Actor Ashmit Patel, known for his stint on the reality show Bigg Boss 4 and films like Murder and Nazar, has returned to mainstream acting once again with his recently-released web series, titled State v/s Ahuja on Watcho Exclusives. In a candid chat with Free Press Journal, the actor speaks about the series, choosing the right work, sister Ameesha Patel, and more.
In State v/s Ahuja, Ashmit plays the role of a superstar accused of sexually assaulting his house help and it follows the trial that the actor had to go through. When the show released, netizens found an uncanny resemblance of the story to the infamous Shiney Ahuja rape case, however, Ashmit denies it being inspired by real-life events.
"As far as I know, it has no similarities with anyone's life, anyone that I know of or I've read about. It is a completely independent thought and it is an original story with a very interesting and intricate plot," he shares.
Ashmit adds that saying yes to State v/s Ahuja was a "no-brainer" for him, as he gelled with director Tarun Chopra from the word go. "Every actor looks at a few aspects when deciding what to take on and what to say no to. Of course, the character, script, producer, and director, all make a difference and in this case, the script and character were fabulous. The way Tarun spoke to me about my character made me feel this is someone I want to work with," he says.
Ashmit reveals that he is quite choosy when it comes to picking scripts and that he does not want to give his nod to anything and everything that comes his way. "In the past, I did take on roles because of certain pressures, especially post COVID-19, when a lot of people were out of work, and I had to pay my bills and EMIs. So I picked up work which I probably would not have done if I did not have those pressures. But going ahead, I'll continue to be selective with my work and only choose the best of what comes my way," he states.
The actor, however, avers that he never relied on his sister Ameesha Patel, who is quite established in Bollywood, for work. "I've always been someone who has liked to do things on my own steam, so no, I never wanted to use my sister as a crutch. Because at the end of the day, when I achieve what I do on my own, I have this feeling of satisfaction which is far superior to if you get a crutch from someone or if you have a godfather. I've never asked anybody for anything. I've always done everything on my own and it makes success taste much sweeter," he quips.
While he might have not asked Ameesha for help, Ashmit says that he is greatly inspired by his sister, who delivered the biggest blockbuster with Gadar 2 in 2023. He shares, "When any actor makes a comeback or has the patience and the perseverance to continue following their passion, and then finally something works for them, it's very inspiring. It gives you a renewed sense of self-belief because you can start doubting yourself when things aren't working out, when your films aren't working, your projects aren't hitting the mark, you start feeling that, you know, maybe this is not meant for me. Maybe I should look at other things."
He continues, "But then something like Gadar 2 happens, which was not just a blockbuster comeback for my sister but also for Sunny Deol. Even Bobby Deol had a comeback of sorts with Animal and he has been quite vocal about his journey and his struggle with not getting work and the challenges he had to face. All of this is inspiring and motivating, and you feel like this could be me too if I just keep at it."
