- 7/4/2025
Mumbai: In an exclusive conversation with the star cast of ‘Special Ops 2’, including Kay Kay Menon, Karan Tacker, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Director Shivam Nair, where they shared insights into the show. Tahir Raj Bhasin discusses playing an antagonist opposite Kay Kay Menon's iconic character, Himmat Singh. Kay Kay reflects on his character's evolution over five years. Shivam Nair highlights the creative freedom of OTT platforms, while Karan Tacker praises the medium for showcasing great content. The interview offers a glimpse into the show's making and the cast's experiences.
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#SpecialOps2 #KayKayMenon #KaranTacker #TahirRajBhasin #ShivamNair #ExclusiveInterview #Director #CastMember #UpcomingSeries #Trending #BollywoodNews #BollywoodGossips #BollywoodUpdates #BollywoodNews #Bollywood #Bollywoodcelebrity #BollywoodHindiNews #IANS
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FunTranscript
00:00So hello everyone, welcome to INS and congratulations for Special Ops 2 that's about to release on G Hotstar.
00:06I want to start off by asking all of you, Tahir, you are the new entrant in the show.
00:10All of you have been there since the season 1.
00:13What makes this season really interesting and what would be your message for the audience to look it out for?
00:18What's that one thing? Anyone can tell, lead and start.
00:22There are about four reasons already sitting here, because of which you should see the series.
00:27Apart from that, it tackles a new domain, which is cyber warfare, etc., etc.,
00:34which currently this generation is very aware of.
00:39So it will be very interesting for them to watch.
00:42And thirdly, I don't know how to quantify it, but it's huge.
00:50This particular season is huge.
00:53Huge in terms of the grandeur?
00:54In terms of the grandeur, in terms of, in terms of everything, you know.
00:59So you will get a whole cinematic experience, holistic cinematic experience.
01:05And of course, the human quotient, the emotional quotient, relationship quotient, everything have taken an upgrade.
01:12So, so we, I think we have got quite a banger on hand.
01:19Let's see how it goes.
01:21Okay. And Karan?
01:23To add to what Sir said, definitely I feel like the season has gotten much larger.
01:28The universe has gotten really big, of course, from everybody who was a part of season one.
01:33There's so many new, amazing actors that are a part of it this year.
01:38Like you can see, we've got a very glorified poster, which looks quite banging.
01:41I feel, you know, Special Ops 1 was known for the kind of drama, thrill and the action.
01:49I feel like even the action and the pieces have become very large.
01:53On a personal level, as a cinephile myself, I feel like I have not personally seen India do such interesting pieces till now.
02:03So, I feel it's going to be very new.
02:07And the tangent with which the undercurrent of emotion,
02:11because the action is on the surface, it's just being killed.
02:14But I feel like the undercurrent of emotion, I feel it would be very interesting to watch.
02:20Okay. Okay. And Shivam sir?
02:21So, see, this time it's a very, Neeraj has written a very different kind of script, very interesting script.
02:27And lots of characters into this storytelling.
02:30There's one big story about the cyber bar, the big story.
02:33Then there's one more second story.
02:35Then there's a third personal story of KK.
02:37So, how the three stories are merging into one narrative.
02:41You see, it's not easy to write those kind of stories.
02:43As well as the new character in our film, the series.
02:48How he has written the character for him also.
02:50So, very interestingly he has written.
02:52There's a surprise for the whole audience this year.
02:55I witnessed the success of season one as an audience.
03:01And now being a part of season two, I can testify that the action, the thrill, the story, all of it is just like five times bigger.
03:09You waited five years, every year will be worth it for sure.
03:12And, of course, cyber crime is a new theme.
03:16And I think it's very relevant because it opens up the question of what security is and what national security can be in the future.
03:23And you are a new entrant in the show and you have all these players who have striked it out of the bag in the previous season.
03:32And what was your mind space like when you walked into the season and you have him, KK sir and Shivam sir on the panel?
03:38Sure, starting with Neeraj Pandit, it was always a dream to work with him.
03:43And I was very humbled when I got that call.
03:46When I heard the part, I remember Shivam sir and I met and I spoke to Neeraj sir who was in Budapest already on Rekki.
03:52And when I heard the part, I was just blown away because he's unpredictable, he's complex, he's layered.
03:57But most of all, you understand he's an antagonist who has certain principles.
04:01And in his mind, he's a reformer.
04:03So that to me was very interesting.
04:07KK sir, I mean, I'm a fan.
04:09Who is it?
04:09Yeah, his work, I think very few actors have the depth to pull off antagonists and protagonists.
04:16And the principle that he operates with is something that I try and imbibe, which is never judge the part that you're playing.
04:24As long as you play the truth, the audience will like it.
04:28Karan is a contemporary and he was really great to be with on set because the feeling I got was like I'm joining a boys hostel where everyone knows each other.
04:35So for that, you need a very cooperative, friendly co-actor, which Karan definitely was for me.
04:40So thanks, man, for that.
04:41And Shivam sir, I'm shooting a lot, but even in just those two days, we did some very important key scenes for the character of the collector, which really reveal a lot about why he acts in certain ways.
04:55And I'm so glad that he was the man behind the camera because how we treated those scenes, because they were challenging to shoot most of the number one take scenes.
05:04So he brought out the best.
05:05And KK sir, five years to the first season of Special Ops, how much has your character, Hemat Singh's character, changed through these five years or through three seasons that we have seen so far?
05:19Changed? No, I don't think Hemat Singh has changed.
05:22He still remains the same Hemat Singh.
05:26What has changed is the challenges that he faces.
05:28So in that sense, contextually, the situations are different, but Hemat Singh will be Hemat Singh the way he operates.
05:35So he doesn't, all the same, things have been kind of opened up in this in terms of his home front and we can't reveal much.
05:48But, you know, things like one more track opening.
05:52So there are so many things happening.
05:53So that is most exciting as far as scripting is concerned.
05:57So for me, I always look forward to it, every edition as to what is coming new and what do I need to do as Hemat Singh to tackle that.
06:06So for me, that's most exciting.
06:08Okay.
06:09Okay.
06:09And Shivam, sir, you spoke about this word cyber warfare.
06:11Now, in current time, Psy Ops is perhaps, you know, a notch above than the, you know, conventional warfare that we see on the battlefield and everything.
06:20While you were putting the show all together, while it was being written, everything was, you know, you were trying to imbibe from your surroundings or from the news pieces, everything.
06:29What were the key things that you kept in mind that, you know, this has to be there while we are drafting the episode or, you know, even while we are shooting?
06:38These prerequisites have to be there.
06:40What were some of those things like?
06:41See, before getting into the detailed storyline, the first thing, the, the, the, the story of his personal story, KK's personal story, as well as other character's journey, that we work on the whole first, the individual character's story first.
06:57Then, he already decided, Anirajki, we should do this cyber war kind of a story.
07:03Lots of information he has got, lots of, from different places.
07:07Then, he made a story for a bigger story.
07:09He has become the antagonist and Tahir is doing the antagonist and the bigger, larger story of the cyber war.
07:16So, in this story, KK is very interestingly, I know this, in this second season, he's more matured, it looks like wisdom has come to him on three stories handling in a different way.
07:29How he is handling it, very cool, smart, and still, I can, when we are shooting with KK, the cyber thing, cyber thing, I don't know how to, me also, I don't understand much.
07:39But, uh, the, the, the, the, the, the story level already, uh, uh, we have the clarity of the character at the beginning only, all the character.
07:59There's no doubt in the character, there's no doubt in the character, two, three characters new come into the story and the cyber war, whatever the information he got, I read it.
08:09It's there in this narrative, actually, and, uh, and then we are done it, I think, so, we'll see, and, uh, what is, up to audience now, how they react.
08:17Also, I think, uh, in Neeraj's writing, no, uh, the antagonist is well etched out.
08:21Yeah, he never, he never, he never, uh, lets that go.
08:25Yeah, that's, that's a constant and all.
08:27Constant and all, he's very, well, even this character is so well etched out, no, you read the script, you realize, this entire thing, you're giving body to it, you know, through the script.
08:38Now, it's up to the actor to perform it, but it's just that it's all there, oh, maal pura hai, you know, karne ke liyeh.
08:44So, that's one thing which Neeraj always does. It's like, the tougher the villain is in terms of depth, that much it becomes Himat Singh's challenge too.
08:57Yeah.
08:57And his entire team, because his entire team has to, his sequences, if you listen to about the dam and all that stuff, it's frightening.
09:04Mm-hmm.
09:04So, uh, you know, it requires that kind of gallantry to tackle. So, it becomes a nice, um, big cat and a big rat.
09:14You know, kind of cat and mouse. Yeah, but it's big. Everything is big. Yeah.
09:18Okay. And Karan, uh, Khaki the Bihar chapter, Special Ops, uh, one of the, you know, biggest titles in your filmography, you know, in illustrious career.
09:27Uh, do you think working in the medium of OTT is far more liberating compared to cinema or any other medium?
09:32Mm, for me, it's a big opportunity for sure. Uh, you know, I come from a background of television and I had taken a certain, um, um, decision to kind of move forward from that.
09:43Uh, it's been a great opportunity for me, uh, frankly speaking, because, uh, I'm not quite sure at maybe about like seven years ago, six years ago, when I took a break from TV, if somebody would have offered me a film, which would have a budget of what Special Ops wanted.
09:59And, you know, we are looking at something which is towards and upwards of about a hundred rows.
10:03Mm hmm. So, uh, for me in that ways to work on a project with such stalwarts as name as, you know, Mr. Neeraj Pandey, Shivam sir, and of course, uh, KK sir.
10:14Uh, I, I'm not quite sure if that opportunity would have, uh, uh, like been there at that time.
10:18So I am only but grateful to, uh, the platforms and to be accepted by, you know, like partners like Hotstar or Netflix for that matter, because it does take, uh, um, you know, of course I know how much Neeraj sir, uh, kind of pushes me for certain projects, but it's also the acceptance of them.
10:37So of course, you know, it's been, it's been great and I'm very, very find myself very fortunate, uh, to be a part of such projects.
10:42Okay. And you mentioned this word as hiatus of six years.
10:45Uh, now artists, uh, they are a community, you know, which are always on the move.
10:50No, they, they're, uh, creative, uh, if I may say, so the creative bent of mind, it has to be satisfied every now and then, uh, they need to be fed, uh, something to know, to satisfy their creative impulses.
11:01Uh, how did you manage to keep that, you know, on shore while during the six years of hiatus?
11:06How did you, uh, manage to calm down the artist in your family, say so?
11:10Uh, well, the artist was definitely not calm.
11:12I can, I can, I can promise you that.
11:14It's not the, um, uh, it's not the easiest journey, but I feel like, you know, everyone goes through that.
11:19That's a period of your career, when your struggle becomes very strong.
11:22So I don't like to personally, uh, with my heart, let me go.
11:27Uh, definitely tough.
11:29But, uh, I feel, I always say that an actor, artist, is a fool, and a fool makes it a fool.
11:36And that fool makes it just you justify yourself.
11:39Because if someone says, I will sit at home, until I don't get my job, someone will say,
11:44man, you're a fool, man, you're a fool, you're a little money, you're a fool, you're a little
11:48money, you're a fool, you're a fool, you're a fool, you're a fool.
11:50Uh, so, uh, to break such things, uh, and to break the financial security, uh, to chase the
11:55thing, uh, I think that's a kind of madness.
11:59But, uh, like, like KK sir said in one of the interviews, that nostalgia, uh, in hindsight,
12:05very romanticized like that.
12:07So when you look back at it now, you're like, I'm glad that it happened like that.
12:10But of course, you know, today when, when things are great, and frankly, uh, there's nothing
12:14to complain about as far as my profession is concerned.
12:16So yeah, it's, it's all panned out for the best.
12:18And I'm really happy that those experiences really happened in my life.
12:21Okay.
12:22Okay.
12:23And Tahir, uh, when you play an antagonist, you have played antagonist for, you know, many times.
12:27Uh, does that thought ever run by your mind that if I make it too convincing, then it
12:32might, uh, be a problem for the larger narrative in the longer run, be it a film or a series
12:36like Special Ops.
12:37No, no, not at all.
12:38Uh, I think you just have to be true to that project in the moment.
12:42And the idea is to make it as true as possible.
12:44If I start thinking of some larger narrative, uh, it will defeat the, it will defeat the purpose.
12:50Um, but I do like to play like varieties of parts.
12:55And it, it, it is a conscious decision that if I've done one negative, then the next thing
12:59that I do, and this is not out of some larger narrative, it's just to keep because the artist
13:03in me, uh, can get bored very easily.
13:05And if I find myself doing something similar back to back, that gets boring.
13:08So that is where I like to vary it a little bit.
13:10But when I'm in a project, uh, I like to give it 100%.
13:14And since you spoke about negatives, the first film was Mardani where I was running a gang in Delhi.
13:20And now I run an empire in Europe.
13:22So that's progress.
13:23Yeah.
13:24If you, if you ask me.
13:26Okay.
13:27And Shivam sir, with regards to the visual texture of the series, you know, it's very pacey,
13:30fast pace, you know, the cuts are, uh, in a, in a certain way.
13:33If you could break down the process of the lensing, the visual texture, the DI and everything
13:37for me, please.
13:38What, what do you want to know?
13:39Uh, the visual texture of, uh, Special Ops 2.
13:42The color, color, color, color correction, everything.
13:44Yeah.
13:45So if you could break that down.
13:46See, this is the biggest.
13:47That's a great question.
13:48I've never heard anyone ask this kind of question.
13:49So bigger, because see, this story is, you know, so we have already, uh, committed to
13:54the season one, how it, we shot the series now.
13:56Mm-hmm.
13:57That's why we need that kind of bigger canvas for the storytelling.
13:59Mm-hmm.
14:00We use those kind of lenses, wide lenses.
14:02And when we, the nearest shot the outdoor, you can see lots of wide images.
14:07Mm-hmm.
14:08That wide image itself shows key, uh, which kind of series it is.
14:11Mm-hmm.
14:12And lots of action into the story.
14:13Mm-hmm.
14:14And we have used lots of Steadicam shots.
14:16Aria Alexa or something else?
14:17Aria Alexa.
14:18Yes.
14:19We shot lots of in Steadicam.
14:20Then, uh, the choreography, the action part, they've done from there.
14:25There's some action choreographer.
14:26Mm-hmm.
14:27Here, we are done from Indian Bombay, Indian choreographer.
14:30And the color and all these, we had other, the, the camera one from outside.
14:34Mm-hmm.
14:35And, uh, for Neeraj, Arvind, uh, shot the, uh, all the part.
14:38Okay.
14:39Uh, the color, although everything we decided now, this, no, we can't change the texture
14:42of the season 1, 1.5.
14:43We can't change that.
14:44Mm-hmm.
14:45You can see the, get the same feeling for this story, no?
14:46Mm-hmm.
14:47Mm-hmm.
14:48You can't change it.
14:49Only the cyber, because we are using the cyber, computer, graphics, it may be, it has
14:51some different kind of images.
14:52It's added to this storytelling.
14:53For the online edit?
14:54I'm, I'm assuming.
14:55Sorry?
14:56For the online edit?
14:57Online edit.
14:58Okay.
14:59Okay.
15:00And for my final question, KK, sir, I was listening to one of your earlier interviews.
15:02You say, you use this term, Maslow's Hierarchy.
15:03Uh, now, having worked in cinema for, you know, more than two decades, close to three decades
15:04now.
15:05Uh, what is it that still fuels your passion?
15:06What is it that still, uh, keeps you, uh, you know, at the go?
15:07Uh, something that still inspires you as an actor, as an artist?
15:08Storytelling.
15:09Mm-hmm.
15:10Mm-hmm.
15:11Mm-hmm.
15:12Mm-hmm.
15:13Mm-hmm.
15:14Mm-hmm.
15:15Mm-hmm.
15:16Mm-hmm.
15:17Mm-hmm.
15:18Mm-hmm.
15:19Mm-hmm.
15:20Mm-hmm.
15:21Mm-hmm.
15:22Mm-hmm.
15:23Mm-hmm.
15:24Mm-hmm.
15:25Mm-hmm.
15:26Mm-hmm.
15:27Mm-hmm.
15:28Mm-hmm.
15:32Mm-hmm.
15:33Mm-hmm.
15:34Mm-hmm.
15:35Mm-hmm.
15:36Mm-hmm.
15:37Mm-hmm.
15:38Mm-hmm.
15:39And, and, and…, I kind of, uh, still, like to simulate a person…
15:46Mm-hmm.
15:47Mm-hmm.
15:48Uh, different people.
15:49So, for me, that, that keeps me going.
15:52Um…, Maslow's Hierarchy, of course… Yeah.
15:54You know, the niche wala jo hai…
15:55Yeah, yeah.
15:56Mm-hmm.
15:57Food, shelter, and all.
15:58That is the first…
15:59Top is self-actualization.
16:00Yeah.
16:01But I've added something niche. It's called Wi-Fi. I think Wi-Fi is more essential than food, shelter and everything. So anyway, so yeah. So that keeps me going. Storytelling is something that I enjoy. See, I don't know. Nowadays, I don't look at it as,
16:21that is not, that used to be there earlier, acting, all that stuff was there, but it's all gone. Now it's like the wholesome thing, the entire thing of storytelling.
16:33I want audiences to watch the entire film or the series, which includes me as well. So it's like that, you know. Of course, I won't do something that is, doesn't, in which I don't have to shoulder much of responsibility.
16:46You have to say, I won't do it. But, and paise mayse bit titha konin chahiya, come on. It's high time. So, woh sari cheeze hain, but that's all.
16:54So, but primarily, as I said, it's, it's, it's an attachment towards, I can't detach myself from that. When I read a script, that kicks in.
17:03That subjective love kicks in and I start falling in love or out of love from that script. So that, as, as long as that happens, I'll keep doing this.
17:12The day I become indifferent to reading a story, you know, and not wanting to manifest it, that day, of course, I'll say, thank you very much. Bye-bye.
17:22What about you, listeners? Okay, I will just quit. So that's a different thing. But as long as that relationship remains, I will yearn to do what I'm doing.
17:33And I'm tempted to ask one last question in addition to this. When you read a certain script or when you, you know, say yes to a certain project, you spend some time with the script or with the creator, maker, and then you start getting obsessed with that idea as an artist.
17:47You know, day and night, you're thinking about it, how will I pitch the character in a certain way, tone mera kya hona chahiyeh. How do you deal with that artistic obsession?
17:55It's a very boring process, actually speaking, if you go to see. It's about being with the script, not necessarily thinking about it or brainstorming about it all the time.
18:10Because I seriously believe that the more you are with it, at the end, it will give you something very unique, you know.
18:19So that's what I wait for. It's Aladdin ka churahat. Ghishtero, ghishtero, ghishtero. Suddenly, it's a very boring process.
18:30It's there in your mind. The script is there. I don't really invest in terms of, oh, you know, what do I do with this? How do I play this scene? No.
18:38I wait it to come to me. It's like a good batsman will allow the ball to come to the bat.
18:43Like a test match. Yeah, you don't go away, you'll probably be out. So allow it to come. I mean, you've got to give that much of space, you know.
18:50So I let the script be with me. I keep reading it whenever I have the time. Don't have the time, don't worry. I just keep script ka hai, kuchh scene chal raha hai.
18:59So just be with it. The more you are with it, I have found that it gives you something back in return, you know.
19:09And is there any particular time frame for it? No. Gestation period depends on when it comes. I have no idea.
19:15But it comes. Suddenly it's a, oh, eureka moment ha gaya, suddenly. Not because you are thinking, not because you are with, trying to devise something, no.
19:23Just because you are there with the script, you know. So wo hai, so it's a very boring process. So if people see me just sitting with the script like that, you know, and not turning the page, doesn't, they might think my home raun, you know.
19:36But that's not the case. It's there. It's somewhere there. So, so hence, different people have different processes to do. So I kind of like to be with the script. That's it.
19:48Sometimes I feel like the eureka moment comes after one, two days of shooting. You've got, you've shot a couple of days and you suddenly feel like, oh, you know what, now I think I get the pulse of what I'm doing or what the character requires.
20:00And then you're like, are yaar, do then to already shoot kare liya, vizka kha kare inge.
20:04Pre-decide, maan toh kabhi nahi karta hon. I don't even know what the set will look like, what the location will look like. I have no idea.
20:10I had no idea that Special Ops one mein bahar ho aise, us type ka waiting area ho jo hai na bahar. I had no idea.
20:16So I don't really pre-empt that, you know. So there's no designing happening. And the idea as you grow, grow in terms of years, in terms of acting,
20:26I think the idea is to nullify the design completely. Designless, it should not, how do I put it, it should evaporate. The design should evaporate.
20:40That's the whole idea. I mean, that's the whole quest. It happens sometimes, sometimes you fall flat on your face, sometimes it doesn't work, all that stuff happens.
20:49But the idea is that, to evaporate the design completely.
20:53Okay, perfect. So with that, we have reached the end of this conversation. If there's anything that I may have missed asking as a question,
20:57or something that you would have loved to talk about, so please feel free.
21:01It's a lot of knowledge. I have given a lot of knowledge. The knowledge is very difficult.
21:08You know, it's not even your character.
21:11Yes, it means that, it's something that changes in two hours.
21:13Sir, you are right. He is evolving mid time.
21:16And food.
21:17Pre-coffee, post-bathroom, post-lunch.
21:22And food, of course.
21:23Perfect. So on that note, thank you so much and I wish you all the best for a special of Sizzing Tour.