Rohman Shawl and Sushmita Sen’s relationship has been the talk of the town for several years. Despite announcing their breakup three years ago, the two are often spotted together. Rohman, who made his Tamil debut with the recently released hit film Amaran, starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, says that he “doesn’t care” what people think about his complicated relationship with the Miss Universe 1994.
In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, the model turned actor addresses the conversation around his connection with Sushmita, after the latter recently revealed in a podcast that she has been single for about three years now. Talking about the public scrutiny he has to face regarding the rumours, he says, “I am very blessed because what people say or think about me, doesn’t affect me. I know my truth and I am very honest to myself. What people have to say is their call. They want to say good, bad or whatever, it doesn’t affect me.”
Rohman further adds, “What affects me is what I think of me and what I am doing at the moment. I stand by the things I have done in my life and I totally respect that. If somebody can’t see that, it is their problem, the onus can’t be on me.”
Ask him about the bond he shares with the Main Hoon Na actor and her daughters Renee and Alisah as they are snapped together a lot of times and he answers, “I’ve always said that we have been like family. We may not live together or not talk for months, but whenever they need me, I will always be there. So, there are no two questions about it.”
Meanwhile, Rohman marked his Tamil debut with the successful movie Amaran and he says that good work is coming to him after the release, “I wanted people to see my work in Amaran and what I’m capable of and then accordingly pitch work to me, which has already started happening. I am really happy about that.”
The 32-year-old found the idea of playing a negative character “appealing”. “I was totally blown away by the idea of playing an antagonist because I am completely the opposite in real life. It kind of intrigued me because I took it as a challenge. Playing something so different from myself and that too in such a big film,” he shares.
Rohman also opens up about shifting towards acting, while he entered the industry for his modelling career. He tells us, “I shifted to Bombay in 2016-17. When I came here, I got to know that many of my modelling friends were into acting so I spoke to them and got to know that they have been doing some acting classes, so I also joined. I realised that I am not particularly interested in acting.”
“During that time, I got an audition call for a big film that was being made at that time and I got selected. But after a month or so, they told me that it’s not happening because of some changes. It totally broke my heart. So, I thought that I don’t want to act anymore. I stayed off acting for four years. Fate had something else for me, so I did my first film Azaadi in 2021, which is about to be released in a couple of months,” the actor ends.
Sushmita and Rohman ended their three-year-long relationship in 2021, announcing the breakup with a post on their Instagram accounts. On the work front, Sushmita Sen was last seen in the third season of the crime-thriller series Aarya. On the other hand, Rohman Shawl recently starred in Amaran, in which he played the role of a terrorist. He has a few projects in the pipeline which will be announced later.
Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events.
Experience & Professional Background
Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include:
The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of "exclusive conversations" for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam.
Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her "Gen-Z Revisit" series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include:
Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth.
Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era.
On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan.
South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing "Journalism of Courage" in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. ... Read More
