It’s Elementary

“I was drawn to the film for its content,” says Khandelwal, who has been touring the metros to promote his film. He insists that though the film echoes the aura and mannerisms of Sherlock Holmes, it has not taken any leads from the Sherlock Holmes movies or the popular BBC series, Sherlock. “The director was inspired by Sherlock Holmes of the 19th century, penned by Doyle himself, and even that inspiration extends only as far as to reproduce the persona of a detective,” he says.

When asked about his preparation for this role, Khandelwal credits the director. “I didn’t really conduct my own research to prepare for this role. For me, the most important component of the filming process is the director. It is my job as an actor to embody the vision of the direction,” he says, “Kaushik did his own research and wrote the character history for Samrat, complete with all his idiosyncrasies and traits. What I did was to fit myself into that mould.”

Khandelwal believes that selecting the right film is paramount for an actor. “I like to go with my gut when it comes to roles, but it is exceedingly important that the film is in the capable hands of a director,” he says.