Sikandar Ka Muqaddar actors Jimmy Shergill, Avinash Tiwary talk about Neeraj Pandey's latest heist movie

Indian director Neeraj Pandey has pulled an extremely different stunt for his latest movie, Sikandar Ka Muqaddar.  When the film was in its initial stage, Pandey had shared only a few pages of the script with his cast members, thereby leaving everyone curious. 

His latest venture with Netflix is based on a diamond heist which took 15 years to resolve. In an exclusive conversation with WION, lead actors of the film Jimmy Shergill and Avinash Tiwary share details about the making of Sikandar Ka Muqaddar and more. 

How is Sikandar Ka Muqaddar different from all the heist movies we watch on Netflix today?

Avinash Tiwary: I haven't been watching many heist films on Netflix. What I can say about Sikandar Ka Muqaddar is that it's a plot-driven, immersive film. It thrills you with its character development. The movie lasts 15 years, which I think is very different from other films I have seen. Also, I don't think other films have such prolific actors (points at Jimmy Shergill).

Jimmy Shergill: There's more than just a heist in this movie. There's drama, there's very solid emotion that happens due to the frustration of all these characters. The film is going to keep you thrilled. Yes, the journey lasts 15 years. It shows the characters' journeys, so that's how the development happens in one movie.

Tell us your experience of playing chor-police in a Neeraj Pandey directorial.

Avinash Tiwary: I won't exactly say chor police. In the film, I am someone who is really tortured by the police. There's a certain resilience in the way Sir (Jimmy Shergill) plays his character. You need to see it to believe it. Our characters go through a spectrum of experiences and emotions. For me, just to experience all of that was absolutely thrilling. I got a chance to showcase such a range.

I was watching the trailer. At one point Jimmy your character even takes credit for directing the movie.

Jimmy Shergill:  That is just one line. There's a conversation that is happening. He is in a certain place. It's not that he has directed, there's nothing like that. That's a feeling. My character is a police officer, who has never had a wrong intuition. But this is one time when things go a little haywire that has hurt his ego. It has left him frustrated.

Is it true that Neeraj Pandey did not share parts of the script with his cast members for Sikandar Ka Muqaddar?

 Avinash Tiwary: I don't know about all the films, but with this one, he definitely didn't. (He looks at Jimmy Shergill.)

Jimmy Shergill: This is the only time when he has done this. When I was reading the script, I told him that this does not have a pre-climax and climax. So he said that he has two of three options and he is still working on which one to put over there.

Avinash Tiwary: I have a feeling that they went through our rehearsals, waited to see our strengths and then made a decision. I don't know, this is something new for me.

Jimmy Shergill: This is something new for me also. This was the only time when he did this.

Hasn't he explained why he practiced this?

Avinash Tiwary: It is a mystery, it is a thriller, there are a lot of things that can go anywhere. Maybe he also wanted to keep us hooked. Maybe he wanted to keep me on my toes so that I remain in the best of my game.