Mumbai

Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi has reflected on his long career in films, television and theatre, saying he has always focused on enjoying the journey of acting rather than chasing the “peak” of success.

In an interview, Bedi said he believes an artist should remain committed to the craft instead of worrying constantly about outcomes.

“I believe this is a journey and one should enjoy it. I never thought about reaching the peak. I only wanted to keep working sincerely,” he said.

The actor, known for memorable performances in films such as Chashme Buddoor and Tirangaa, as well as television shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Shrimaan Shrimati and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, said he has always tried to give complete commitment to every role.

Speaking about his role in Dhurandhar and its sequel, Bedi revealed that filmmaker Aditya Dhar had approached him for the project several years before the script was finalised.

According to Bedi, Dhar had already visualised him as part of the film around the time he was working on Uri: The Surgical Strike.

Calling it a major compliment, Bedi said the director’s confidence in him reflected the goodwill he has earned over decades in the entertainment industry.

The actor also discussed his approach to character-building, explaining that he often draws inspiration from people and situations from real life before adding his own interpretation to the performance.

“I try to pick up characters from real life and then add my own flavour to them,” he said.

Bedi added that acting evolves during shooting because the atmosphere on set often changes how a scene eventually plays out compared to how it was originally written.

Reflecting on the popularity of his character Jameel Jamali in the Dhurandhar series, he said audiences continue to revisit the film repeatedly because of the detailing and effort invested by the cast and creative team.

The films feature an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun.

Bedi also spoke about his enduring relationship with theatre, saying he continues to perform on stage regularly even after nearly five decades in the industry.

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According to him, theatre keeps an actor creatively active and sharp, allowing experiences gathered over the years to naturally influence performances on screen.