In an exclusive conversation with Jason Shah who is popularly known for playing the vicious character of Mr Cartwright in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Jason has a lot to describe about particular scenes that he fell in love with. Read on.
New Delhi: In an exclusive conversation with India.com, actor Jason Shah sheds light on his experience as the enigmatic Mr. Cartwright in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s hit series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. From being a model to pursuing a career in acting Jason Shah has finally made it to the Indin cinemaindustry. During the telephonic interview, Jason sheds light on the character to his takeaways from working with the acclaimed director, Shah offers an insider’s perspective on the world of Indian television. He later dives deeper into his experiences, the challenges he faced, and his exciting future plans as he carves his path in the vast landscape of film and TV. Read on.
Meet Jason Shah, The Vicious Character Mr Cartwright From Heeramandi
While talking exclusively to India.com, Jason Shah was asked to talk about his journey on how he pursued his career in acting. Shad expressed, “I was just 17 years old when I secured a small role in the movie Partner, where big names from Bollywood were casted. The hustle and bustle enveloped me. I was a model at the time, it was completely different for me. It was cool and different for me and I thought I could do this and it seems fun (sic).”
Talking about his recent portrayal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Jason was asked to share his experience working on the sets curated by Bhansali. To this, the Shah responds, “It was fantastic, working with directors I learned a lot working with new directors. It was amazing and it was great working with Indian Bollywood heroines and it was like a dream that came true (sic).” Jason continued, “Obviously, the amount of screen time that I have gotten will help me a lot on international platforms as well. All over it was a good experience for me (sic).”
What Did Jason Say About Cartwright’s Disturbing Scene with Mallikajaan
Looking at Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut web series, a particular scene from the period drama, where Cartwright demands Mallikajaan to get naked and dance in front of the British police officers. Although, it is common to portray rape scenes in films. What disturbed the mind was that a mother was willing to save her youngest daughter, Alamzeb just to bail her out from the prison. Asking the same question to Jason he responds, “I think the rape scene is quite relevant because it is breaking her (Mallikajaan) character. I think she comes to terms in her own mind however she sees it. She does it for a daughter. She also realises that the power-play game still lies in the hands of the British and she has to do what it takes as she was taking the decision (sic).”
Jason further added, “This has happened quite a few times in India. Which is very sad, India has a problem with rape and all sorts of things. I hope it makes people, not want to do things but actually realise the seriousness of these issues (sic).” He concluded by saying, “I was born and raised in a Gujarati family and have an English mom. I have received racism from my side of the family as they looked at me as a white kid because of my skin tone and we live in a complex world. We should never go to the heights of what Cartwright did that was illegal (sic).”
Jason Shah Falls For Sonakshi Sinha’s Dance; ‘ I Wish Could Just…’
Jason told us that he really loved Sonakshi Sinha’s dancing. Shah added, “The way she got into it, the director gave us the freedom to dance to this particular song, initially they were planning to choreograph it. It’s a part of India, people let of themselves, and a certain kind of beauty comes out in the series (sic). I literally wanted to watch her dance but I knew I was also acting in the scene. I couldn’t lose my focus Sonkash did a fantastic job. I enjoyed working with Manisha, she brought the intensity that Heeramandi needed (sic).”
From Bigg Boss To Heeramandi; Jason Shah’s Road To The Entertainment Industry
Jason Shah rose to prominence after his stint on Bigg Boss 10 and continued to build his acting career. He landed a role in the 2018 film Thugs of Hindostan alongside Bollywood A-listers Katrina Kaif, Aamir Khan, and Amitabh Bachchan. Jason’s portrayal of an East India Company officer added another historical character to his portfolio. He recently had a brief appearance in the highly anticipated movie Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, starring Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Beyond the big screen, Jason has carved a niche for himself in Indian historical television. He’s taken on characters with similar historical weight in shows like Chandrashekhar (2018), Jhansi Ki Rani (2019), and Swaraj (2022).
Jason Shah’s Professional Front
Riding the wave of his well-received performance in Netflix’s ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,’ actor Jason Shah is gearing up for his next project. This time, he’ll share the screen with Bollywood A-lister Alia Bhatt in the upcoming film ‘Jigra.’ Keeping details under wraps, Shah remains tight-lipped about his character, leaving audiences to speculate about his transformation for the role.
