Jim Sarbh, Who Played a Terrorist in Neerja, Says Role Was 'Challenging'

Mumbai: Actor Jim Sarbh, who played a terrorist Khalil in Sonam Kapoor's Neerja, said that his role in the film was challenging.

"Khalil was short tempered and so I had begun behaving like him on the sets. I used to sometimes yell at the assistant directors if my costume was not ready on time. I was saying things in the way I usually don't, but in the way Khalil would've said it. The character was challenging and it got on my nerves," Jim told PTI.

Ram Madhvani's Neerja, which casts Sonam in the titular role, documents the story of Neerja Bhanot, who was killed in the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi. Ms Bhanot, who was 23, died while shielding a group of children from gunfire and became the youngest ever recipient of the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.(Also Read: Amul Toasts Neerja Bhanot With Rare Advert in Which She Featured)

Jim is a theatre actor and director, who shared the stage with actors like Kalki Koechlin and Ira Dubey. The actor attended workshops and isolated himself to get into the skin of the character.

"I was in a bad mood because Khalil is always angry. So, while shooting for the film, I went into isolation. I didn't interact with people and had no social life. But once I was done with the character, I could wash Khalil off my face," added Jim.

"There was no particular brief to play the character. It was all in the script. Khalil is the most volatile one and questions the motives of his boss. He doesn't like to be told anything. He had to be messed up. And unpredictability is the friend of terror," said Jim.

The actor is elated with the response to Neerja and is gearing up for his next release with Konkona Sensharma's A Death in the Gunj.

"The movie is coming out well. I can't define the character, but let's say that if it's biryani, then I am neither meat nor rice. I am the flavour," added Jim.

Neerja released on February 19.