Jul 10, 2026 7:04pm IST
Shaheer Sheikh On Facing Rejection: ‘I Auditioned So Much, I Felt I Had Enough’ (EXCLUSIVE)
From romantic leads to emotionally complex characters, Shaheer Sheikh has played a wide range of roles across television and streaming. His latest outing is the second season of the Punjab-set crime thriller “Ab Hoga Hisaab,” which also stars Sanjay Kapoor, Avinash Mishra and Mouni Roy. Directed by Divyanshu Malhotra, the series sees him reprise his role as Bobby Manocha, whose journey takes a darker turn this season. After playing a middle-class man grappling with deportation in the first installment, Bobby is now a desperate brother who enters the dangerous world of human trafficking to rescue his sibling. Shaheer's nuanced performance has been winning praise. In a conversation with Variety India, the actor opens up about his latest role, the frustration of endless auditions and how he maintains a balance between his personal and professional life.
Characters That Resonate
About his character in the show, he says, “The idea was to make the character as relatable as possible. The story of a young man trying to make a better livelihood for his family by moving abroad is something many Indians could relate to. I feel this is what made Bobby resonate with viewers.”
Sheikh admits that as someone who grew up on Hindi films full of heroism, delivering a realistic performance was quite a task. “It can be tough (laughs). The idea was to keep the character as close to reality as possible. However, it is a struggle to suppress the desire to be a hero (laughs),” he opines.
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Blast from the Past
Over the years, Sheikh’s TV serials like “Mahabharat, (2013) “Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi,” (2016) and “Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke” (“YRHPK”, 2019) have continued to acquire new fans, especially his character Abir from “YRHPK.” He reminisces, “It was a very well-written show with a wonderful male lead character. People talk about feminism on screen but do not seem to know what it actually means. Abir was the perfect example of a feminist. I loved Abir, he was fun and would put the message across without being preachy. I feel happy knowing the character has aged well.”
Out Of The comfort zone
Transitioning from TV to streaming shows is a tough journey, and Sheikh is quite candid about the same. However, he believes the process of casting is a lot more transparent now for TV actors. “What ultimately matters is whether you were called for an audition or not. I have auditioned so much in the past few years that at one point, I felt that I had enough. I thought that maybe I was not meant for what I was hoping for. But then, you keep going at it,” he reflects.
He confesses that sometimes he gets too attached to the character while auditioning, which is why rejection hits harder. “You prepare intensely for a character for more than a week and then you are told you are not the chosen one. It takes a toll. I know, a lot of people are not happy with how things are but then every second guy wants to be an actor. The competition is brutal and intense,” he says.
Sheikh has been among the most-sought TV actors. Was there any fear when he decided to refuse shows offered to him while auditioning for other projects? “Of course, I was second guessing my decisions at one point. I feel it is a part of the process. If you come out of your comfort zone, better things can happen. Today, I am definitely out of my comfort zone. Having said that, I love television. It has given me whatever I have in my life. If there is a good show, I will definitely take it up,” he asserts.
No Work Talk at Home
Sheikh is married to producer Ruchikaa Kapoor and the couple have two daughters, Anaya and Kudrat. He shares that while they lead hectic professional lives, they don’t bring work home. “It is strange but we do not even know what the other is up to in terms of work. At home, we have other things to deal with. As a rule, I never bring work home. Our line of work can be stressful and I feel it is not a good idea to discuss work at home. Moreover, our schedules are also not in sync,” he says.
The Next Challenge
Talking about his future aspirations, the “Mahabharat” actor says he is open to being a part of mythological or historical series or TV shows yet again. “Those characters take you to a different world altogether. I enjoy that process. Also, I am waiting to play a character in uniform for a long time,” he signs off.
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