsi, did your audition process remain the same?

Vishal Vashishtha: Fortunately, auditions remain the same. When I did TV, I remember going for auditions only for the first two shows. The last audition I did before I started work for streaming platforms was for a daily show, Ek Veer Ki Ardaas: Veera. My audition was very bad, and the show went on for two years.

After the success of the show, I stopped auditioning and continued getting approached for other shows. In a couple of years, I had gotten out of the habit of giving auditions. I was worried because the auditions I had to do at that time were very bad. Then, I had to work on it and regain my confidence. Now, I can smile and talk about it but that moment of realisation was scary.

When you moved from television to streaming platforms, you didn’t have to start from scratch. But since there’s been a shift, how are you choosing your roles now?

Vishal Vashishtha: On streaming, I had to restart from scratch. Yes, there’s a shift. After Ghar Waapsi, I shot a web series and a film. After playing a plain and simple person, I was looking for something quirky. But then in Hustlers and Showtime, my characters look the same and are not very stylish but each is different from the other in their body language and nuances. I need to feel the character and the character must have an impact on the story, even if I have little screen time.

You have a fan base from your TV days. How are they responding to your presence in the streaming world? Have you found a new audience as well?

Vishal Vashishtha: The best part of my existing fan base from my TV days is that they are very loyal. They saw me when I was nothing and had just come on the small screen with a vulnerable face. It’s a very different relationship. They talk to me, and I talk to them as friends. When they saw me in Ghar Waapsi, they were equally happy. I have met them online only. With Ghar Waapsi, I got a new audience. They are closer to my age. They recognised me at the airport and came up to talk about what they liked about the show. It’s a different feeling.

Dharmatic’s Showtime will soon drop on Disney+Hotstar. It has a couple of big stars. Can you talk about it?

Vishal Vashishtha: I am not allowed to speak about Showtime now. (Smiles) The only thing I can say is that I am very excited.

You have also shot your debut feature film Diplomat, which stars John Abraham in the lead...

Vishal Vashishtha: Yes, we were supposed to release it in January. I have finished dubbing. Hopefully, by the end of March, there will be an announcement.

On Instagram, you post on work as well as very basic things. Do you feel social media can get overwhelming at times?

Vishal Vashishtha: It’s an amalgamation of a lot of things. Your upbringing does play an important part. It’s not that I don’t like to party. I have a close-knit group in Calcutta. Almost ten of us moved to Mumbai for work at the same time. We had a great time for the initial three to four years after shifting.

On social media, one might have noticed that I post a lot in a spurt when I feel that I must put myself out there but after that, I suddenly vanish for a few days because I realise that’s just not me. I can’t document everything about my life. I like to keep things simple because social media can be overwhelming at times. While scrolling, when you come across other people’s colourful lives, you might get affected, so I take a step away and keep it moderate. I keep it original and do not force anything.