Rajiv Thakur, popularly known for his comic roles, surprised his fans by playing an antagonist in the series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack'.
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s new Netflix series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, has opened to amazing reviews. The series showcases all the gripping moments of the infamous hijack of Indian Airlines flight IC 814, which took place in December 1999. With 173 passengers on board, the visuals of the flight parked on the tarmac of Kandahar are considered among the longest Hijacks in India's history.
Anubhav Sinha left no stone unturned to portray the historical hijack on screen. Apart from showcasing the gripping tale of the helplessness of the passengers and crew on board, the series showcased a stellar cast. The show featured veterans like Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur. Vijay Varma played the role of Captain Sharan Dev, head pilot of IC 814.
Apart from the lead characters, the roles of terrorists played by Rajiv Thakur, Diljohn Singh, Harry Parmar were outstanding. It was Rajiv’s character ‘Chief’ in the series, that made the audience hooked to their OTT screens. Let us look at Rajiv Thakur's transition from an ace comedian to a dreaded terrorist.
Rajiv Thakur first appeared on television in 2008 on the show, Comedy Circus. After his successful stint on the show, the actor appeared in Sab TV’s show, Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo. Rajiv also portrayed various roles in standup comedian, Kapil Sharma’s shows, The Kapil Sharma Show and The Great Indian Kapil Show. Apart from television, Rajiv was also seen in various Punjabi and Hindi films.
Rajiv Thakur’s career in comedy has earned him many fans and earned him the reputation of a successful entertainer. However, his portrayal of the antagonist in IC 814 came as a surprise to his fans. Rajiv’s effortless transition not only won him a lot of love but also opened new horizons for him as an actor.
As soon as the series' trailer was released, people couldn’t help but praise the actor’s versatility. One social media user wrote, “Hats off to Rajiv Thakur, from Kapil's comedy to chief villain on #IC814, superb stuff,” while another commented, “Kapil should be proud of him! His transformation from comedy to serious role has certainly made him chief of the movie!”
Rajiv Thakur’s character played in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is completely opposite to the light-hearted roles he often plays. But Rajiv is content and happy with the challenging roles. In an interview with The Times of India, the actor shared:
“I've always loved making people laugh, but I knew I had more to offer as an actor. When the opportunity to play the antagonist in IC 814 came along, I saw it as the perfect challenge. He expressed his gratitude to Director Anubhav Sinha, Mukesh Chhabra, and the streaming platform for believing in me."
In the same interaction, Rajiv also talked about his casting for the role and how Anubhav Sinha was not sure about the actor playing such an important role. Elaborating the same, he said:
“I remember after my audition, Anubhav sir was shocked. He called Mukesh Chhabra and said the audience might not take my character seriously, but Mukesh stood by me and said, 'If you don't give talent like this a chance, then who will?'”
What do you think about Rajiv Thakur’s surprising transition from a comedian to a terrorist? Let us know.
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