Stuck without a network, “made in heaven” fame Kassiap could still bag Hollywood roles

In an exclusive conversation with the Indian Forum, Kashyap Shangari revealed how to attack Hollywood movies with odds.

Published: Tuesday, May 27th, 2025 05:51 AM GMT-06:00

Neil Berger’s guerrilla-style shot thriller drama director, recently released on Lionsgate, with actor Kashyap Shangari playing a key role in the Hollywood film.

In an exclusive conversation with the Indian Forum, Shangari revealed how to play Hollywood films against the odds, looking forward to career opportunities, working on things like less screen time on screens.

Hello Kashyap, being part of a film with an international presence must have been a considerable journey. How did this happen with Neil Burger? Was it through an audition or did he discover you?

It was definitely a trip, but not the kind with red carpets and spotlights. It started with a call from Tess Joseph. I really respect her process. She casts for truth rather than for type. I tested it in her studio and a few days later I heard that Neil Berger wanted to Zoom with me.

catch? I was shooting remotely at zero signal – there was no internet or anything. I borrowed an ad phone for the hotspot, grabbed clothes from another character’s rack, and convinced my co-stars to prepare using their vanity.

The zoom test with Neil was calm and impossible. What hit me was how instinctive he was. He wasn’t following Polish. He wanted something that sat comfortably in the world he was creating. Something must have been clicked in all that confusion and improvisation. It wasn’t a dramatic “groundbreaking” moment – just a quiet yes. And I felt that was right.

Guerilla style photography brings unique challenges. Beyond space constraints, what was the biggest factor you had to adapt?

Guerilla shooting has its own rhythm. You are responding in real time – with crowds, natural light, unpredictable sounds. For me, the biggest challenge was staying emotionally fixed.

There is no luxury of multiple take or resets. There’s no overthinking or excessive rehearsals either. Whether someone’s phone rings or the car rings the central scene, you will find your truth in one take. Oddly, it was released. It requires perfect existence. There is no filter or Polish. And when it lands, it hits something raw and electricity.

It works – Screen Time is often the headline. However, I have come to value the weight of a moment more than that period.

– Kashyap Shangari

Screen Time is always a hot topic. How do you see it now, especially when smaller roles can leave a bigger mark?

It works – Screen Time is often the headline. However, I have come to value the weight of a moment more than that period.

Like Michael Fassbender from Inglourious Basterds, I’m thinking of a performance that I stayed with. It’s one bar scene, but it’s something you’ll never forget. Or the father-son scene at the end of calling me by your name – yet intimate and profound. Such beings have real power.

In my own work, I think of Akshay Jaiswal from Made in Heaven and Dash in Code M. The truth about performance was connected and no matter how long it was on screen, it reminded me.

Of course, we all want more time in front of the camera. But now I am more drawn to the role of a soul, not just size. If something resonates and adds meaning to the story, that’s enough. And I believe that honest work will ultimately lead to deeper and longer arcs as well.

What has your biggest learning experience been?

I really have no regrets. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I really see everything as learning. Every day still feels like the first day – and that way of thinking makes me open and curious.

The biggest learning? Keep your connection to the reason. Continue to show up for work – not results, not results, but craft. When your “why” is clear, even chaos becomes clear. And the version of success you believe will find you.

Certainly there was a moment of self-doubt. Maybe I played it safely from time to time. But I believe that even those moments were necessary. There is no need for optimal conditions to appear. Sometimes the best works come from confusion.