EXCLUSIVE: John Kokken Talks Action in 'The Freelancer'

'The Freelancer,' featuring Mohit Raina, Kashmira Pardeshi, and Anupam Kher, unfolds a gripping narrative centered on an extraction mission in the unsafe, war-torn landscape of Syria. The storyline follows the captive girl's desperate bid for freedom amidst the chaos of conflict and death.

The cast ensemble includes Sushant Singh, John Kokken, Gauri Balaji, Navneet Malik, Manjari Phadnis, and Sarah Jane Dias, among others. Based on Shirish Thorat's book 'A Ticket to Syria,' the series sheds light on the sinister operations of the Islamic State, revealing the terror group's extensive cross-country activities that lure thousands into a dark cause.

The Freelancer: Season 2 - A Thrilling Conclusion

Directed by Bhav Dhulia, produced by Friday Storytellers, and with Neeraj Pandey as the creator and show-runner, the first season left viewers on a suspenseful cliffhanger. The eagerly awaited second season, titled 'The Freelancer – The Conclusion,' promises to unravel the resolution of Avinash's extraction mission to rescue Aleeya from imminent danger.

In an exclusive interview with Mayapuri, John Kokken shares insights into audience expectations, his reactions to the role, and more. The upcoming season is poised to deliver a thrilling culmination to the narrative, providing closure to the suspenseful events set in motion in the first season.

1.    How did you navigate your way into the entertainment industry?

To this John Kokken said, “Well, I did my three-year diploma in hotel management. I grew up in Mumbai and I worked with hotels for two years. And after that, I did a couple of ads, and then the journey led me to the South. And South's directors found me interesting. I started doing films in the South. And I started with Malayalam, Kannada, to Telugu to Tamil, and finally I landed in Hindi.”

2.    How was your experience working on 'The Freelancer?'

To this John Kokken said, “It was a great experience. I loved working with Neeraj Pandey sir and Bhav sir. I'm a big fan of Neeraj Pandey Sir's work. So I was very excited that I got to play this role, and also the fact that I'm not playing a villain. So it was a very interesting role for me also.”

3.    Your roles often lean towards the negative side, but 'The Freelancer' seems to showcase a different facet. Can you elaborate on this shift and its impact on your career trajectory?

To this John Kokken said, “Definitely. That's why it was interesting for me because, Neeraj Pandey, thought of me differently. He didn't typecast me as a guy who can only play negative roles. He thought of me differently. He thought of me as an actor, that he could bring out something in me that nobody has probably tried to extract. So yes, I'm very grateful to Neeraj Pandey for this role.

 4. What can we expect from The Freelancer: The Conclusion?

To this, John Kokken said, “Well, as it says in the teaser, it's a conclusion. So it's the finale that is coming. But to put it in short, whatever is coming is going to be very fast-paced, high action, high octane, and high adrenaline, something which you want to just sit at the edge of the seat and you just want to finish it. So whatever is coming is going to be an action-packed episode. Whichever episodes are coming, and something all the hype and the build-up which is created by the first four episodes, the remaining episodes, which they're releasing on 15th of December, is going to match, or rather I would say it's going to be more than what people have been expecting. So people are going to love what is coming.”

5. If given the choice, which director would you most like to collaborate with in the future?

To this John Kokken said, “I would love to work with Zoya Akhtar, I'd love to work with Farhan Akhtar, Sanjay Gupta.”

6. Can you provide some insights into your upcoming projects? Is there anything particularly exciting that you're currently involved in?

I have Captain Miller, a film with Dhanush, which is releasing in January. Then I have another film, it's called Kadhalikka Neramillai, where I'm playing a romantic guy. So that is probably coming somewhere mid-next year.” 

Share your thoughts on the actor and his role in the series after reading our exclusive conversation with him. We'd love to hear your views, so drop your comments in the section below. What are your impressions of the actor's performance and the character portrayed in the series? 

-Priya Raghuvanshi

Tags : the-freelancer | mohit-raina | kashmira-pardeshi | anupam-kher

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