‘Garmi’ actor Vyom Yadav on working with Tigmanshu: ‘Like being in acting school’

Mumbai : Actor Vyom Yadav, who played the lead role in the streaming series ‘Garmi’, has shared that working with show creator-director Tigmanshu Dhulia was an enriching experience for him. Prior to ‘Garmi’, the actor faced multiple rejections so, when he got the opportunity to work with Dhulia, it turned out to be very cathartic for him and also a learning curve.
The show is a political drama that weaves together the lives of several characters and is set in Prayagraj. Talking about working as one of the lead characters in ‘Garmi’, Vyom said, “Bagging the role in ‘Garmi’ was truly a dream come true for me.
After facing multiple rejections, getting to work with Tigmanshu sir, one of the best directors in our country, on such a grand project was a life-changing moment. Tigmanshu sir is an absolute institution on the move.”
He also spoke about how it made the actor in him a better artiste. He shared, “Working with him was like being in an acting school, learning insightful and informative tips and tricks every day. I felt like he was a father figure to me and he has always extended unwavering support to me.
He gave me the space to bring my own interpretation to the scenes as an actor, and I appreciated how open he was with my contributions. It was a dream come true to work with such a wonderful director, and I cannot wait for more opportunities to collaborate with him.”
Talking about his role preparation, he said that while preparing for his role as Arvind Shukla in ‘Garmi’, he created a timeline for his character development after every prime incident in the script. He even changed his way of living to embody the character’s aggression – speaking less and constantly thinking like Arvind in everyday life situations, not just on set.
The actor further mentioned, “That’s what’s so fascinating about this art form – it allows you to experience things you wouldn’t otherwise. I remember talking to students in the hostel where we were shooting, observing their lifestyle and room setup, which was nothing like what I’ve seen before.
They were welcoming and addressed me as ‘bhaiyaji’. Being in their world helped me tap into the skin of the character and bring him to life on screen.””When I first read the script for ‘Garmi’, I realised that some of the qualities of the character matched with my own, but the political aspect was completely new to me.
It was uncharted territory for me, and I had to spend hours watching and researching videos to be able to see the overlap between my traits and the character’s. But I was determined to make it work, and I put in the effort to really connect with the character”, he concluded.
Vyom has earlier acted in character roles in some critically acclaimed projects like ‘Badhaai Do’ and ‘Delhi Crime’. ‘Garmi’ is available to stream on Sony LIV.