“Audiences are my heroes and critics my superheroes,” says talented actor Jattvibeny Hinduja. Audiences’ love for his screen character Sandeep Bhaiya of Aspirants has led to a spin-off series whose second season is all set to be aired on Amazon Prime. Critics’ appreciation has recently won him Critics Choice Award for Best Actor for the short film, That’s a Wrap. As yet another series, Vimal Khanna, in which he plays the titular part is streaming on Amazon MX player, the FTII alumnus digs into the process of acting, how real and reel submerge and how struggle is but another word for education. Seen in significant cameos in more than one series like Mandala Murders, Saare Jahan Se Accha, for him the truth of the character is more important than the length of the part. He observes, “As an actor, my endeavour is to get so close to the skin of the character that audiences do not see the real me. Sure, there will always be an ‘ansh’ of me in every character. But since acting is a bare act, you need to shed yourself.’’ Incidentally, this is a lesson he learnt at the prestigious FTII. So what is it with the institute that churns out one fine actor after another? While he credits teachers and mentors at his alma mater, he observes, “One learns as much from peers and when these are actors like Vijay Varma, Jaideep Ahlawat and Jatin Goswami, impressions run deep.” Jattvibeny, whose brilliant act in his short film That’s a Wrap treaded the thin line between real and reel, adds, “I am in constant conversation with my character; where he is coming from, what are his dilemmas what are his goals.” If ever his most loved character Sandeep bhaiya and he were in a room, the conversation would veer down to “lage raho and success would follow.” Of course, he feels that each person’s barometer of measuring accomplishment is different. Jattvibeny smiles, “Mere mansube bahut hai but complaint koi nahi.” Among his many dreams is to play ace spy Ravinder Kaushik. Sports biopics too fascinate this athlete who played football at school level, loves to swim and plays squash diligently. The thoroughness in acting comes from many sources as he puts it, “One can say there is a method and then there is no method at all.” If between action and cut, the actor in him thrives on whatever the role demands, this director’s actor doesn’t judge his characters. So in his hands, part of Pakistan’s ISI head Murtaza in much acclaimed Saare Jahan Se Accha, does not become a caricature, rather comes across as a shrewd, intelligent who is the hero of his country. But hero or villain is never the deciding factor. Nor are the mediums for this actor of big budget films like Shehzada and Yodha. Acting is the only constant favourite. Sau baat ki ek baat, audiences should watch Vimal Khanna for it’s based on master of pulp fiction Surendra Mohan Pathak’s novel. If Mohan’s novel is a page turner, its screen adaptation, he insists, “is as intriguing and will keep you on the edge and introduce you to a character who is a vichitra praani, man of indomitable will ready to face life head on.” Besides, his fans would see him in a different avatar and also many avatars of his character. Quintessentially, directors’ actor ‘for cinema is their medium,’ he is all praise for ones like Apoorv Singh Karki, Sumit Purohit whose vision has let him soar. Raj and DK with whom he worked in The Family Man come in for fulsome praise, “They are a magical combination of wit, energy and impromptu improvisation.” He, too, balances the many demands of acting — from rehearsal to research — and delivers earnest portrayals of his on-screen characters. Reel or real… it’s hard to pick your favourite between Jattvibeny the actor and the sparkling man, never short of witticisms.