Sanjeev Mehra on His Journey from Theatre to 'The Buckingham Murders'

BY- PRIYA RAGHUVANSHI

Sanjeev Mehra, a multifaceted talent known for captivating hearts through theater, television series, writing, and photography, is bringing his skills to the forefront once again with the film "The Buckingham Murders." In this film, he portrays Kareena Kapoor’s father. We had an exclusive conversation with him about his journey from theater to film and his connection with Mayapuri.

• We’ve seen you a lot on TV. When did you start your career, and who inspired you?

I was born in Delhi and started my career at the age of 11. Initially, I focused on theater. I also attended classes in music and drama at the Bal Bhavan in Delhi, where I met many talented individuals, including Rekha Bharadwaj and Sushma. Mohini Mathur was our teacher. My career took off from theater; I’ve done around fifteen hundred live performances. I also created a group called ‘Sakshi,’ which started with just 4-5 people and grew to over 85, becoming one of North India’s largest theater groups. Notable members included Amina Sherwani, Mahendra Goyal, Krishna Kant Sinha, Sunil Mangla, Rajesh Pradhan, and Saurabh Shukla, who was my classmate since second grade.

My first serial was ‘Hum Log,’ India’s very first TV serial, where I worked both behind and in front of the camera. During this time, I was also associated with Mayapuri magazine, where I worked in animation for several years. I then did the show ‘Sada Punjab,’ contributing over a hundred episodes, along with several others. While I started my video journey, I never left theater behind. I’ve met many notable people in the industry, including Manoj Bajpayee, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Nirmal Pandey, Piyush Mishra, Rajeev Gupta, Atul Srivastava, and Brijendra Kala. Looking back, I see how well everyone has done for themselves.

• You’ve also worked with Irrfan Khan. What was that experience like?

It was fantastic. We were old friends and had done theater together. Irrfan was brilliant. We worked together on the serial ‘Great Maratha,’ where I played a challenging role of a hijra. I consider myself fortunate to have collaborated with such outstanding individuals, whether it was Muzaffar Ali or Ashok Talwar, who created "Maila Aanchal."

• You recently completed "The Buckingham Murders." What was that experience like?

 My last film was ‘Vaada Raha,’ featuring Kangana Ranaut and Bobby Deol. After that, I moved to Australia in 2008, during a time when shows like ‘Annu Ki Ho Gayi Wah Bhai Wah,’ ‘Left Right,’ and ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’ were very popular. I received numerous offers, but I couldn’t take them as I wasn’t in India. However, during the pandemic, several old shows were revived, leading people to recognize my face again. They started asking about my current whereabouts, which led to various producers and OTT platforms reaching out to me.

I spoke with Mukesh Chhabra, who requested some photos and information. Just 15 minutes later, he called to ask if I would go to London. That’s how I landed this film, getting to work alongside Kareena Kapoor and other stars, marking my comeback to Bollywood.

• What was your experience working with Kareena Kapoor?

It was very positive. She is very friendly and easy to get along with. We engaged in a lot of light-hearted banter.

• Did you face any challenges playing a father to Kareena?

Not at all. When we first met in the hotel, she called me “Papa.” Kareena is very cool. On the day of our photo shoot, the weather was bad, so we aimed to wrap it up quickly.

• How was your experience working with Hansal Mehta?

Hansal is incredibly talented and wise, and he’s very chill. He works in a relaxed manner, and I’ve known him for quite some time.

• What upcoming projects do you have?

I currently have a couple of projects lined up, including two films with reputable banners and a series. I’m also working on my own projects, which include a film and a series. I recently completed the Australian version of the Sony Liv show "Adrashyam" and am writing a few books.

• What has your experience with Mayapuri been like? How strong is your bond with them?

Bajaj sir has a very creative mind; he thinks far ahead. I remember when there was no AC, he would put something under our tables to keep us cool. Since I also have a creative mindset, I felt a connection with him. Whenever I suggested an idea to Aman sir, he never turned me down. We had a fantastic tuning.

• What would you like to say to Mayapuri’s audience?

Mayapuri is one of the oldest magazines in the industry and has never made profit its motive. It has built careers for many and has always promoted talent.
You can catch the multi-talented Sanjeev Mehra in "The Buckingham Murders," now showing.

By Priyanka Yadav

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