‘Sharad in Mirzapur 3 was mounted just as any Shakespearean hero’

When we see Sharad Shukla evolve significantly throughout Mirzapur, it’s clear that his journey has been one of intricate development and intense preparation. Anjumm Shharma, the actor behind this compelling character, shared his insights into understanding and portraying Sharad Shukla.
“The journey started in season 1 and it’s interesting how this role landed in the first place,” shares Anjumm, who initially wanted to be a part of this show because of its content and the well-written script. “My reason for collaborating on any project has always been the quality of the content. Even with Mirzapur, the journey started with a smaller part, but I chose it because it was good on content. Back then, we didn’t know anything about OTT, long formats, seasons, or frequency. Nothing was clear because it was back in 2017.”
His dedication to being part of a quality project led him to audition for several main roles in Season 1, but things didn’t turn out as expected. Eventually, the producers and the director connected with him and offered a small part. They believed if at all they would have a second season, the character would be well-developed then.
As the character evolved, Anjumm prepared meticulously for Season 2. “This guy is a Baahubali, Jaunpur ka Don hai. He is very different from Munna or Guddu. I approached it with loads of intelligence, ease, calmness and authority. I realised that people who are in very powerful positions are calm yet assertive, very settled and comfortable with their aura. I saw various videos of people who are at high posts in government jobs, IAS or IPS, because of the way they speak, they have authority, and they are very calm and assertive.”
Anjumm emphasised the importance of understanding the character’s mindset and not just his profession. “You don’t play the character or the profession of the character. You are not playing Don; it’s a tag that people will see you in. Baahubali logon ke nazron mein hai, it’s a tag. But he is actually a person. He is what he thinks, what he says and what he chooses to do. For all that, I went in a different direction as far as my referencing was concerned. I took references to people who are good orators, who think well.” One of the most challenging aspects, according to Anjumm, was ensuring that the audience listened to Sharad’s silence. “When he speaks, he has dialogues, but I wanted people to listen to my silence too. Only when, as an audience, you can listen to the silences of the character, that is when the character would work.” Sharad Shukla’s character arc in Season 3 was a significant transformation. “In season 3, he came as the borderline antagonist who had become a protagonist. He was the character people started rooting for; they wanted Sharad to win. He started getting the support of the people in Mirzapur and he started getting the votes and all the Baahubalis were rooting for Sharad. We know that Guddu is going down with his madness and everything, and that was always the larger arc of the season since we started writing and everything.”
When asked if there were any aspects of Sharad Shukla that he personally resonated with, the Sultan of Delhi fame shared, “Not really! As an actor, once you create that character, you find realism just to make the audience more believable. You start looking for reasons to make it happen. I, as an actor, connect with the character to bring out the realism. That is the only connection I made with the character.”
Outside of Mirzapur, Anjumm’s interests and passions lie in creating movies and content. Even in Mirzapur, he shares, “I’m creating something. I’m specialising in being an actor; acting is something I have been trained to do. But yeah, there is an involvement in writing and a keen interest in editing—how the structure of the episode is made, how the edit is made, how the structure is made. Then I connect to music and then, like a student, I try and get into mixing sessions. I like being part of the entire process.” Having played such a powerful character, he shares that he wouldn’t want to do anything similar. However, he believes that once you gain popularity in a particular role, it has an impact on people, and you will get similar roles. “I want to explore genres and am working on different projects. I feel no two people or two characters are similar. If you put two people in a similar scenario, they would act very differently and the scenario would change. I want to explore the lighter side, something real, two-tier, something like Bareilly Ki Barfi, subdued, relatable, calm, sweet and comforting.”
The irony of his character, he says, was that you were so mindful and intelligent and at the end, you got emotional and let your emotions take over. “You became vulnerable; things changed. That guy had to have emotions. You led your life with courage, solidarity and strength. I would just appreciate the clarity the character has. He doesn’t unnecessarily kill or spread violence. I’m happy this kind of trajectory in the world of Mirzapur came to me. It was very challenging and difficult when you already had established strong characters.”
Reflecting on Sharad Shukla’s heroism and legacy, Anjumm concluded, “After season 3, the heroism, the way the character was mounted as a hero in a classical sense, it’s a classic example of any Shakespearean character mounted as a hero. You don’t realise when the underdog keeps growing and then everything falls into place. He gets the votes and support of the people. There is a lot of emotion around him, with the father, mother and everyone. People will remember all these things about the character, especially the fans. His performance is good; the mounting of the hero is what I saw in the character this time. Guddu had become an antagonist, and we see Sharad as the protagonist and him emerging as the hero.”
As Anjumm Shharma continues to explore new horizons, his portrayal of Sharad Shukla in Mirzapur will undoubtedly be remembered as a defining moment in his career and a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication.