Varun Mitra, one of the lead actors of the acclaimed Prime Video legal drama Guilty Minds, is currently playing Lt. Triveni Singh in Rakshak: India’s Braves on Amazon miniTV. A recipient of the Ashok Chakra award, Lt. Singh was an Indian Army officer who sacrificed his life to save 300 civilians during the terrorist attack on Jammu railway station in 2004.

Varun, who recently starred in Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (Disney+Hotstar), will soon be seen in Tejas, as Kangana Ranaut’s love interest. In conversation with The Telegraph Online, Varun talks about how Guilty Minds put him on the map, his current focus, his equation with Kangana Ranaut and more.

Did you kind of manifest to play an army officer on screen?

Varun Mitra: Yeah, finally! I willed it to the universe and made it happen. (Smiles)

Your grandfather was in the Indian Army. Did he have an impact on you?

Varun Mitra: Well, I wasn’t born when he was in the Army. I had heard stories from him. I have grown up around retired army officers, colonels and brigadiers. I am familiar with the world and the discipline.

Prepping for a character like Lt. Triveni Singh takes a toll. What did you go through emotionally and physically?

Varun Mitra: Lt. Triveni Singh was lean like me, so I didn’t have to do much, but I had to prepare for the psychological and emotional part to understand the mindset. When I met his family, I was full of emotions. It’s almost 20 years but their emotions run so high that one can feel it. They are proud of what he has achieved but also miss him badly. They are simple and beautiful people. It was a wholesome experience. One thing I did was that after 10 years, I shaved my beard. While shooting, I had to shave every day.

Guilty Minds has completed a year recently and it’s this web show that has put you in the spotlight. People are waiting for Season 2, so tell us what’s happening.

Varun Mitra: Yes, it has got me a lot of attention and inquiries. People could see what I could do. Yes, it did put me on the map. It got me projects. People noticed that I could shape-shift and take on diverse characters. As far as Season 2 is concerned, there’s writing going on. We will probably begin shooting early next year.

Now that you have proven a point, what do you aspire to become?

Varun Mitra: I want to go in the commercial direction and do bigger projects. It’s not about a big budget; I want to reach and connect with more people. I feel I have stayed in the niche, so I am choosing projects that will reach the entire country. It’s been a steady journey where things happened step-by-step. It feels that everything is moving at the right pace, and I get to learn from each phase, grow and look forward to what’s next.

How important is mental health for you?

Varun Mitra: It’s everything! The reason I could survive in the industry is because I could keep myself mentally stable. I am a Vipassana student and have been doing it for four years. I started to enjoy what’s good and learn from what’s not good.

You are a heartthrob and your pictures get a lot of attention on social media. You must be loving it…

Varun Mitra: I love it! Who doesn’t enjoy the attention? I want more of it. (Smiles)

Next up, you will be seen opposite Kangana Ranaut in Tejas (to be released on October 20). Tell us about your experience of working with her.

Varun Mitra: Kangana plays a fighter pilot. I play a musician and her love interest. She was very professional and warm. In terms of scale, it’s the biggest project that I have done. She made us all extremely comfortable. There was a lunch at her place where we broke the ice.