‘No Fun in Playing Vanilla Characters’: Jaideep Ahlawat

Actor Jaideep Ahlawat says he finds little excitement in playing “vanilla” roles, preferring characters with depth and complexity over one-dimensional portrayals.

Speaking in Mumbai, the actor—known for performances in projects like Gangs of Wasseypur, Raees, Pataal Lok, The Broken News, Three of Us, Jaane Jaan, and The Family Man—said he actively looks to move beyond conventional hero and villain archetypes.

“I haven’t really played a vanilla character yet. Roles become far more engaging when they have layers, as opposed to being single-dimensional. Even if a character lacks that depth on paper, I try to bring in nuances to make it more believable,” Ahlawat said during an interaction on the sidelines of the launch of Mafia Queens of India by journalist-turned-author Hussain Zaidi.

The Pataal Lok star added that authenticity remains central to his craft. According to him, the emotional core of a character must translate effectively on screen for the story to resonate.

“If the emotion doesn’t come through, the performance feels flat. Whether the role is positive or negative, the more layers it has, the more enjoyable it becomes to portray,” he said.

Ahlawat was last seen in a cameo in director Sudip Sharma’s Kohrra (Season 2).

Edited by : Mary Rose Baba