Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin says he felt like the new boy in school but everyone welcomed him warmly on the sets of Neeraj Pandey's Special Ops 2, which features the actor in the role of an antagonist.
Tahir broke out with the Rani Mukerji-starrer Mardaani in 2014 where he played a negative role. His other notable ventures include Chhichhore, series Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, and 83.
The actor described his role of 'Collector' in Special Ops 2 as someone who is "part gangster, part tech tycoon".
"It's been about 10 years since I played an antagonist. What I really enjoy about the 'Collector' in Special Ops 2 is that he is a rebel with a cause," Tahir told PTI in an interview.
In the second season of the show, Kay Kay Menon's Himmat Singh is tackling cyber terrorism as a scientist is abducted from a tech summit in the show, which released on JioHotstar on July 18. The show also features Karan Tacker, Vinay Pathak, and Muzammil Ibrahim.
Tahir said it is challenging to join a popular show in its second season. "I felt like the new boy in school where everyone else knew each other but the rest of the ensemble were very warm and welcoming. Karan, in particular, was very friendly. I spent time with Kay Kay Menon off set and it was like meeting a senior from college because you know someone who has been in Bombay so much longer that you, just knows what life is about a little more,” he said.
"Every conversation I would have with Kay Kay was very enlightening... What I see in Kay Kay's work is that he is always truthful and authentic to what the part is, he's not judging the character and that's something that I hope to take forward in my work as well," he added.
Which is why going head-to-head with Kay Kay in the show felt like a big compliment for the actor. "I gravitate towards lead parts that are disruptive... As the show unravels, you discover why he operates in certain ways and there is an element of mystique to his character but in his mind he is a sort of reformer. One of the lines that has really stuck with the audience is 'I am also in the business of cyber security, just on a different side',” he said.
Tahir said unlike conventional antagonists, his character relies completely on brains.
"If the show had been released 10-15 years ago, it would have seemed like science fiction but in the recent past we have seen so many cyber attacks and financial attacks happen that it's all too real," he said.
The actor is currently shooting for a Netflix show alongside Parineeti Chopra, which is directed by Renzil D'Silva.